Lord Meath, Youth, and Empire

Bibliographic Data

ID10073416
AuthorsJohn Springhall (corresponding author), J O Springhall
Year1970
Volume5
Issue4
Pages97-111
Publication date1970-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Contemporary History (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-0094 • E-ISSN: 1461-7250
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/002200947000500406
OpenAlexW2001404796
LanguageEN
Citations received9

At Lancaster Gate, near Hyde Park in London, there stands a monument to Reginald Brabazon, I2th Earl of Meath. It portrays the figure of a boy looking at the symbols of Empire and on it are inscribed the words 'Youth and Empire'. Lord Meath1 became famous to our grandparents as the founder of Empire Day. There is also a memorial window to him in St Paul's Cathedral, decorated by the slogans: 'Duty and Discipline', 'Self-Sacrifice', 'One King, One Empire', and 'Empire Day' mottoes indicative of the direction of Meath's activities as a propagandist. In 1914 The Court Circular (23 January) wrote that 'when the history of the progress of Imperialism comes to be written, the Earl of Meath's name will hold high place amongst those who have done solid work in the propaganda of carrying it to successful issue'. Although it is primarily for his contribution to the organization of Empire Day that Meath won recognition, he had devoted a great deal of his long life to the service of Youth and Empire. He is a key figure for our understanding of the role of militarism and imperialism in the post-Boer War period and a significant figure in the early history of British youth movements. 'His desire was that from their earliest years the children of the Empire should grow up with the thought of its claim upon their remembrance and their service.'2

Ancient history · Empire · Political economy · Political science · Sociology · Australian History and Society · History

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