Appendix

Appendix 1 lists the subjects of the best-attended debates between 1863 and 1914. (By the 1860s, political topics predominated within a two-party system.) The information may be of interest to historians seeking to weight the relative impact of various issues.

APPENDIX

NUMBERS VOTING AT CAMBRIDGE UNION DEBATES

1863-1914

Column A gives the month and year of the debate. The information is grouped into academic years, running from October to the following June. Attendances varied from year to year.

Column B briefly indicates the topic. Frequently discussed topics are grouped under the headings "Church", "Drink", "Party politics", "Votes for women" and "Women at Cambridge". Church debates usually focused on disestablishment. The most common "Party politics" debates were those on motions of "no confidence" in the government of the day, but these were occasionally varied with attacks on the official opposition. Motions relating to Ireland are italicised.

Column C gives the numbers voting. Votes were taken at the close of debates, making it likely that only the most committed members remained to register their opinions. On some occasions, procedural motions were taken earlier in the evening, and where votes are recorded, they often indicate that the attendance was larger than the final division. The best-attended debate for each year is asterisked. Note: only well-attended debates on non-Irish issues are included.

A	B	C

Oct 63	American Civil War	84
Nov 63	Laird rams (American Civil War)	97
Nov 63	Poland	71
Dec 63	Women at Cambridge	78
Feb 64	*Palmerston's foreign policy (Denmark)	102
Mar 64	Irish Church	74

Nov 64	Nonconformists at Cambridge	159
Nov 64	"Brother Ignatius" (Church)	134
Nov 64	Character of Oliver Cromwell	139
Dec 64	*Compulsory chapel at Cambridge	191
Feb 65	American Civil War	105
Feb 65	Capital punishment	94
Mar 65	Irish Church	107

Oct 65	Party politics	131
Oct 65	Fenians	100
Nov 65	Franchise reform	124
Nov 65	Gladstone's defeat at Oxford	135
Dec 65	*Church	163
Feb 66	Cambridge American Lectureship	160

Oct 66	*Party politics	312¹
Nov 66	Act of Uniformity of 1662	128
Nov 66	Votes for women	178
Jan 67	Irish Church	106
Feb 67	Parliamentary Reform	140
Feb 67	Governor Eyre	156
Mar 66	Fenian rising	66
Mar 67	Toleration of Mormons	100
May 67	Women at Cambridge	88

Oct 67	Parliamentary Reform/Disraeli	162
Nov 67	Sunday opening of museums	160
Nov 67	Religious tests at Cambridge	148
Nov 67	Legislation against Ritualists	138
Jan 68	Manchester executions	128
Feb 68	*Votes for women	184
Feb 68	Capital punishment	117
Mar 68	Disraeli	120
Mar 68	Compulsory chapel at Cambridge	134
Mar 68	Conciliation in Ireland	172
May 68	Party politics	108

Oct 68	Anonymous journalism	144
Nov 68	*College kitchen system at Cambridge	240
Nov 68	Admission of non-collegiate students	131
Dec 68	Party politics	124
Feb 69	Abandonment of Gibraltar	144
Feb 69	Party politics	124
Mar 69	Sunday opening of museums	103
May 69	Irish Land and Church	75

Nov 69	National education	95
Nov 69	Religious tests at Cambridge	132
Nov 69	Church	136
Dec 69	Women at Cambridge	104
Feb 70	Irish Land Bill	68
Feb 70	National education	117
Feb 70	Votes for women	115
Mar 70	*Compulsory chapel at Cambridge	143

Oct 70	*Franco-Prussian War	146
Nov 70	Boating regulations on the Cam	116
Nov 70	French republic	127
Nov 70	Relations with Russia	151
Mar 71	House of Lords/Church	138
May 71	Paris Commune	116

Oct 71	*Party politics	193
Oct 71	Church	107
Nov 71	Republican principle	165
Feb 72	Sunday opening of museums	96
Mar 72	India	100
May 72	Votes for women	130

Oct 72	Alsace-Lorraine	122
Nov 72	Corporal punishment	107
Nov 72	Drink	117
Dec 72	Contagious Diseases Act	145
Feb 73	Education of women	108
Mar 73	*Church	185

Oct 73	Party politics	176
Oct 73	Breach of promise law	147
Oct 73	*Rights of women	184
Nov 73	Home Rule/Irish local government	53
Feb 74	Party politics	149
Feb 74	Inspection of convents	126
May 74	Cremation	143

Oct 74	Reform of Cambridge	171
Nov 74	Party politics	248
Nov 74	Sunday opening of museums	207
Nov 74	French republic	128
Nov 74	Public Worship Bill	218
Feb 75	Gladstone	193
Feb 75	Votes for women	172
Feb 75	Deceased Wife's Sister	218
Apr 75	*Church	314
May 75	Dr Kenealy	190
May 75	Conscription	122

Oct 75	Party politics	252
Nov 75	Sunday observance	176
Nov 75	House of Lords/life peerages	159
Nov 75	Osborne Morgan's Burials Bill	190
Feb 76	*Church	316
Feb 76	Sunday opening of museums	177
Feb 77	Capital punishment	151
Mar 76	Reform of Cambridge	125
Mar 76	Breach of promise law	142
May 76	Party politics	162
May 76	Votes for women	170

Nov 76	Eastern Question	205
Feb 77	*Church	316
Feb 77	Home Rule	106
Apr 77	Party politics	263
May 77	Eastern Question	279

Oct 77	Party politics	256
Dec 77	Home Rule	77
Feb 78	Eastern Question	187
Feb 78	*Party politics	284
Feb 78	Osborne Morgan's Burials Bill	199

Oct 78	*Foreign affairs	222

Oct 79	*Party politics	328
Jan 80	Afghanistan	175
Feb 80	Home Rule	167
Feb 80	Cremation	166
Mar 80	Monument to the Prince Imperial	211
Apr 80	Church	236
May 80	Women at Cambridge	201

Oct 80	*Party politics	341
Nov 80	British policy to Ireland	111
Nov 80	Reform of land laws	310
Dec 80	Votes for women	156
Feb 81	Coercion	318
Mar 81	Candahar	215
Mar 81	Home Rule	335
Mar 81	Women at Cambridge	268
May 81	Irish Land Bill	158

Oct 81	Irish Land Bill	274
Nov 81	*Party politics	277
Nov 81	Belief in ghosts	264
Feb 82	Irish Land/Home Rule	135
Feb 82	Drink	146
Feb 82	House of Lords/Irish Land Act	252
Mar 82	Reform of parliamentary procedure	198
Apr 82	Bradlaugh case	166
Jun 82	Selwyn College	160

Oct 82	Party politics	219
Oct 82	Home Rule	145
Nov 82	Women's rights	161
Nov 82	Cambridge University by-election	358
Jan 83	Coercion	161
Feb 83	Opium trade	148
Feb 83	Party politics	250
Apr 83	Cambridge proctorial system	229
May 83	Affirmation Bill	342
May 83	House of Lords	300
May 83	Home Rule	113
Jun 83	*Party politics	366

Oct 83	Party politics	277
Oct 83	India: Ilbert Bill	224
Nov 83	Drink	179
Nov 83	Church	244
Jan 84	Egypt	163
Feb 84	*Socialism	457
Feb 84	Irish policy	207
Mar 84	Profit sharing	183
Mar 84	Party politics	225
May 84	Land nationalisation	187
Jun 84	Ireland and Franchise Bill	173

Oct 84	*Party politics	309
Oct 84	Horse racing	194
Nov 84	Church	218
Nov 84	University MPs	159
Nov 84	House of Lords	152
Feb 85	Party politics	239
Feb 85	Votes for women	181
May 85	Student voting rights	181
May 85	Coercion	63
Jun 85	Party politics	242

Oct 85	*Party politics	318
Nov 85	Church	267
Jan 86	Home Rule	108
Feb 86	Belief in ghosts	141
Mar 86	Votes for women	141
May 86	Home Rule	145
Jun 86	Home Rule	268²

Oct 86	Party politics	160
Oct 86	Home Rule	180
Jan 87	Home Rule	152
Feb 87	Church	135
May 87	Coercion	174
Jun 87	*Home Rule	271

Oct 87	Home Rule	179
Nov 87	State of the Cam	171
Feb 88	Women at Cambridge	190
Feb 88	Belief in ghosts	128
May 88	Party politics	120
Jun 88	*Bacon and Shakespeare	232

Oct 88	Irish policy	65
Oct 88	Church	222
Feb 89	Women's rights	126
Feb 89	Cambridge journalism	229
Mar 89	*Irish policy	425
May 89	Sunday opening of public houses	128

Oct 89	Sectarian education in Ireland	92
Oct 89	London County Council	141
Oct 89	Dock strike	190
Nov 89	Fashion	153
Nov 89	Women at Cambridge	192
Nov 89	Hunting	144
Nov 89	*Socialism	254
Feb 90	House of Lords	159
Feb 90	Home Rule	180
Mar 90	Democracy	206
Apr 90	Special Commission	94

Oct 90	New Trade Unionism	142
Oct 90	Horse racing	147
Nov 90	Irish policy	217
Feb 91	Church	164
Feb 91	Women's rights	142
Mar 91	*Party politics	242
May 91	Salvation Army	134
May 91	Opium trade	196
Jun 91	Drink	186

Oct 91	Party politics	230
Jan 92	*University jurisdiction over town	233
Feb 92	Socialism	141
Feb 92	Party politics	147
Mar 92	Church	227
Jun 92	Ulster resistance to Home Rule

Oct 92	Party politics	187
Oct 92	Drink	190
Nov 92	Modern philanthropy	135
Jan 93	Women at Cambridge	234
Feb 93	*Home Rule	389
Mar 93	Welsh Church	176
May 93	Ulster	78

Oct 93	Party politics	181
Oct 93	State ownership of coal mines	164
Oct 93	Church	214
Mar 94	*Home Rule	294
May 94	Welsh Church	146
Jun 94	House of Lords	241

Oct 94	Party politics	183
Oct 94	Church	136
Nov 94	Empire Music Hall	331
Nov 94	House of Lords	179
Feb 95	Church	203
Feb 95	*Home Rule	417³
Mar 95	Republican principle	183
Jun 95	Tolerance	144

Oct 95	American democracy	197
Oct 97	Constantinople	145
Nov 95	Democracy	175
Jan 96	Jameson Raid	171
Feb 96	Women at Cambridge	246
Mar 96	*Party politics	397
Jun 96	Party politics	193

Oct 96	Eastern Question	174
Oct 96	Drink	165
Dec 96	Navy	139
Feb 97	Financial Commission	94
Mar 97	Party politics	210
Mar 97	Opium trade	136
May 97	Eastern Question	188
May 97	*Women at Cambridge	1221⁴

Nov 97	India	142
Nov 97	*Party politics	344
Nov 97	Existence of Irish nation	146⁵
Dec 97	North-west frontier	135
Feb 98	Dreyfus case	211
Feb 98	Irish local government	91
Mar 98	Imperialism and nationality	174
May 98	Spanish-American War	201
May 98	Catholic hostel at Cambridge	186
May 98	Party politics	163

Oct 98	Disarmament	181
Oct 98	Dreyfus case	182
Nov 98	Fashoda crisis	147
Nov 98	Drink	136
Dec 98	Kitchener celebrations at Cambridge	157
Mar 99	*International morality	234
May 99	Catholic university in Ireland	72
May 99	Party politics	140

Oct 99	*South Africa	239
Nov 99	Closure of Cambridge theatres	212
Nov 99	Trinity College	142
Nov 99	Church	144
Feb 00	South Africa	158
Feb 00	South Africa	185
Mar 00	Diplomacy	162
Mar 00	Cambridge magistrates	166
May 00	British empire and "alien races"	138
Jun 00	Votes for women	124

Oct 00	Party politics	196
Oct 00	*South Africa	212
Nov 00	Imperialism	124

Oct 01	South Africa	112
Nov 01	Censorship of anarchists	116
Nov 01	*Press freedom	155
Jan 02	Catholic university in Ireland	114
Feb 02	Drink	117
Mar 02	South Africa	117
May 02	Coercion	117

Oct 02	Education Bill	188
Oct 02	Business training	133
Nov 02	Government by party	153
Nov 02	Landlordism	149
Nov 02	Party politics	193
Feb 03	Church	176
Feb 03	Arthur Lynch case	148
Feb 03	Jury system	129
Feb 03	Votes for women	169
Mar 03	*Party politics	206
May 03	Home Rule	108
Jun 03	Party politics	124

Oct 03	Tariff Reform	234
Nov 03	*Tariff Reform	450
Nov 03	Imperialism	154
Dec 03	Catholic university in Ireland	151
Feb 04	Compulsory Greek at Cambridge	157
Mar 04	Church	130
May 04	Home Rule	117
Jun 04	Tariff Reform	142

Oct 04	Welsh revolt	152
Nov 04	Public schools	188
Nov 04	*Party politics	443⁶
Jan 05	Women at Cambridge	252
Feb 05	Compulsory Greek at Cambridge	267
Mar 05	Party politics	218
May 05	MacDonnell affair	88

Oct 05	India	223
Nov 05	Votes for women	155
Nov 05	Party politics	258
Jan 06	Liberal colonial policy	187
Feb 06	Labour Party	229
Mar 06	Party politics	279
May 06	Education Bill	225

Oct 06	Home Rule	187
Oct 06	Public schools	157
Oct 06	Socialism	170
Nov 06	Egypt	160
Nov 06	Defence policy	164
Dec 06	Party politics	237
Jan 07	Channel Tunnel	188
Feb 07	Church	216
Feb 07	*House of Lords	307
Feb 07	Votes for women	240
Mar 07	Party politics	194
Mar 07	Home Rule	280
Jun 07	Party politics	304

Oct 07	House of Lords	214
Oct 07	State ownership of railways	181
Oct 07	Deceased Wife's Sister	211
Nov 07	India	161
Nov 07	Education Bill	170
Nov 07	Censorship of plays	241
Nov 07	Role of Oxford and Cambridge	175
Dec 07	Party politics	228
Jan 08	Conscription	170
Jan 08	Irish administration	135
Feb 08	Church	235
Feb 08	Socialism	304
Mar 08	Imperialism and nationalism	265
May 08	Drink	216
May 08	Tariff Reform	246
May 08	Votes for women	153
Jun 08	*Socialism	310

Oct 08	House of Lords	162
Oct 08	Home Rule	142
Nov 08	Land nationalisation	142
Nov 08	Church	207
Dec 08	Votes for women	225
Dec 08	Conscription	239
Jan 09	House of Lords/Drink	155
Jan 09	British Empire	248
Feb 09	Kaiser Wilhelm	160
Feb 09	Women at Cambridge	202
Feb 09	Socialism	248
Mar 09	Dreadnoughts	179
Mar 09	Welsh Church	159
May 09	Conscription	232
May 09	Puritan spirit	152
Jun 09	*Home Rule	368⁷

Oct 09	House of Lords/Budget	320
Oct 09	Grey's foreign policy	169
Nov 09	Votes for women	344
Nov 09	Censorship of plays	224
Nov 09	Tariff Reform	289
Nov 09	Church	210
Dec 09	*Party politics	340
Jan 10	Party politics	338
Feb 10	Socialism	204
Feb 10	Tariff Reform	335
Mar 10	Poor Law Report	187
May 10	Home Rule	112

Oct 10	Land taxation	202
Oct 10	Disarmament	193
Nov 10	Tariff Reform	301
Nov 10	Tariff Reform	301
Nov 10	House of Lords	205
Nov 10	Party politics	343
Dec 10	*Party politics	431
Jan 11	Home Rule	234
Feb 11	Socialism	405
Feb 11	Votes for women	138
Feb 11	Government by party	145
Mar 11	Parliament Bill	340
Jun 11	Party politics	203

Oct 11	Labour unrest	249
Oct 11	Canadian general election	189
Oct 11	Churchill at Admiralty	163
Nov 11	Rights of women	294
Dec 11	Party politics	303
Feb 12	Navy	390
Feb 12	Welsh Church	157
Mar 12	*Home Rule	427
May 12	Women at Cambridge	190
May 12	Home Rule	73
Jun 12	Party politics	259

Oct 12	Bonar Law and Ulster	247
Nov 12	Votes for women	270
Dec 12	*Party politics	326
Feb 13	Germany	151
Mar 13	Home Rule	235
Jun 13	Party politics	214

Oct 13	Labour unrest	153
Oct 13	Lloyd George's land campaign	228
Oct 13	The Stage	189
Nov 13	*Home Rule	389⁸
Nov 13	Party politics	176
Nov 13	Women's movement	253
Dec 13	Role of Oxford and Cambridge	244
Feb 14	Strikes in South Africa	156
Feb 14	Divorce laws	314
Mar 14	House of Lords/Marconi affair	204
Mar 14	Party politics	280
Apr 14	Curragh episode	112
May 14	Socialism	279
Jun 14	Votes for women	145

Notes:

1. Inaugural debate of the new Union building.
2. Visit of John Dillon.
3. Visit of John Redmond.
4. Debate open to all undergraduates.
5. Vote on amendment. Main debate collapsed.
6. Visit of Lloyd George.
7. Visit of John Dillon.
8. Fortieth anniversary of first Home Rule debate.