Behind the Scenes

Wood engraving

Punch (4 April 1857): 135

"Pam" is apparently a pet form of Lord Viscount Palmerston, First Lord of the Treasury, and effectively Prime Minister of the Whig administration, Disraeli of the Tories then being in the Opposition. The cartoon puns on "house" (theatrical auditorium) and "House of Commons."

Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham

[You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]

Last modified 2 April 2004