WASHING DIRTY LINEN IN PUBLIC

Abstract

The Edwardian years saw a range of dominion and colonial issues brought to the forefront of public attention by the British press, with the doyens of Fleet Street taking an active part in shaping the popular debate. This paper analyses the agency of the press in the imperial dramas involving the Indian empire, focusing upon leading aspects of the Viceroyalty of Lord Curzon. It provides, for the first time, an in-depth study of the national press coverage and its role in the controversy surrounding the downfall and resignation of Curzon in 1905, thereby shedding new light on media perceptions within the metropolis, and detailing the engagement of officials in press manipulation and propaganda. It is contended that it was the domestic context, and the consequences of attacking Curzon in public at Home, along with his failure to mount a successful defence, that were instrumental, though often overlooked, factors in determining his fate.