1-150-473 - The Cartoon Collector/Heritage-Images

'The Brummagem Frankenstein', 1866. A tiny John Bright, maintains his support for suffrage, whilst attempting to scuttle out of the massive shadow of 'the working man'. The implication is that, like Mary Shelley's monster, this menacing worker has been man made by Mr 'Frankenstein' Bright. A number of reform demonstrations were held during the autumn of 1866. Many thousands of the working-classes attended. The Times estimated that at Glasgow, some 150,000 working-class people attended, whilst at Birmingham the figure was thought to be as much as 250,000. Mr Bright regularly spoke at these demonstrations. He publicly declared that he had 'no fear of Manhood Suffrage'. However, it would have been easy to feel nervous in the face of such huge crowds. From Punch, or the London Charivari, September 8, 1866.