Date: Wed, 9 Oct 1996 01:34:12 -0400

From: "Barry A. Popik" Bapopik[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]AOL.COM

Subject: Grand Old Man (G.O.M.)



The "Grand Old Man" or "G.O.M." inspired the naming of the "Grand Old

Party," or "G.O.P."

The Grand Old Man was William E. Gladstone, who was named this in 1882.

He was born 29 December 1809 and died 19 May 1898. He served as Prime

Minister of England 1868-1874, 1880-1885, 1886, and 1892-1894. When he was

nicknamed the G.O.M., he was about the same age as Bob Dole.

The OED is surely authoritative on this and says:



'The Grand Old Man' (jocularly 'G.O.M.') was from 1882 a current

journalistic appellation for W. E. Gladstone. It appears (in quotation

marks) in _Punch_ 17 June 280/I.



Again, surely no one can beat the Oxford English Dictionary on the naming

of the great English Prime Minister. The editors of the OED had probably

known Gladstone personally! No way I can beat that!!

This is from Judy, of the London Serio-Comic Journal, 25 January 1882,

pg. 37:



Don'tee cry, now, my poppet--ketchy, ketchety, ketch--

Or black Bogie will come, or that nasty bad BRADLAUGH--the wretch!

Who says that if _he_ had his way he'd clip British Royalty's wings,

Abolish all queens from the land, and put down all princes and kings;

And I daresay he'd like to, the rubbidge, so pompous, conceited, and grim,

Unless somebody meanwhile ups and puts down and abolishes _him!_

To take his seat in Parliament on the 8th he's sworn to do all he can,

And has even patronized GLADSTONE, and called him "That Grand Old Man!"



I'll continue later with the "G. O. P."