Wikipedia:Featured article candidates/George Lansbury/archive1


 * The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

This article was promoted by 17:49, 23 March 2013 (UTC).

George Lansbury

 * Nominator(s): Brianboulton (talk) 22:51, 18 March 2013 (UTC)

George Lansbury was a significant figure in British politics from the late Victorian era until the Second World War. Lacking much formal education, he was a loyal working-class conviction politician whose causes embraced social reform, women's suffrage and pacifism. His only experience of government came late in his life, during the Labour government of 1929–31; after that government's immolation in the financial crisis of 1931 he became leader of the Labour Party in opposition. His final years were spent vainly trying to persuade the European dictators to attend a world peace conference. The historian Alan Taylor called Lansbury "the most lovable figure in modern politics", but sadly, if he is remembered at all today it is more likely to be in a footnote, as the grandfather of Angela. The article has been substantially peer reviewed; any further comment or criticism will be welcome. Brianboulton (talk) 22:51, 18 March 2013 (UTC)

Looking good. Here are my offerings at first glance...
 * Support with comments from Cassianto
 * "the district in which Lansbury would live and work for almost all the rest of his life." The ending sounds muddled.  "Almost all of his life" or "for the rest of his life"?
 * "Postgate records..." - This would be the first mention of Postgate, so a brief introduction would be good.
 * Third para in the War, Daily Herald and Bolshevism section, we have an OVERLINK to Albert Hall.
 * Also, ... arisen over Europe", - should it be a comma or a full stop after Europe?
 * "...and to urged his audience to... . " "urged" or "urge"
 * "Defeat duly occurred on 21 January 1924, when the Liberals decided to throw in their lot with Labour." -- "Throw in their lot", is that a technical term?
 * A pretty familiar term, I'd say. Tim riley (talk) 09:28, 19 March 2013 (UTC)
 * Unfamiliar to me until now. --   Cassianto Talk    12:55, 19 March 2013 (UTC)
 * Compare ref 100 to others, for example 157. One has a double pp format, the other has singular p.

Nothing further. This is one of the best political biographies we have without a doubt. Fantastic work. --  Cassianto Talk    07:35, 19 March 2013 (UTC)
 * All above minor fixes done. Thank you for your complimentary words and for your support. Brianboulton (talk) 23:19, 19 March 2013 (UTC)

Support – I was one of the peer reviewers, and anything I had to say was thoroughly dealt with then. I think this is a very fine article, of clear FA quality by all the criteria. Tim riley (talk) 09:28, 19 March 2013 (UTC)
 * Thanks for your earlier help and for this support. Brianboulton (talk) 23:19, 19 March 2013 (UTC)

Support As above, I also had my say at PR and had my say there. Just two very minor points popped out during my subsequent read through. Both relate to punctuation, so I'm sure I'm on shaky ground in raising them, but in the "East End upbringing" section:
 * "Through his progressive-minded mother and grandmother young George became familiar"; should there be a comma betwixt "grandmother" and "young"?
 * I think the comma is optional, that is, either form is correct. I'll have no objection if a punc-minded editor inserts a comma here. Brianboulton (talk) 00:00, 20 March 2013 (UTC)
 * I went ahead and became that editor. I think the sentence is easier to read with it present. Squeamish Ossifrage (talk) 23:27, 20 March 2013 (UTC)


 * "Reynolds News"; I think this should probably be "Reynolds's"? I'll check with the BL when I am back at home with my sources, but I remember reading through some of these at university with an "s's" on the end.
 * According to a search of the British Library catalogue: Reynolds's Weekly Newspaper (5 May 1850 - 9 Feb.1851); Reynolds's Newspaper (16 Feb.1851 - 25 Feb.1923); and finally Reynolds's News (4 March 1923 - 14 Sept. 1924). It was called Reynolds News during its lifetime, but that was between March 1936 - 13 Aug. 1944, so after the period when George was getting his political education from it. Hope that helps! - SchroCat (talk) 19:34, 19 March 2013 (UTC)

Not to worry if I've called these wrong: I normally do! An excellent article all round about an individual I knew something about previously, but nothing like with this much depth and colour. - SchroCat (talk) 16:40, 19 March 2013 (UTC)
 * Excellent work on your part. Postgate and Shepherd both got the name wrong! I have changed to Reynolds's Newspaper. Thank you for your careful reading and support. Brianboulton (talk) 00:00, 20 March 2013 (UTC)

Support: I was yet another peer reviewer, and had my say there. This is an outstanding piece of work, and he seems to have been a very interesting chap. I regret to say that I was unfamiliar with him before reading this article. Sarastro1 (talk) 20:07, 19 March 2013 (UTC)
 * I'm glad you found it interesting, and am grateful for your support. Brianboulton (talk) 00:00, 20 March 2013 (UTC)

Support also peer reviewed, ditto, ditto. Grateful for the opportunity to see the other side of some of the conflicts the rising Neville Chamberlain got in. Excellent article.--Wehwalt (talk) 22:41, 20 March 2013 (UTC)
 * I'm grateful for the suggestions you provided on the Chamberlain aspects of the article, and for your support here. Brianboulton (talk) 08:40, 21 March 2013 (UTC)

Support. I've got a couple picayune reference formatting issues that should be able to be fixed before promotion:
 * Because Attlee is a chapter in a longer work, shouldn't there be a page range for its Sources entry?
 * The Lansbury source has a double period after the publisher.
 * For Schneer 1991, my reading of MOS:QUOTEMARKS is that Outcast London should be enclosed in single quotes rather than double quotes, since it is contained within the double-quoted title. Someone that's fought the good fight on the manual of style may wish to confirm my thoughts here.

...and that's pretty much it. I see no reason to withhold support. Squeamish Ossifrage (talk) 23:27, 20 March 2013 (UTC)
 * I have made these small fixes to the sources. Thanks for your interest in the article and for your support here. Brianboulton (talk) 08:40, 21 March 2013 (UTC)

Image review
 * Poplar mural caption should end in period
 * Done.


 * File:Metropolitan_Board_of_Works_in_Spring_Gardens_1860_ILN.jpg: possible to be more specific regarding source details?
 * There is now a digital archive for The Illustrated London News, but at the moment it is only available to institutions. It may be possible to get the specific date in due course; I will follow this up, though I don't think the PD status of the image is in question. Brianboulton (talk) 11:45, 22 March 2013 (UTC)


 * File:Mural_Poplar_Rates.jpg: is the creator of the mural known? Nikkimaria (talk) 00:05, 22 March 2013 (UTC)
 * On the last point, I have added further artist information per the London Mural Preservation Society website. Thank you for these comments. Brianboulton (talk) 11:45, 22 March 2013 (UTC)

Graham Colm (talk) 17:49, 23 March 2013 (UTC)
 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.