Item 46: Broadside by Unknown, entitled, “Brentford in its Glory: Or, Wilkes in TRIUMPH,” with Woodcut Engraving of John Wilkes, by Unknown (removed to Oversized Print Box#3), [1768]

Item — Box: 6, Folder: 46

Staff Only

Broadside by Unknown, entitled, “Brentford in its Glory: Or, Wilkes in TRIUMPH,” with Woodcut Engraving of John Wilkes, by Unknown, [1768] (removed to Oversized Print Box#3)

Dates

Created: [1768]

Access:

All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.

Extent

1 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Type of Material:

Broadside

Condition Note:

Fair. Tattered edges, creases, small tears and stains, as well as general browning of the paper is present.

Measurements:

18 ⅝ in. x 14 ½ in.

Title:

Brentford in its Glory: Or, Wilkes in Triumph.

Description:

The following item dated 1768, depicts a broadside article entitled, “Brentford in its Glory: Or, Wilkes in TRIUMPH.” There is a woodcut engraving depicted at the top of the article, with John Wilkes presented at the center of the frame. He sits on a palanquin, or sedan chair, through the town square. There appears to be a woman seated, her head bowed as if sleeping, and Wilkes holding a staff hoisted in the air. There are people on both the right and left sides of the frame. Some reach out to him and others wave. An inscription above Wilkes’ staff states “Wilkes for ever.” The image seems to be a copy or re-imagination of The Covent Garden Morning Frolick, by Louis Philippe Boitard, 1860, a satirical print depicting “three drunken revellers returning home in the early morning through the crowded vegetable market at Covent Garden. In the centre two exhausted chairmen carry a sedan chair in which the well-known actress Betty Careless sleeps, her bosom falling out of her bodice, a rosary adorning her neck and clutching her hat on her lap” (British Museum). Wilkes’ figure is taking the place of Captain Montague. An accompanying caption from an exhibit gives brief history to the piece: “This 1768 broadside with woodcut engraving describes, in a pro-Wilkes fashion, the return of Wilkes from the continent, to Brentford in Middlesex and his election to Parliament. Wilkes’ victory would not last. In the midst of his legal troubles with the King’s bench, Wilkes was expelled again by Parliament in February 1769 over new libel charges against him.” The Newspaper contains an engraving of Wilkes returning to Brentford, with a figure in the center stating “Wilkes forever”. Beneath this engraving is the beginning of the article, which describes a public event which Wilkes held, as he traveled to Brentford to announce his candidacy for a Parliamentary position representing the county of Middlesex. Following this, there is a section that is in regards to the election date that describes the results of the election, and Wilkes’ ultimate election. Oddly enough, when describing the election results this newspaper gets the name of George Cooke wrong, as in the Newspaper he is referred to as “William Cooke”. The date for the item has been ascertained by comparison with a date for the item in John Wilkes & Isaac Barré : politics and controversy in eighteenth century graphics : based on engravings from the McClintock Collection of Wilkes College, which dates the item at 1768.