Aberdeen ministry

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Aberdeen ministry
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government, 1901-1952).svg
1852–1855
George Hamilton Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen by John Partridge.jpg
Aberdeen (circa 1847)
Date formed19 December 1852 (1852-12-19)
Date dissolved30 January 1855 (1855-01-30)
People and organisations
Monarch Queen Victoria
Prime Minister The Earl of Aberdeen
Member parties Peelites
Whigs
Opposition party Conservative Party
Opposition leaders
History
Predecessor Who? Who? ministry
Successor First Palmerston ministry

After the collapse of Lord Derby's minority government, the Whigs and Peelites formed a coalition under the Peelite leader Lord Aberdeen. The government resigned in early 1855 after a large parliamentary majority voted for a select committee to enquire into the incompetent management of the Crimean War. The former Home Secretary, Lord Palmerston, then formed his first government.

Contents

Cabinet

December 1852 – February 1855

The Coalition Ministry of 1854 as painted by Sir John Gilbert (1855) Coalition Ministry of 1854.jpg
The Coalition Ministry of 1854 as painted by Sir John Gilbert (1855)
PortfolioMinisterTookofficeLeftofficeParty
(head of ministry)19 December 1852 (1852-12-19)30 January 1855 (1855-01-30)  Peelite
Lord Chancellor 28 December 1852 (1852-12-28)21 February 1858 (1858-02-21)  Whig
Lord President of the Council 28 December 1852 (1852-12-28)12 June 1854 (1854-06-12)  Whig
12 June 1854 (1854-06-12)8 February 1855 (1855-02-08)  Whig
Lord Privy Seal 4 January 1853 (1853-01-04)7 December 1855 (1855-12-07)  Peelite
Secretary of State for the Home Department 28 December 1852 (1852-12-28)6 February 1855 (1855-02-06)  Whig
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 28 December 1852 (1852-12-28)12 February 1853 (1853-02-12)  Whig
21 February 1853 (1853-02-21)26 February 1858 (1858-02-26)  Whig
Secretary of State for the Colonies 12 June 1854 (1854-06-12)8 February 1855 (1855-02-08)  Whig
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies28 December 1852 (1852-12-28)30 January 1855 (1855-01-30)  Peelite
Chancellor of the Exchequer 28 December 1852 (1852-12-28)28 February 1855 (1855-02-28)  Peelite
First Lord of the Admiralty 30 December 1852 (1852-12-30)13 March 1855 (1855-03-13)  Peelite
President of the Board of Control 30 December 1852 (1852-12-30)3 March 1855 (1855-03-03)  Whig
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 21 June 1854 (1854-06-21)30 January 1855 (1855-01-30)  Whig
First Commissioner of Works 5 January 1853 (1853-01-05)30 January 1855 (1855-01-30)  Radical
Secretary at War 30 December 1852 (1852-12-30)28 February 1855 (1855-02-28)  Peelite
Minister without portfolio 28 December 1852 (1852-12-28)21 February 1858 (1858-02-21)  Whig
26 February 1853 (1853-02-26)8 June 1854 (1854-06-08)  Whig

† After June 1854 office became Secretary of State for War.

Notes

Changes

  • February 1853: Lord John Russell becomes Minister without Portfolio, remaining Leader of the Commons. Lord Clarendon succeeds him as Foreign Secretary.
  • June 1854: Lord Granville becomes Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Lord John Russell succeeds him as Lord President, remaining also Leader of the Commons. The Secretaryship of State for War and the Colonies is split up. The Duke of Newcastle stays on as Secretary of State for War, while Sir George Grey becomes Secretary of State for the Colonies.

List of ministers

Members of the Cabinet are indicated by bold face.

OfficeNamePartyDateNotes
Prime Minister,
First Lord of the Treasury
and Leader of the House of Lords
The Earl of Aberdeen Peelite19 December 1852 – 30 January 1855 
Chancellor of the Exchequer William Ewart Gladstone Peelite30 December 1852 
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury William Goodenough Hayter Whig5 January 1853 
Financial Secretary to the Treasury James Wilson Whig5 January 1853 
Junior Lords of the Treasury Lord Alfred Hervey Peelite1 January 1853 – 7 March 1855 
Lord Elcho Whig1 January 1853 – 7 March 1855
John Sadleir Independent Irish Party1 January 1853 – 6 March 1854
Chichester Fortescue Whig6 March 1854 – 16 April 1855
Lord Chancellor The Lord Cranworth Whig28 December 1852 
Lord President of the Council The Earl Granville Whig28 December 1852 
Lord John Russell Whig12 June 1854also Leader of the House of Commons
Lord Privy Seal The Duke of Argyll Peelite4 January 1853 
Secretary of State for the Home Department The Viscount Palmerston Whig28 December 1852 
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department Henry Fitzroy Peelite28 December 1852 
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Lord John Russell Whig28 December 1852also Leader of the House of Commons
The Earl of Clarendon Whig21 February 1853 
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs The Lord Wodehouse Whig28 December 1852 
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies The Duke of Newcastle Peelite28 December 1852department abolished 10 June 1854
Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies Frederick Peel Peelite28 December 1852
Secretary of State for War The Duke of Newcastle Peelite12 June 1854 
Under-Secretary of State for War Henry Roberts  12 June 1854 
Secretary of State for the Colonies Sir George Grey, Bt Whig12 June 1854 
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies Frederick Peel Whig12 June 1854 
First Lord of the Admiralty Sir James Graham, Bt Peelite30 December 1852 
First Secretary of the Admiralty Ralph Bernal Osborne Whig6 January 1853 
Civil Lord of the Admiralty William Francis Cowper Whig30 December 1852 
President of the Board of Control Sir Charles Wood, Bt Whig30 December 1852 
Joint Secretaries to the Board of Control Robert Lowe Whig30 December 1852 
Sir Thomas Redington Whig30 December 1852(permanent)
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Edward Strutt Radical3 January 1853 
The Earl Granville Whig21 June 1854
Minister without Portfolio The Marquess of Lansdowne Whig28 December 1852 – 21 February 1858 
Lord John Russell Whig26 February 1853 – 8 June 1854also Leader of the House of Commons
Secretary at War Sidney Herbert Peelite30 December 1852 
First Commissioner of Works Sir William Molesworth, Bt Radical5 January 1853 
President of the Board of Health Sir Benjamin Hall, Bt Whig14 January 1854 
Chief Secretary for Ireland Sir John Young, Bt Peelite6 January 1853 
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Earl of St Germans Peelite5 January 1853 
Master-General of the Ordnance The Lord Raglan non-party30 September 1852continued in office
Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance Sir Hew Dalrymple Ross non-party6 May 1854 
Surveyor-General of the Ordnance Lauderdale Maule Whig5 January 1853died 1 August 1854
Clerk of the Ordnance William Monsell Whig13 January 1853 
Storekeeper of the Ordnance Sir Thomas Hastings non-party25 July 1845continued in office
Paymaster General The Lord Stanley of Alderley Whig5 January 1853 
Postmaster-General The Viscount Canning Peelite5 January 1853 
President of the Poor Law Board Matthew Talbot Baines Whig30 December 1852 
Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law Board Grenville Berkeley Whig7 January 1853 
President of the Board of Trade Edward Cardwell Peelite28 December 1852 
Vice-President of the Board of Trade The Lord Stanley of Alderley Whig4 January 1853 
Attorney General Sir Alexander Cockburn, Bt Whig28 December 1852 
Solicitor General Sir Richard Bethell Whig28 December 1852 
Judge Advocate General Charles Pelham Villiers Whig30 December 1852 
Lord Advocate James Moncreiff Whig30 December 1852 
Solicitor General for Scotland Robert Handyside  17 January 1853 
James Craufurd  16 November 1853
Thomas Mackenzie  11 January 1855
Attorney General for Ireland Abraham Brewster PeeliteApril 1853 
Solicitor General for Ireland William Keogh Independent Irish PartyApril 1853 
Lord Steward of the Household The Duke of Norfolk Whig4 January 1853 
The Earl Spencer Whig10 January 1854
Lord Chamberlain of the Household The Marquess of Breadalbane Whig15 January 1853 
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household Lord Ernest Bruce Peelite30 December 1852 
Master of the Horse The Duke of Wellington Conservative21 January 1853 
Treasurer of the Household Earl of Mulgrave Whig4 January 1853 
Comptroller of the Household Viscount Drumlanrig Conservative4 January 1853 
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms The Lord Foley Whig30 December 1852 
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard The Viscount Sydney Whig;30 December 1852 
Master of the Buckhounds The Earl of Bessborough Whig30 December 1852 
Chief Equerry and Clerk Marshal Lord Alfred Paget Whig30 December 1852 
Mistress of the Robes The Duchess of Sutherland Whig15 January 1853 
Lords in Waiting The Marquess of Ormonde Whig11 January 1853 – 25 September 1854 
The Earl Somers Peelite13 January 1853 – 22 February 1857
The Lord Camoys Whig13 January 1853 – 21 February 1858
The Lord Elphinstone Whig13 January 1853 – 1 October 1853
The Lord Rivers Peelite13 January 1853 – 21 February 1858
The Lord Waterpark Whig13 January 1853 – 21 February 1858
The Lord de Tabley Whig13 January 1853 – 21 February 1858
The Earl of Listowel Whig1 October 1853 – 21 February 1856
The Lord Dufferin and Clandeboye Whig28 November 1854 – 21 February 1858

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References

Preceded by Government of the United Kingdom
1852–1855
Succeeded by