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England - 1789

William Pitt

Obverse:

Draped bust of William Pitt, bare head right.

Legend:

THE RIGHT HON^BLE. WILL^M. PITT

Exergue:

1789

Size:

33 mm.

Reverse:

THE / SUPPORTER / OF THE / CONTITUTION / OF / OLD ENGLAND Small lion rampant.

Vern's Comments:

Unusual for BHM the attribution as D&H 212 is incorrect. The piece you see above is D&H 212, while the description of the piece in BHM is actually D&H 213.

England — Middlesex

D & H 212 — Political and Social Series

O: A slightly different bust, C.I and 1789 under it. THE RIGHT HON^BLE. WILL^{MA. 31
R: The same as No. 210.}

BHM:

AE, Br. WM 33 by C. James.
AE R; Br. RR; WM RR.
D. & H. Middx 212.
BM; NMW.

William Pitt (1759—1806) statesman, second son of William Pitt, first Earl of Chatham, and of Hester Grenville. He was taught by a private tutor, Edmund Wilson and at the age of fourteen went to Pembrooke College, Cambridge. Pitt was called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1780 and became MP for Appleby a year later. He joined Shelbourne's section of the Whig Party and was therefore opposed to Lord North. A gifted orator, he was made Prime Minister in his twenty-fifth year, the announcement being greeted with laughter in the House of Commons. Nevertheless, under his administration and by prudent use of loans and taxes England was able to withstand the tremendous burdens of the Napoleonic wars. Pitt's position was imperilled by the King's insanity in 1788, since he would have been dismissed in favour of Fox and his followers had George, Prince of Wales, become Regent. Pitt maintained that the Regent ought to be appointed by Parliament and was engaged in passing a bill limiting the powers of his office when the necessity was removed by George III's recovery.

p. 76, British Historical Medals 1760-1960 Volume 1.