(Rare!) Willam Ewart Gladstone - The Phonograph Salutation (1888)

Another real historic recording. William Ewart Gladstone, often regarded as one of the greatest British Prime Minister, recorded his greetings (Salutation) to Edison, on a Yellow Parafine Wax Cylinder (later moulded to a Blue Amberol copy), December 18th, 1888. The original Cylinder is now preserved in Edison National Historic Site in New Jersey, USA. (NHS Object Catalogue number : EDIS -SRP-39852)

Here is the transcription of the recording.

CHARLES GOURAUD :

London, 18th December 1888. To Edison from Colonel Gouraud, introducing Mr Gladstone. The Phonograph Salutation.

The latest-born of science and American genius bends its knee of steel and bows its neck of iron in reverential homage before the veteran statesman of England. Mr Gladstone, the phonograph salutes you, and through the medium of the phonograph, Mr Edison greets you. Now, Edison, listen to a voice that has electrified its generation - the voice of William Ewart Gladstone;

GLADSTONE:

Dear Mr Edison, I am profoundly indebted to you for, not the entertainment only, but the instruction and the marvels of one of the most remarkable evenings which it has been my privilege to enjoy. The request, that you have done me the honour to make - to receive the record of my voice - is one that I cheerfully comply with so far as it lies in my power; though I lament to say that the voice which I transmit to you is only the relic of an organ, the employment of which has been overstrained. Yet I offer to you as much as I possess and so much as old age has left me, with the utmost satisfaction, as being, at least, a testimony to the instruction and delight that I have received from your marvellous invention. As to future consequences it is impossible to anticipate them. All I see is that wonders upon wonders are opening before us. Your great country is leading the way in the important work of invention. Heartily do we wish it well. And to you, as one of its greatest celebrities, allow me to offer my hearty good wishes and earnest prayers that you may long live to witness its triumphs in all that appertains to the well-being of mankind. William Ewart Gladstone.


The recording is really hard to understand (barely audible!) since Gladstone was too far from the recording horn, and it was very difficult to understand even back in 1888. So what Edison did (*He collected Celebrities' recordings to use them as commercial endorsements of his Phonograph) was to make a false copies of Gladstone speech, so there are more than three different recordings of "Gladstone" today.

BBC have broadcasted one of the forgeries on their documentary program, and somebody uploaded another fake on YT (another forgery, which belong to the British Library), but this recording I present here, with the introduction of Colonel Charles Gouraud, is the genuine, authentic recording.

I enhanced the Gladstone speech as best as I can (I left the Gouraud recording un-enhanced.), but it is still very hard to understand. But, anyway, it's nice to hear someone great actually TALKING from more than 120 years ago!

Category:

Music

Tags:

• William
• Ewart
• Gladstone
• Historic
• Recording
• 1888
• Phonograph
• Salutation
• Edison
• Cylinder

[Llamastrangler]

Fascinating to hear a kind of Liverpool accent which no longer exists!

[jwccc47]

My Grandmother was born the following year.And now I am listening to a person from her time.I wonder what my Grandmother and Prime Minister Gladstone would think of the Internet,google streetview ETC.

[Izkzmach]

@Llamastrangler really he sounded more like accents during world war 2

[Berserker754]

What an interesting accent in the beginning! Something that you would never hear in England anymore.

[firestartertwistedfi]

They really missed a trick at school not playing us this sort of thing - brings it to life like nothing else. Thanks for posting it!

[hackneysaregreat]

@mc0558

Those other recordings where done using Gladstone's text, but because he himself stood too far away during recording and became almost inaudible, they decided to re-record using somebody else with a clear voice reading the message.

[mc0558]

@hackneysaregreat I have heard a couple of other "Gladstone recordings" that were better than this. One in particular addressed to future generations is quite extraordinary. Am I to assume that they are forgeries? And why would anyone want to forge Gladstone's voice for God sake. There is nothing more extinct than a dead politician.

[mc0558]

Gladstone was a remarkable man. He had the lucky ability for any politician of being able to persuade himself that what was in his best interest was morally right. Thus, as his family had owned slaves, he defended slavery in his youth as OK because it doesn't place the soul of the slave in jeopardy. He denounced Disraeli for wicked imperialism, yet as PM acquired as many colonies as D did. His passion was "rescuing" prostitutes. His opium-addicted sister was terrified to be left alone with him.

[GladstoneTait88]

I can not hear what he says

[MjStacey84]

I learnt that Mr Gladstone is part of my ancestory. It's great being able to research the history of him, and to here his voice. Thank you.

[karlsalz]

i hate the accent in the beginning !

but otherwise I find this document salty :)

[MrDeCorey]

This is amazing!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for posting.