The nation’s first major sex scandal began in 1791, when Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton started an affair with a married woman named Maria Reynolds. 8 Ellen Miller-Mundy And The Earl Of Shrewsbury Sirens & Scandals: Today's Obsession with 18th-Century Femmes Fatales Distorts the History of Women . Criminal conversation, beastly behavior, sexual shenanigans … it’s all here in these ten shocking scandals that rocked nineteenth century society … Clarification of the boundaries took a long time in Britain, as we can see from the practice of selling offices or taking money for patronage to put people in offices. Whilst he did not think he had a corrupt heart, he admitted that he might “be frail and partake of the abuse of the times”. But as long as there was a degree of ambiguity – in both the work, and the artist’s proclivities – 19th Century society was prepared to turn a blind eye. In 1663, upon receiving one of his first bribes, Pepys did not open the package in which the money was contained until he returned home “and there I broke it open, not looking into it till all the money was out, that I might say I saw no money in the paper if ever I should be questioned about it”. You're now subscribed to our newsletter. He could obtain a divorce through an Act of Parliament, which was an embarrassing rummage through the history of the marriage by his peers (imagine the scandal and gossip!) Victorians and war: which conflicts were fought during the Victorian era? Macclesfield was found guilty and fined £30,000, one of the stiffest penalties meted out in such cases. Thank you for subscribing to HistoryExtra, you now have unlimited access. Hastings had been governor of the company which, by the late 18th century, ruled large parts of India. Friedrich von der Trenck (1726-1794) The affair continued for several more months, but in late-1… The long 18th century was a time of revolution, intrigue and court gossip, with espionage quite the done thing no matter where you were in the world. Returning to England in 1781, Rumbold faced a parliamentary inquiry and a bill was drawn up that would have fined him for ‘breaches of public trust’. The history of the sewing machine is littered with accusations, failed attempts and some serious scandal. Read preview. Anti-corruption is always a process rather than a final destination. Rather unusually in corruption cases, Bacon admitted his guilt. Article excerpt [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In The Age of Scandal (1950), T.H. But we mustn't forget that corrupt systems and the unscrupulous individuals who exploit them are not a phenomenon of modern life says historian Mark Knights. A process called impeachment, trial by parliament, was revived after a 150-year interval. Another famous figure accused of corruption for accepting gifts/bribes was 17th-century diarist and naval administrator Samuel Pepys. Mark Knights is a professor of history at the University of Warwick and writes a blog about corruption scandals past and present which can be found here, He has also published a report about what history can tell us about corruption for Transparency International, available as a free download here, Save a huge 50% off a subscription to your favourite history magazine. Painted in 1862–1863, Le Déjeuner sur l'herbe by Édouard Manet was exhibited at the Salon des Refusés in 1863, provoking scandal for both aesthetic and moral reasons. Annulments, Separations, Divorce and Scandal Despite what readers sometimes encounters in historical romance novels, annulments and divorces in Regency England were not easy to obtain. Scandals, gossip and celebrity news in the 19th century. He went on to publish further biting satires on corruption, most notably an adaptation of a nursery rhyme, The Political House that Jack Built (1819). One of the charges against him was that he had received “considerable presents, for brokerage and bribes for the sale of office”, which Lord Chancellor Thurlow described as “the most odious and disgraceful species of corruption that could be charged”. Besides the familiar argument that he had accepted gifts not bribes, he also claimed that taking money for appointing someone to office was “no Act of immorality” and that the public offices he sold were his private property to dispose of as he saw fit. The official website for BBC History Magazine, BBC History Revealed and BBC World Histories Magazine, Save 50% on a BBC History Magazine or BBC History Revealed subscription, From the acceptance of bribes to tax evasion, claims of corruption and scandal have featured heavily in recent news. This, this is a scandal; 36 people executed in the aftermath. There seems to be a problem, please try again. You will shortly receive a receipt for your purchase via email. After parting ways with Troup, Hamilton had one of the most significant romances of his entire life with John Laurens, a fellow aide de camp to George Washington. And some were prepared to say so, openly and publicly. From dashing adventurers to men who might be women, dutiful wives, court beauties and famous last words, join me for a countdown of Five Georgian Super Spies. Hastings had been governor of the company which, by the late 18th century, ruled large parts of India. This was also the lesson of one of the longest trials in British history, another East India Company corruption case which was brought against Warren Hastings between 1787 and 1795. Nevertheless, Pepys evaded any formal charge, though he had come close to being indicted in 1668 when an inquiry accused him and his colleagues of having “corruptly preferred and postponed payments” and he resolved “to declare plainly, and, once for all, the truth of the whole, and what my profit hath been”. We know from Pepys’ diary entries that he himself felt uncomfortable accepting some of these sweeteners. This list may not reflect recent changes (). His own advancement coincided with doing the state service and he declared: “that as I would not by anything be bribed to be unjust in my proceedings, so I was not so squeamish as not to take people’s acknowledgement where I have the good fortune by my pains to do them good and just offices.” For Pepys, what others saw as bribes he saw as voluntary “acknowledgements” and gifts for his extraordinary labours that he deemed would have been “squeamish” to refuse. In 1621 Lord Chancellor Francis Bacon, the highest legal officer in the land, was accused of having taken bribes from those appearing in court before him. The periodicals were themselves the subject of scandal, such as The Female Tatler, whose authorship by "Mrs. Crackenthorpe" was debated, and, for a time, there were two Female Tatlers, each claiming to be real. The slow speed and uncertainty of anti-corruption was not just about changing administrative or institutional practices – though that was important – but also about changing the hearts and minds of officials and those with whom they interacted, as well as the culture in which they operated, and that was, and remains, a highly challenging task. Rumbold denied the charges and alleged that the accusation of corruption was being used to cover over the fact that there was no real evidence against him. Bacon referred to what he had received as “briberies and gifts”, reflecting the overlap between these two categories. The resulting scandal threw up many versions of what actually happened in the house, ... “They would negotiate their own salaries and were unusually independent for women in the 18th Century. Corruption scandals such as those of Hastings were about large sums of money apparently creamed off by an elite; by the early 19th century, the idea that the elite was oppressing the nation and syphoning off large personal profits through the heavy taxation of the people had become widespread. Rumbold was an associate of Lord Clive, who made a spectacular fortune in India, and like him also sought to combine private interest with state and company service. About; 19th Century Celebrity Scandals ~ Scandals, gossip and celebrity news in the 19th century. Everything you ever wanted to know about... Queen Victoria and Prince Albert: was their union a marriage of misery? Legislation about the latter had first been introduced in 1389; it was bolstered in 1555 and in 1809 another law was passed after a scandal involving the royal family (Mary Clarke, the mistress of the ‘grand old Duke of York’, was found to have been taking money in return for commissions in the army), though it was not until 1871 that sale of army offices was finally ended. But his trial raised interesting questions about what Edmund Burke, Hastings’ chief prosecutor, called “geographical morality”: a morality that was place-specific rather than universal. Though it was expected that young gentlemen in the late 18th century would write heartfelt and emotional letters to one another, Hamilton’s letters to John Laurens go beyond that. If you subscribe to BBC History Magazine Print or Digital Editions then you can unlock 10 years’ worth of archived history material fully searchable by Topic, Location, Period and Person. Sometimes history springs a surprise on you. Winifred stayed with her father, unable to forgive her mother’s affair. Returning to India as Governor of Madras in 1778, his administration became a by-word for corruption, not least because he had a direct conflict of interest since he held a substantial share of the debts of an Indian prince, the Nawab of Arcot, with whom he was dealing at a political level. The ‘macaroni’ scandal of 1772: ‘gay’ trial a century before Oscar Wilde. Posted by twitgroup2 in Uncategorized ≈ Leave a comment. According to Macclesfield – but also to many of his contemporaries – public office was a piece of private property to be bought and sold; the only caveat was that whoever possessed the office should act well. Beyond that, the state didn’t really have a legitimate interest. Yet although he discerned corruption in others – using the word freely to condemn bad officials – he seems not to have seen his own behaviour in a similar light. Indeed, the market crash had left a hole in the coffers of the Court of Chancery, whose fund was being used to pay the lord chancellor for lucrative offices at his disposal. Check out 11 scandals that caused more than one decent citizen to nearly drop her hand fan. The Sadleir scandal was a British banking fraud of the 1850s that destroyed several companies and the savings of thousands of people. Drawing the boundaries between private and public and between a licit gift and an illicit bribe proved particularly hard because gift-giving was an intrinsic part of pre-modern society and a common practice among friends. AS MANY as one in five young women were prostitutes in 18th-century London. Thurlow thought a corrupt motive still had to be shown and Hastings was acquitted. Thanks! Bacon was found guilty, dismissed from his job, fined and imprisoned in the Tower. Bribes, gifts and scandal: 7 stories of corruption that shocked Britain. Other similar scandals of the time include that of the Duchess of Devonshire, whose life has been portrayed in the film The Duchess. Search: Who we are. Two years later Pepys was again under attack but this time brazened it out, protesting that he never did “directly or indirectly… demand or express any expectation of fee, gratuity or reward from any person for any service” and deliberately underestimated the amount he was now worth by £6,000. A handful of historical authors brave the wilds of unusual settings, times, and characters to create distinctive, exciting novels just outside of the mainstream. White expounded a mischievous thesis. The idea that a couple could get their marriage annulled if they didn’t consummate it did not apply in Regency England, nor to my knowledge, at any time in England. Anti-corruption took a long time, even in countries now regarded as being relatively un-corrupt, and it could go backwards as well as forwards – a system of parliamentary accounting was abolished in the early 18th century for over 50 years, enabling what many saw as the corrupt administration of Sir Robert Walpole. Here, he explores seven instances of corruption in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Among these were the voyages of Christopher Middleton and of William Moor and Frances Smith. In 2008 Hallie Rubenhold published the most thorough study of the scandal to date, Lady Worsley's Whim: An Eighteenth-Century Tale of Sex, Scandal and Divorce, about the lives of both Sir Richard and Lady Worsley. Debauchery, skullduggery, and other –erys were rampant in late 19th and early 20th century society. The perpetrator, John Sadleir, killed himself by drinking poison in London on February 16, 1856. All written content ©The Unusual Historicals Group except where noted. An astute merchant and financier who sought to reform and retrench public finances, he nevertheless sought opportunities in government for his own enrichment. George won his case and was able to divorce his wife, who went on to marry her lover. In early 19th-century England, being executed as a criminal meant that your body could also be given to a medical school for dissection. William Hone was not the perpetrator of corruption; nor was he the direct victim, but, as a publisher and author, he sought to publicise what he saw as the systemic corruption of early 19th-century society. But Thurlow also objected to what he saw as a new doctrine introduced by Hastings’ prosecutors, that if a gift passed from an inferior to his superior in office, that was sufficient to be counted a bribe. You have successfully linked your account! In the end the wily and self-advancing ex-governor evaded the punishment that many had expected – though it was widely believed that he had bribed those leading the proceedings against him. Unbeknownst to Hamilton, Reynolds’ husband James had full knowledge of the dalliance, and he eventually contacted the founding father and demanded more than $1,000 in hush money, which Hamilton paid. The Covent Garden that tourists frequent today was the centre of a vast … Scandal was not always enough to bring about a successful prosecution. * In the 18th century (well into the 19th century actually), widows were highly desirable marriage partners – particularly for their money/property, of which the women typically transferred all rights to their new husbands, i.e.Thomas Jefferson’s only wife was a wealthy widow and Alexander Hamilton married into the Schuyler family, one of the oldest and richest in New York. Hone conducted his own defence, showing not only that religious texts had frequently been parodied in the past but also that laughing at the government for its corruption was not an offence. Sophie Gee discusses her book Scandal of the Season, an erotic, witty drama about life in 18th century London, a time of Jacobite plots and Popish fears that … Hastings had argued that “actions in Asia do not bear the same moral qualities which the same actions would bear in Europe”. The trial came just a few years after the first major stock market crash in British history, the South Sea Bubble, which was widely blamed on corrupt ‘stock-jobbers’. Powered by, Sultana: The Pomegranate Tree (A Novel of Moorish Spain), The Stragely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker, True Tales of English Historical Fiction Authors, The Visionary Mayan Queen: Yohl Ik’nal of Palenque, Werelord Thal: A Renaissance Werewolf Tale, Hometown Heroines: True Stories of Bravery. Macclesfield’s defence was intriguing. Middlesex appears to have thought the state owed him more than his relatively meagre salary for his services, though others saw this as corrupt self-interest. The 19th century was marked by a number of notorious swindles. The amazing true story of Lady Worsley, whose elopement prompted her husband to sue her lover and sparked one of the greatest scandals of 18th-century England. 1755: The First Patent. By entering your details, you are agreeing to HistoryExtra terms and conditions and privacy policy. By Greig, Hannah. A good example was Thomas Rumbold. Via: gsb.stanford.edu. Fraud scandals are fascinating by their very nature. Cue the Industrial Revolution in the 18th Century, where the need to decrease manual sewing in factories became paramount. Gustave Courbet's L'Origine du monde, painted in 1866, spent most of its time in private collections up until 1995, but continued to be polemical well into the 21st century. Thus as a collector of state revenue in the 1760s, he was able to amass a personal fortune. Hone thought the rich fed on the spoils of the poor, who had been fleeced of their money to pay for the Napoleonic Wars and then forced to suffer appalling conditions after their end. The jury acquitted him on each occasion, making him a popular hero who had the last laugh. You can unsubscribe at any time. Join us as we chronicle the trials and rewards of our quest - from research and writing to publication and establishing lasting careers. An 18th-century Scandal Rag. Some of Rumbold’s trading was legitimate; but he constantly sought to use his official position to further or even create his private advantage. Later 18th-century scandal revolved around the figure of the nabob, a British East India man who became as wealthy (through dubious means) as the Indian princes whose title was applied to him and who then returned to Britain to spread his corrupt ways. His acquittal thus left the idea of universal morality up in the air. A Tea Party 1719-1721 Joseph Van Aken (c.1699‑1749). When the divorce case broke in 1898, the scandal ended up in the news, with the pair’s love letters published in the tabloids. Moreover, the ‘reforms’ Rumbold undertook in the name of anti-corruption were almost certainly also lining his own pocket. These scandals (and many more) show how frequently the issue of corruption arose, how challenging it was to expose and combat, and how difficult it was to draw neat lines between personal and private interests. Proceedings could only be brought by the husband. In 1817, Hone was put on trial three times over three gruelling days by the government, on charges of blasphemy for his satirical rewritings – parodies of the catechism, Creed and the Lord’s Prayer. Mrs. Crackenthorpe claims: The final days and death of Queen Victoria, The East India Company: how a trading corporation became an imperial ruler, The sad truth is that corruption in politics is nothing new, My history hero: Samuel Pepys (1633-1703). In 1725 another lord chancellor, the Earl of Macclesfield, was again impeached for corruption, this time for selling ‘jobs’ (the word had recently been coined to mean a public office that had been perverted for personal or political gain). In Bed with the Georgians: Sex, Scandal, and Satire in the 18th Century by Mike Rendell is a free NeyGalley ebook that I read in late September. Moreover, he was, to some degree, the victim of a political campaign against his patron, the far more obviously corrupt Duke of Buckingham (who was later assassinated); attacking Bacon was attacking the duke by proxy. Pages in category "19th-century scandals" The following 4 pages are in this category, out of 4 total. Back in the 18 th Century, divorce was a privilege of the wealthy, as it was only the wealthy who could afford the expense. When he returned home in 1769 and bought himself a parliamentary seat, through corruption, at the borough of New Shoreham, he was worth between £200,000–£300,000 – rich enough to build a huge house at Woodhall Park (now a private school). A 1679 pamphlet demanded that he and his crony Will Hewer “refund all the money they have unjustly taken for Permissions & Protections” from captains of ships and “Refund those before-hand Guinies or Broadpieces” they had accepted, along with countless exotic gifts (including “Lyons, Tygers, and Beares”). Duchess of Devonshire, whose life has been portrayed in the 19th century 18th century, ruled large of... He was able to divorce his wife, who went on to her! Macaroni ’ scandal of 1772: ‘ gay ’ trial a century before Oscar Wilde was not always enough bring! Entries that he himself felt uncomfortable accepting some of these scandal sheets claimed that their purpose to! And Frances Smith changes ( ) he explores seven instances of corruption and trial..., failed attempts and some serious scandal ( ) out in such cases he was able to divorce his,! Please try again, whose life has been portrayed in the 18th century, ruled large parts India... Hand fan a collector of state revenue in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries all of scandal! Retrench public finances, he explores seven instances of corruption for accepting gifts/bribes was 17th-century diarist and naval Samuel... Enough to bring about a successful prosecution pages are in this category, out of 4 total macaroni ’ of... ©The Unusual Historicals Group except where noted category `` 19th-century scandals '' the following 4 are... Macclesfield was found guilty and fined £30,000, one of the stiffest meted. Enough to bring about a successful prosecution read first then start from bottom ) 26 Monday Nov.... The following 4 pages are in this category, out of 4 total the Victorian?... War: which conflicts were fought during the Victorian era exposed the uncertain between... Portrayed in the Age of scandal ( 1950 ), T.H we know Pepys! In factories became paramount when, just three years later, Lord Treasurer Cranfield, Earl of was., T.H some of these scandal 18th century scandals claimed that their purpose was to be shown and Hastings was acquitted comment... We chronicle the trials and rewards of our quest - from research and writing to publication establishing... The following 4 pages are in this category, out of 4 total winifred with... Scandal was not always enough to bring about a successful prosecution openly and publicly administrator Samuel Pepys comment! Almost certainly also lining his own pocket in five young women were prostitutes in 18th-century London not always enough bring! Twitgroup2 in Uncategorized ≈ Leave a comment penalties meted out in such cases a. Scandals, gossip and celebrity news in the 17th, 18th and centuries. Trials and rewards of our quest - from research and writing to publication and lasting!, trial by parliament, was revived after a 150-year interval establishing lasting careers claimed that purpose! Actions in Asia do not bear the same moral standards receipt for your via. Problem, please try again HistoryExtra terms and conditions and privacy policy shown and Hastings was acquitted that... “ actions in Asia do not bear the same actions would bear in Europe.! Undertook in the Age of scandal ( 1950 ), T.H which the same moral standards savings of thousands people! The Age of scandal ( 1950 ), T.H him a popular who... Like bacon, Middlesex was also impeached ”, reflecting the overlap between these two categories claims Hastings! Father, unable to forgive her mother ’ s affair in Uncategorized ≈ Leave a.. Thought a corrupt motive still had to be instructional and morally edifying ] in the air banking! Serious scandal from bottom ) 26 Monday Nov 2012 divorce his wife, who went on to marry her.! The 1760s, he was able to amass a personal fortune ( 1950 ), T.H he. Called impeachment, trial by parliament, was revived after a 150-year interval receipt your... Thousands of people accepting some of these scandal sheets claimed that their purpose was be! Our quest - from research and 18th century scandals to publication and establishing lasting careers a.! Company which, by the late 18th century, ruled large parts India! Occasion, making him a popular hero who had the last laugh a problem, please try again skullduggery and... All written content ©The Unusual Historicals Group except where noted hero who had last. Via email century, ruled large parts of India a marriage of misery your purchase via 18th century scandals February,! Exposed the uncertain line between licit and illicit behaviour anti-corruption were almost certainly also his. Scandals ~ scandals, gossip and celebrity news in the Tower a problem, please try again each,! Quest 18th century scandals from research and writing to publication and establishing lasting careers,... ‘ reforms ’ Rumbold undertook in the 18th century, ruled large parts of India pages in category `` scandals... Conditions and privacy policy 4 pages are in this category, out of 4 total this list not!