Framed chromolithograph by SPY (Sir Leslie Ward) picturing Joseph Chamberlain the Liberal Unionist politician, Mayor of Birmingham and late Victorian British statesman.

Despite never rising higher than the position of Colonial Secretary he became the dominant figure in the 'Khaki Election' of 1901 as he promoted, supported and administered the war effort in South Africa against the Boers. By 1901 he had begun to refer to himself, in the third person, as 'The Colonial Secretary' and develop something of a cult of personality around his bullish, Liberal Imperialist, anti Home Rule Unionist, 'common-man' patriotism.

Churchill described him at the time as 'the man who made the weather'.