The Creevey Papers
Thomas Creevey to Elizabeth Ord, 24 December 1833
“Richmond, Dec. 24, 1833.
“I dined at Essex’s on Saturday. The feature of the day was Parks,† a
Birmingham attorney of whom I had heard much, but had never seen before. He is,
in truth, a very remarkable man in every respect. He is mix’d up with all
classes—Church, Chapels and State; and as well, or better, calculated for
utility than any man I know or have heard of. He is Secretary to the
Corporation Commission, and all the beneficial results of that most judicious
and successful measure are attributable to him. He has great influence in the
Trade Unions; he is a prime leader of the Dissenters.
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It was a curious thing to hear a
provincial attorney observe that the Liturgy of the Church had not been altered
for 200 years, and that he was perfectly convinced that a very slight
alteration in it would let in all the leading Dissenting establishments. He is
most decidedly for this union. . . . I did nothing but fire into Lord Grey all dinner-time on Sunday about this
said Parks; and, to say the truth, I found the soil quite
ready for a strong impression. He said that, from all he had heard of him, he
had formed a great opinion of him, with a strong desire to see him; and then he
got on to say that he would know him; upon which our dear Lady Grey, in a tone and manner quite her own,
said:—‘I hope there is no Mrs.
Parks!—Is it not the image of her?
“. . . We expect to hear to-day of James Brougham’s death. There is much
speculation abroad whether the event will drive the Chancellor mad. It is quite true that his brother’s
influence over him was as unbounded as it was miraculous, for no one ever
discovered the slightest particle of talent in James of
any kind. That he was his secret instrument, spy or anything else upon every
occasion, I am quite sure.”
Henry Peter Brougham, first baron Brougham and Vaux (1778-1868)
Educated at Edinburgh University, he was a founder of the
Edinburgh
Review in which he chastised Byron's
Hours of Idleness; he
defended Queen Caroline in her trial for adultery (1820), established the London University
(1828), and was appointed lord chancellor (1830).
James Brougham (1780-1833)
The younger brother of the Lord Chancellor Henry Brougham; he was MP for Tregony
(1826-30), Downton (1830-31), Winchelsea (1831-32), and Kendal (1832-33).
Auguste Charles Joseph Flahault de la Billardrie (1785-1870)
The illegitimate son of Charles Talleyrand; after education in England and serving as
aide-de-camp to Napoleon he took refuge in England upon the restoration of the Bourbons. In
1817 he married Margaret Mercer Elphinstone.
Charles Grey, second earl Grey (1764-1845)
Whig statesman and lover of the Duchess of Devonshire; the second son of the first earl
(d. 1807), he was prime minister (1831-34).
Joseph Parkes (1796-1865)
Tutored by Samuel Parr and educated at Greenwich under Charles Burney, he was a
correspondent of Jeremy Bentham who pursued a career as an election agent and political
reformer.
