# Primrose Day

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Anniversary of the Death of British Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli

Primroses at Disraeli's tomb at [St Michael and All Angels Church, Hughenden](/source/St_Michael_and_All_Angels_Church%2C_Hughenden)

**Primrose Day** marked the anniversary of the death of the British statesman and prime minister [Benjamin Disraeli](/source/Benjamin_Disraeli), 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, on 19 April 1881.[1] The day was marked each year into the 1920s, with arrangements of [primroses](/source/Primula_vulgaris) left at Disraeli's tomb at [St Michael and All Angels Church, Hughenden](/source/St_Michael_and_All_Angels_Church%2C_Hughenden) and his [statue in Parliament Square](/source/Statue_of_Benjamin_Disraeli%2C_Parliament_Square) and many supporters wearing primroses as buttonholes, garlands, and hat decorations.

## Background

Disraeli served as [British prime minister](/source/Prime_Minister_of_the_United_Kingdom) in 1868 and from 1874 to 1880. He formed a close relationship with [Queen Victoria](/source/Queen_Victoria), particularly after he was widowed in 1872. The primrose was reportedly Disraeli's favourite flower, and the queen would send him bunches of them from [Windsor Castle](/source/Windsor_Castle) and [Osborne House](/source/Osborne_House). Disraeli often thanked the queen for her gifts of flowers, picking out the primroses for special praise. The queen unveiled a memorial to Disraeli at St Michael and All Angels Church, Hughenden in 1882.

Contemporary reports noted that Victoria sent a wreath of primroses to Disraeli's funeral with a note "His favourite flowers: from Osborne: a tribute of affectionate regard from Queen Victoria".[2][3] However, a few years later, a letter from the Queen's Private Secretary, Sir [Henry Ponsonby](/source/Henry_Ponsonby), contradicted that suggestion.[4]

## Commemoration

The first celebration of Primrose Day in 1882 was encouraged by the civil servant Sir [George Birdwood](/source/George_Birdwood), who wrote a letter to *[The Times](/source/The_Times)* noting an increase in sales of primroses before the anniversary, and he also proposed primrose decorations at [St Stephen's Club](/source/St_Stephen's_Club). The success of the event in 1883 led to the creation of the [Primrose League](/source/Primrose_League).[5][6]

An 1885 painting by the [Newlyn School](/source/Newlyn_School) artist [Frank Bramley](/source/Frank_Bramley), now held by the [Tate Gallery](/source/Tate), depicts a young girl who has been gathering primroses on Primrose Day, sitting near an engraved portrait of Disraeli. Another Newlyn artist, [Ralph Todd](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ralph_Todd&action=edit&redlink=1), painted a similar scene, now at [Penlee House](/source/Penlee_House).[7]

In 1916, [Pathé News](/source/Path%C3%A9_News) recorded commemorative events, with a wreath laid at Disraeli's statue outside [Westminster Palace](/source/Westminster_Palace).[8] Pathé recorded similar events through the 1920s, including [Austen Chamberlain](/source/Austen_Chamberlain) in 1921, Sir [William Joynson-Hicks](/source/William_Joynson-Hicks%2C_1st_Viscount_Brentford) in 1923, and [Diana Churchill](/source/Diana_Churchill) in 1928.

## Primrose League

Main article: [Primrose League](/source/Primrose_League)

The Primrose League was formed in 1883 to continue the legacy of Disraeli by spreading and popularising traditional Conservative ideals, including the British monarchy, the [British Empire](/source/British_Empire), the [Anglican Church](/source/Anglicanism), and free enterprise. Promoted by [Lord Randolph Churchill](/source/Lord_Randolph_Churchill), who advocated [Tory Democracy](/source/One-nation_conservatism), the League grew rapidly, with over half a million members by 1887, a million by 1901 and over 2 million members by 1910, roughly equally women and men. The Primrose League faded with universal suffrage after the First World War when the [Conservative Party](/source/Conservative_Party_(UK)) pursued direct mass party membership, and was formally wound up in 2004.

		- [Frank Bramley](/source/Frank_Bramley),1885, *Primrose Day*, [Tate Gallery](/source/Tate_Gallery)

		- [Ralph Todd](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ralph_Todd&action=edit&redlink=1), 1885, *Primrose Day*, [Penlee House](/source/Penlee_House) gallery

		- [Wood engraving](/source/Wood_engraving) by [W. Saull](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=W._Saull&action=edit&redlink=1), showing [Disraeli's statue in Parliament Square](/source/Statue_of_Benjamin_Disraeli%2C_Parliament_Square) decorated with [primroses](/source/Primula_vulgaris) on Primrose Day, published in [Harper's Bazaar](/source/Harper's_Bazaar), 1886

		- [Primrose League](/source/Primrose_League) badges

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 14th Edition, 1989 (pb), p881

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Disraeli's flowery history - History of government (blog.gov.uk)](https://history.blog.gov.uk/2013/04/29/disraelis-flowery-history/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [The Illustrated London News](https://books.google.com/books?id=q-1GAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA422), 30 April 1881

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [THE PRIMROSE LEGEND » 20 Apr 1934 » The Spectator Archive](http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/20th-april-1934/19/the-primrose-legend)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Disraeli: or, The Two Lives - Douglas Hurd, Edward Young - Google Books](https://books.google.com/books?id=t0Nb4AZyKw8C&pg=PA1887)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [The Historic Note-book: With an Appendix of Battles - Ebenezer Cobham Brewer - Google Books](https://books.google.com/books?id=O0QoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA713)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** *[Primrose Day](http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/bramley-primrose-day-t03962)* painting by [Frank Bramley](/source/Frank_Bramley) with descriptive caption

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Primrose Day In London 1916"](http://www.britishpathe.com/video/primrose-day-in-london). British Pathé. Retrieved 4 March 2015.

## External links

- ['Primrose Day' (Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield)](https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw122684/Primrose-Day-Benjamin-Disraeli-Earl-of-Beaconsfield), by W. Saull, published by Harper's Bazaar, National Portrait Gallery

- British Pathé - [Primrose Day In London 1916](https://www.britishpathe.com/video/primrose-day-in-london/) - [Austen Chamberlain and Primrose League Pilgrims lay wreaths on the grave of Lord Beaconsfield on Primrose Day 1921](https://www.britishpathe.com/video/primrose-day-1/) - [Sir W. Joynson-Hicks lays tribute to Lord Beaconsfield on Primrose Day 1923](https://www.britishpathe.com/video/primrose-day-lord-beaconsfield/) - [A statue to Benjamin Disraeli is unveiled in Liverpool on Primrose Day 1926](https://www.britishpathe.com/video/primrose-day) - [Diana Churchill heads the 'Primrose Day' ceremony 1928](https://www.britishpathe.com/video/primrose-day-2/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Primrose Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primrose_Day) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primrose_Day?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.