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Great Britain - 1812

Repeal of the Orders in Council of 1807 advocated

Obverse:

Bare head right

Legend:

HENRY BROUGHAM ESQ^RE.

Exergue:

M.P. MDCCCXII

Size:

48 mm.

Reverse:

A / MEMORIAL / OF / GRATITUDE / FROM THE / INHABITANTS / OF / BIRMINGHAM / AUG.^T 1 . 1812

BHM:

Henry Peter Brougham. Baron Brougham and Vaux (1778-1868), Attorney-General to Queen Caroline and Lord Chancellor 1830-34. Brougham was a man of exceptional talent and was renowned as a scholar. lawyer. philosopher, economist, wit, orator - and clown. He was very much an individualist and because of this his public life was. perhaps, dissapointing although he achieved high office. Despite his many learned interests over which he tended to dissipate his boundless energy, he found time in 1838 to design the single horse, close carriage which was named after him. It proved safe and economical and became widely used as a town carriage.

Brougham defended Queen Caroline during her trial in 1820 and in 1830 was elevated to the peerage as Baron Brougham and Vaux. His active promotion of education, reform of law, the abolition of slavery and the advocation of free trade caused Macaulay to write of him 'He is, next to the King, the most popular man in England'.

This and the following medal refer to Brougham's opposition to the Orders in Council of November, 1807, prohibiting trade with France and the countries dependent upon her, and insisting on American vessels coming first to British ports and paying a tax. These orders were considered very detrimental to the commercial interests of the country, and those relating to America were repealed on June 23rd, 1812.

Repeal of the Orders in Council of 1807 advocated