By Harry Furniss (1854-1925). Date: 1880s-1900s. Pen and ink drawing.

Sir Algernon Borthwick cr. K.B. 1880. cr. Bt. 1887. 1st Baron Glenesk cr.1895. Born Cambridge 27th December 1830 - died 24th November 1908. Educated at King's College School. Contested Evesham 1880. M.P. for South Kensington 1885 - 1895. He was a Conservative journalist, Vice-Grand Master, Trustee and in both 1891 and 1894 Chancellor of the Primrose League and the owner of the Morning Post (founded in 1772, and which merged with The Daily Telegraph in 1937).
The son of Peter Borthwick, editor of the Post, Algernon started his career in 1852 as the newspaper's Paris correspondent. He took over as editor when his father died, and in 1877 became proprietor. He married Alice Beatrice Lister (d. 1898) on 5th April 1870; they had two children, Lilias Margaret Frances Borthwick (1871-1965) and Oliver Borthwick (1873-1905).
Known as a conservative voice in the politics of the time, he became an ally of Lord Randolph Churchill.
Knighted in 1880, he was created Baron Glenesk in 1895. The title became extinct upon Glenesk's death. He was buried in the East Finchley Cemetery having his own Memorial Chapel and Mausoleum.
In 1864 Sir Algernon Borthwick joined Laurence Oliphant (1829-88) and some other friends in starting a journal called "The Owl", of which Thomas Onwhyn was the publisher. It was suggested at a dinner party in fun, and was intended to be partly a mystification, supported by an affected knowledge of profound political secrets. Sir Algernon Borthwick undertook to print it, and it caused much amusement to the initiated. Laurence Oliphant contributed only to the first ten numbers, retiring when it was taken up more seriously.

Illustrated by Ape (Carlo Pelligrini). Vanity Fair. 17th June 1871. No. 137.

The Primrose League, a brief history and account of it's purposes. -- By Algernon Borthwick. -- Published July 1886.

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