On This Day

19 May 1898

Death aged 89 of William Ewart Gladstone, four times Liberal Prime Minister

Gladstone had been in declining health since early 1897 and even in the last months of 1896 had been making preparations for the end of his life, making financial plans and tellingly he ceased to write his diary. He suffered from bad attacks of facial neuralgia and gradually stopped taking an interest in public and political affairs. On 18 March 1898 he was diagnosed with cancer. He was pronounced dead at around 5 in the morning of 19 May with nine members of his family and three doctors surrounding his bed.

Related histories

• William Ewart Gladstone, 1809-1898