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Quiz about Shaftesbury  The Poor Mans Earl
Quiz about Shaftesbury  The Poor Mans Earl

Shaftesbury - The Poor Man's Earl Quiz


Social reformer, aristocrat, evangelist, politician. It was hard to know how to categorise Shaftesbury. I hope you enjoy learning about him, and are inspired by the story of this great man.

A multiple-choice quiz by teadrinker. Estimated time: 7 mins.
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Author
teadrinker
Time
7 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
203,350
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
8 / 15
Plays
243
- -
Question 1 of 15
1. Since I decided to list this quiz in the 'Politicians and Leaders' category, I suppose I should start with a question about Shaftesbury's politics. Of which political party was this radical reformer a member? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. Shaftesbury made his first speech in the House of Commons on 18 February 1828 aged 26. What was the subject of this speech? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. The Earl soon became interested in limiting the hours worked by children in factories. What did Shaftesbury's bill of 1833 state should be the maximum numbers of hours worked by a child labourer per day? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. Never a man to worry about interfering, Shaftesbury somehow persuaded the rulers of England and Prussia to allow him to choose the first bishop of which newly created bishopric? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. Shaftesbury is very well known for his work in abolishing the employment of women and children in the mines. A report on the dreadful conditions in the mines published in May 1842 received almost unanimous public and political support, yet no ban on child and women miners was passed until August of that year. What caused this delay? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. The Ragged School movement was of great interest to the Earl. This movement had been inspired by the work of John Pounds, a cobbler who taught destitute children in his spare time. Of which city was Pounds an inhabitant? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. Unimpressed by Shaftesbury's condemnation of slavery in the USA, one American journalist made the following remark:
"And who is this Earl of Shaftesbury? ...Where was he when Lord Ashley was so nobly fighting for the factory bill and pleading for the English slave?" Why did this comment not harm the Earl's reputation?
Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. Shaftesbury was refused high office in the British parliament due to his pseudo-socialist views.


Question 9 of 15
9. Shaftesbury was responsible for the appointment 5 Archbishops and 20 Bishops. How? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. What Shaftesbury innovation was launched on Queen Victoria's 38th birthday? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. After a watch of great sentimental value was stolen, the Earl let it be known amongst his less respectable acquaintance that he would like it returned. The following morning he found a bag on his doorstep. What did this bag contain? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. 'Shaftesbury Homes' are still a well-known social housing group. Where was the first Shaftesbury Home located? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. Shaftesbury was not in favour of state education.


Question 14 of 15
14. Lady Shaftesbury died in 1872, after 42 years of marriage. Her husband set up the 'Emily loan fund' in her honour to enable young women to support themselves finanicially in honest business. These loans were available through which society? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. The Earl died 1 October 1885. Although he was not given a state funeral, his memorial service was, in its own way, a massive public event. Thousands lined the streets to see the funeral cortege make its way between Grosvenor Square and Westminster Abbey with a procession of bands from various charities he had worked with providing music. Inside the Abbey were representatives of his many causes, politicians, and aristocrats, but 1000 seats were left unreserved for members of the public. However, the most famous aspect of the event, is the hymn the Costermongers' [street-seller] Temperance Band played as the coffin left the Abbey to be conveyed to its final resting place in Dorset. What was this hymn? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Since I decided to list this quiz in the 'Politicians and Leaders' category, I suppose I should start with a question about Shaftesbury's politics. Of which political party was this radical reformer a member?

Answer: The Conservative Party

The Conservative Party is generally considered to be the least open to social reformation (the clue is in the name), yet not only did they maintain Shaftesbury, who was a proto-socialist, they also managed to provide Britain with its first Jewish Prime Minister (Disraeli), and its first female Prime Minister (Thatcher).

However, it should be noted that for all his reforming zeal, Shaftesbury did not want to overthrow the class system, and probably would not have approved of anyone who did. At its best, the English class system involves everyone helping everyone else above and below them, but everyone knowing their place. So it was a mixture of this system combined with a Christian brotherhood of all believers that motivated his ideals.
2. Shaftesbury made his first speech in the House of Commons on 18 February 1828 aged 26. What was the subject of this speech?

Answer: Conditions in 'Lunatic Asylums'

Shaftesbury had been asked to join a 'Select Committee' to look into the terrible conditions in 'lunatic asylums'. Patients - or rather inmates - were kept in filthy surroundings, were often chained and unattended at weekends, and were found to receive no medical assistance for their conditions, although it was known by this time that mental illnesses were more likely to be helped by ocupational therapy type treatments than by harsh restraints such as strait jackets.

This quickly became Shaftesbury's first 'cause', one which he promoted vigorously for nearly sixty years.

By the way, Shaftesbury was actually against the Reform Bill to make the House of Commons more representative of the population.
3. The Earl soon became interested in limiting the hours worked by children in factories. What did Shaftesbury's bill of 1833 state should be the maximum numbers of hours worked by a child labourer per day?

Answer: 10 hours

Although 10 hours is a very long day, it was feared that if children were forbidden by law to work fewer hours, unscrupulous factory owners would work a shift system for children, which would then result in longer hours for adult workers. However, the reformers had no need to worry - the bill was heavily defeated. Nevertheless, the bill brought the matter to public attention, and later that year a different bill was passed which, although doing little to help adolescent workers, actually went further than Shaftesbury's bill to prevent very young children from working in certain industries.
4. Never a man to worry about interfering, Shaftesbury somehow persuaded the rulers of England and Prussia to allow him to choose the first bishop of which newly created bishopric?

Answer: Jerusalem

After reading prophetic writings in the Old Testament of the Bible, Shaftesbury became convinced that the Jews would return to 'The Holy Land'. At the time, this seemed improbable, but it was politically expedient for Britain to gain any hold they could within the Turkish Empire, which at that time controlled the area which is now Israel.

This was not Shaftesbury's motivation, but it did work to his advantage, as he was encouraged with his plans for a Jewish homeland. The plan crumbled within 50 years, but is generally considered to be a prototype for the state which was formed after WWII.
5. Shaftesbury is very well known for his work in abolishing the employment of women and children in the mines. A report on the dreadful conditions in the mines published in May 1842 received almost unanimous public and political support, yet no ban on child and women miners was passed until August of that year. What caused this delay?

Answer: An assasination attempt on Queen Victoria and stalling in the House of Lords

Politicians can always be distracted by royal stories, and given that newspapers declared a constitutional crisis in November 2003 because it was discovered Queen Elizabeth kept her breakfast cereals in tupperware boxes, their distraction at this juncture can be understood. Stalling is just a way of life for folk in the Upper Chamber.
6. The Ragged School movement was of great interest to the Earl. This movement had been inspired by the work of John Pounds, a cobbler who taught destitute children in his spare time. Of which city was Pounds an inhabitant?

Answer: Portsmouth

Portsmouth is still a very poor city, and not long ago was officially voted the second worst city in the country, yet it is often overlooked for extra assistance as it is located in a generally affluent county. Consequently, despite the fact that it is the spiritual home of universal free education, it has some of the worst schools in the country.
7. Unimpressed by Shaftesbury's condemnation of slavery in the USA, one American journalist made the following remark: "And who is this Earl of Shaftesbury? ...Where was he when Lord Ashley was so nobly fighting for the factory bill and pleading for the English slave?" Why did this comment not harm the Earl's reputation?

Answer: Lord Ashley was Shaftesbury's title until the death of his father in 1851 ie Shaftesbury & Ashley were the same person

The Earl of Shaftesbury's name was Anthony Ashley Cooper, and until he succeded to the title of Earl on the death of his father, his official title was 'Lord Ashley'. It is easy to understand the journalist's confusion, if not his political viewpoint.

Shaftesbury, far from being wounded by the unfair attack, thought it highly amusing, and would tell the story to anyone who would listen.
8. Shaftesbury was refused high office in the British parliament due to his pseudo-socialist views.

Answer: False

As an experienced, intelligent and flagrantly honest politician, a succession of Prime Ministers tried to persuade the Earl to take posts in the cabinet, which he always refused. He came closest to accepting a ministry under the leadership of his father-in-law, Lord Palmerston, whom he knew to be having difficulties forming a cabinet.

It is reported that when Shaftesbury received news that at the 11th hour a substitute had been found, he danced for joy.
9. Shaftesbury was responsible for the appointment 5 Archbishops and 20 Bishops. How?

Answer: His agnostic father-in-law became Prime Minister and allowed Shaftesbury to choose all church appointments

Palmerston, in the words of his son-in-law, 'could not tell the theological difference between Moses and Sydney Smith'. He had absolutely no interest in Church matters, and seems to have been pleased to rid himself of the problem, by passing on the duty to his strongly Christian son-in-law, with whom he had a good relationship.

The transference of duty was rather obvious: until this point, bishops were usually chosen from academics within the 'broad church'. The so called 'Shaftesbury Bishops' were an utter anomaly - not only were they almost exclusively from the shrinking Evangelical wing of the Anglican Church, but most of them were relatively humble parish vicars.
10. What Shaftesbury innovation was launched on Queen Victoria's 38th birthday?

Answer: Sunday evening church services in theatres

He was involved in all of these movements. The theatre services were, at the time, highly radical. To enable them to go ahead, Shaftesbury had had to get an old law preventing religious meetings in non-consecrated buildings revoked. The services were ecumenical, evangelical, and evangelistic.

They were specifically aimed at the very poorest of London's population, who were frequently unwelcome and uncomfortable in traditional services. Up to 18,000 attended these services across the capital each week.
11. After a watch of great sentimental value was stolen, the Earl let it be known amongst his less respectable acquaintance that he would like it returned. The following morning he found a bag on his doorstep. What did this bag contain?

Answer: The thief and the watch

He had done so much to help the very poorest classes, 'deserving' or 'undeserving', that the criminal gangs were horrified that he had been treated in this way. The young pickpocket had a note pinned to him, telling Shaftesbury to give him what he deserved. He sent him to school.
12. 'Shaftesbury Homes' are still a well-known social housing group. Where was the first Shaftesbury Home located?

Answer: The River Thames

The first Shaftesbury Home was a large ship on the River Thames to house and train homeless boys for a career in the merchant navy, giving them shelter, education and a future. Boarding schools and homes on land were soon added for girls, and for those not wanting a sea-faring career.

It should be noted that this pre-dated the work of Dr Barnardo. Although it is frequently reported (not least by Barnardo) that the doctor opened the eyes of Shaftesbury to the plight of 'street kids', evidence shows that the reverse is true.

This scheme was already in the planning stages when Barnardo moved to London.
13. Shaftesbury was not in favour of state education.

Answer: True

Although he passionately believed that all children had a right to education, he was against state involvement. He felt that learning should be based around Christian teaching, and that state interference would lead to secular education. Consequntly, he wanted schools to remain in the charitable sector.
14. Lady Shaftesbury died in 1872, after 42 years of marriage. Her husband set up the 'Emily loan fund' in her honour to enable young women to support themselves finanicially in honest business. These loans were available through which society?

Answer: The Watercress and Flower Girls Mission

Watercress and flower selling was seasonal work, which meant that during the winter, these girls had no way to support themselves. Small loans could allow them to buy equipment such as potato ovens or coffee stalls which would enable them to work all year round.

BTW: This mission also taught girls to make artificial flowers for sale during winter, and was the forerunner of all the charities (eg MacMillans, Royal British Legion) who now have flower days.
15. The Earl died 1 October 1885. Although he was not given a state funeral, his memorial service was, in its own way, a massive public event. Thousands lined the streets to see the funeral cortege make its way between Grosvenor Square and Westminster Abbey with a procession of bands from various charities he had worked with providing music. Inside the Abbey were representatives of his many causes, politicians, and aristocrats, but 1000 seats were left unreserved for members of the public. However, the most famous aspect of the event, is the hymn the Costermongers' [street-seller] Temperance Band played as the coffin left the Abbey to be conveyed to its final resting place in Dorset. What was this hymn?

Answer: Safe in the Arms of Jesus

I'll leave with just a small sample of some of the charities he was linked to or founded:

Shaftesbury Society (www.shaftesburysoc.org.uk)
Shaftesbury Housing (www.shaftesburyhousing.org.uk)
Church Pastoral Aid Society (www.cpas.org.uk)
John Grooms Assocition for the Disabled (www.johngrooms.org.uk)
London City Mission (www.lcm.org.uk)
YMCA (www.ymca.org.uk)
YWCA (www.ywca.org.uk)
Barnado's (www.barnardos.org.uk)
NSPCC (www.nspcc.org.uk)
RSPCA (www.rspca.org.uk)
Seamen's Hospital Society (www.seahospital.org.uk)
And believe me, there are a lot, lot more...
Source: Author teadrinker

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Jim_in_Oz before going online.
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