Statue of General Gordon depicts Gordon in his army uniform with a sabre; and there is a Grade II listed monument to Gordon in Southampton. Major-General Gordon was lionised as a British war hero after his death at the end of the Siege of Khartoum in January 1885. The statue was made in 1887-88. Gordon's brother, Sir Henry Gordon, advised Thornycroft to minimise the military character of the statue, and emphasis Gordons qualities of strength of mind, love, kindness and affection. The original statue in London was first unveiled in Trafalgar Square on 16 October 1888 without a formal ceremony. It was sited halfway
1885 United Kingdom general election 1885 United Kingdom general election The 1885 United Kingdom general election was held from 24 November to 18 December 1885. This was the first general election after an extension of the franchise and redistribution of seats. For the first time a majority of adult males could vote and most constituencies by law returned a single member to Parliament fulfilling one of the ideals of Chartism to provide direct single-member, single-electorate accountability. It saw the Liberals, led by William Ewart Gladstone, win the most seats, but not an overall majority. As the Irish Nationalists held the balance of power between them