Second Gladstone ministry

Second Gladstone ministry
Second Gladstone ministry
1880–1885
	Gladstone (1879)
Date formed	23 April 1880
Date dissolved	9 June 1885
People and organisations
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	William Ewart Gladstone
Total no. of members	118 appointments
Member party	Liberal Party
Status in legislature	Majority
Opposition party	Conservative Party
Opposition leaders	Sir Stafford Northcote ; in the House of Commons ; Lord Beaconsfield (1880–1881); Lord Salisbury (1881–1885); in the House of Lords ;
History
Election	1880 general election
Legislature terms	22nd UK Parliament ; lost a vote of confidence
Predecessor	Second Disraeli ministry
Successor	First Salisbury ministry

Last updated May 30, 2025

After campaigning against the foreign policy of the Beaconsfield ministry, William Ewart Gladstone led the Liberal Party to victory in the 1880 general election. The nominal leader of the Party, Spencer Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington, resigned in Gladstone's favour and Gladstone was appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for a second time by Queen Victoria. He pursued a policy of parliamentary reform, but his government became wildly unpopular after the death of General Gordon in 1885. Gladstone was held responsible, and resigned, leaving the way free for the Conservatives under Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury to form a government.

Cabinet; April 1880 – June 1885

Office	Name	Term
First Lord of the Treasury Leader of the House of Commons	William Ewart Gladstone	April 1880 – June 1885
Lord Chancellor	Roundell Palmer, 1st Baron Selborne †	April 1880 – June 1885
Lord President of the Council	John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer	April 1880 – March 1883
Lord President of the Council	Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford	March 1883 – June 1885
Lord Privy Seal	George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll	April 1880 – May 1881
	Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford	May 1881 – March 1885
	Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery	March 1885 – June 1885
Home Secretary	Sir William Harcourt	April 1880 – June 1885
Foreign Secretary Leader of the House of Lords	Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville	April 1880 – June 1885
Secretary of State for the Colonies	John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley	April 1880 – December 1882
Secretary of State for the Colonies	Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby	December 1882 – June 1885
Secretary of State for War	Hugh Childers	April 1880 – December 1882
Secretary of State for War	Spencer Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington	December 1882 – June 1885
Secretary of State for India	Spencer Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington	April 1880 – December 1882
Secretary of State for India	John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley	December 1882 – June 1885
Chancellor of the Exchequer	William Ewart Gladstone	April 1880 – December 1882
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Hugh Childers	December 1882 – June 1885
First Lord of the Admiralty	Thomas George Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook	April 1880 – June 1885
President of the Board of Trade	Joseph Chamberlain	April 1880 – June 1885
President of the Local Government Board	John George Dodson	April 1880 – December 1882
President of the Local Government Board	Sir Charles Dilke	December 1882 – June 1885
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	John Bright	April 1880 – July 1882
	John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley	July 1882 – December 1882
	John George Dodson	December 1882 – October 1884
	George Otto Trevelyan	October 1884 – June 1885
Postmaster General	Henry Fawcett	3 May 1880 – 6 November 1884^{[ citation needed ]}
Postmaster General	George John Shaw-Lefevre	7 November 1884 – 9 June 1885^{[ citation needed ]}
Chief Secretary for Ireland	William Edward Forster	April 1880 – May 1882
Chief Secretary for Ireland	successor not in the cabinet
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland	John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer	April 1882 – June 1885

†Created Earl of Selborne in 1882.

Notes

William Gladstone served as both First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer between April 1880 and December 1882.
The Earl Spencer served as both Lord President and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland between April 1882 and March 1883.
The Earl of Kimberley served as both Colonial Secretary and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between July and December 1882.
The Lord Carlingford served as both Lord Privy Seal and Lord President between March 1883 and March 1885.

Changes

May 1881: Lord Carlingford succeeds the Duke of Argyll as Lord Privy Seal.
April 1882: Earl Spencer becomes Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, but retains his seat in the cabinet and his position as Lord President.
May 1882: William Edward Forster resigns as Chief Secretary for Ireland. His successor is not in the cabinet.
July 1882: The Earl of Kimberley succeeds John Bright as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster remaining also Colonial Secretary.
December 1882: Hugh Childers succeeds William Gladstone as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Lord Hartington succeeds Childers as Secretary for War. Kimberley succeeds Hartington as Secretary for India. The Earl of Derby succeeds Kimberley as Colonial Secretary. John George Dodson succeeds Kimberley as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Sir Charles Dilke succeeds Dodson as President of the Local Government Board.
March 1883: Carlingford succeeds Spencer as Lord President, remaining also Lord Privy Seal. Spencer remains in the Cabinet as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
October 1884: George Otto Trevelyan succeeds Dodson as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
March 1885: The Earl of Rosebery succeeds Carlingford as Lord Privy Seal. Carlingford remains Lord President. George John Shaw-Lefevre enters the cabinet as Postmaster-General.^{[ citation needed ]}

List of ministers

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.

Office	Name	Date
Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Leader of the House of Commons	William Ewart Gladstone	23 April 1880 – 9 June 1885
Chancellor of the Exchequer	William Ewart Gladstone	28 April 1880
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Hugh Childers	16 December 1882
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	Lord Richard Grosvenor	28 April 1880
Financial Secretary to the Treasury	Lord Frederick Cavendish	28 April 1880
	Leonard Courtney	8 May 1882
	John Tomlinson Hibbert	12 December 1884
Junior Lords of the Treasury	Sir Arthur Hayter	5 May 1880 – 26 June 1882
	John Holms	5 May 1880 – 26 June 1882
	Charles Cecil Cotes	5 May 1880 – 9 June 1885
	Herbert Gladstone	24 August 1881 – 9 June 1885
	Robert Duff	26 June 1882 – 9 June 1885
Lord Chancellor	Roundell Palmer, 1st Baron Selborne ^[a]	28 April 1880
Lord President of the Council	John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer	28 April 1880
Lord President of the Council	Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford	19 March 1883
Lord Privy Seal	George Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll	28 April 1880
	Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford	2 May 1881
	Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery	5 March 1885
Secretary of State for the Home Department	Sir William Vernon Harcourt	28 April 1880
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department	Arthur Wellesley Peel	28 April 1880
	Leonard Courtney	1 January 1881
	Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery	8 August 1881
	John Tomlinson Hibbert	7 June 1883
	Henry Fowler	12 December 1884
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the House of Lords	Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville	28 April 1880
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Sir Charles Dilke, 2nd Baronet	28 April 1880
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Lord Edmond FitzMaurice	1 January 1883
Secretary of State for War	Hugh Childers	28 April 1880
Secretary of State for War	Spencer Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington	16 December 1882
Under-Secretary of State for War	Albert Parker, 3rd Earl of Morley	1 May 1880
Financial Secretary to the War Office	Henry Campbell-Bannerman	28 April 1880
Financial Secretary to the War Office	Arthur Hayter	13 May 1882
Surveyor-General of the Ordnance	Sir John Miller Adye	1 June 1880
Surveyor-General of the Ordnance	Henry Brand	17 January 1882
Secretary of State for the Colonies	John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley	28 April 1880
Secretary of State for the Colonies	Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby	16 December 1882
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies	Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff	29 August 1880
	Leonard Courtney	6 August 1881
	Evelyn Ashley	12 May 1882
Secretary of State for India	Spencer Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington	28 April 1880
Secretary of State for India	John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley	16 December 1882
Under-Secretary of State for India	Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne	29 April 1880
	George Byng, Viscount Enfield	1 September 1880
	John Kynaston Cross	16 January 1883
First Lord of the Admiralty	Thomas Baring, 1st Earl of Northbrook	28 April 1880
Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty	George Shaw-Lefevre	28 April 1880
	George Trevelyan	29 November 1880
	Henry Campbell-Bannerman	10 May 1882
	Sir Thomas Brassey	23 October 1884
Civil Lord of the Admiralty	Thomas Brassey	12 May 1880
Civil Lord of the Admiralty	George Wightwick Rendel	22 July 1882
Chief Secretary for Ireland	William Edward Forster	30 April 1880
	Lord Frederick Cavendish	6 May 1882
	George Trevelyan	9 May 1882
	Henry Campbell-Bannerman	23 October 1884
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland	Francis Cowper, 7th Earl Cowper	4 May 1880
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland	John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer	4 May 1882
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	John Bright	28 April 1880
	John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley	25 July 1882
	John George Dodson	28 December 1882
	George Trevelyan	29 October 1884
President of the Local Government Board	John George Dodson	3 May 1880
President of the Local Government Board	Sir Charles Dilke, 2nd Baronet	28 December 1882
Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board	John Tomlinson Hibbert	3 May 1880
Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board	George W. E. Russell	7 June 1883
Postmaster-General	Henry Fawcett	3 May 1880
Postmaster-General	George Shaw-Lefevre	7 November 1884
President of the Board of Trade	Joseph Chamberlain	3 May 1880
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade	Evelyn Ashley	29 April 1880
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade	John Holms	15 May 1882
First Commissioner of Works	William Patrick Adam	3 May 1880
	George Shaw-Lefevre	29 November 1881
	Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery	13 February 1885
Vice-President of the Committee on Education	A. J. Mundella	3 May 1880
Paymaster General	George Glyn, 2nd Baron Wolverton	24 May 1880
Attorney General	Sir Henry James	3 May 1880
Solicitor General	Sir Farrer Herschell	3 May 1880
Judge Advocate General	George Osborne Morgan	7 May 1880
Lord Advocate	John McLaren	5 May 1880
Lord Advocate	John Balfour	19 August 1881
Solicitor General for Scotland	John Balfour	6 May 1880
Solicitor General for Scotland	Alexander Asher	19 August 1881
Attorney General for Ireland	Hugh Law	10 May 1880
	William Moore Johnson	17 November 1881
	Andrew Marshall Porter	3 January 1883
	John Naish	19 December 1883
	Samuel Walker	1885
Solicitor General for Ireland	William Moore Johnson	24 May 1880
	Andrew Marshall Porter	18 November 1881
	John Naish	9 January 1883
	Samuel Walker	19 December 1883
	Hugh Hyacinth O'Rorke MacDermot	1885
Lord Steward of the Household	John Townshend, 1st Earl Sydney	3 May 1880
Lord Chamberlain of the Household	Valentine Browne, 4th Earl of Kenmare	3 May 1880
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household	Lord Charles Bruce	3 May 1880
Master of the Horse	Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster	3 May 1880
Treasurer of the Household	Gavin Campbell, 7th Earl of Breadalbane	3 May 1880
Comptroller of the Household	William Edwardes, 4th Baron Kensington	3 May 1880
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms	Alexander Duff, 6th Earl Fife	3 May 1880
	Charles Gordon, 11th Marquess of Huntly	21 January 1881
	Charles Wynn-Carington, 3rd Baron Carrington	27 June 1881
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard	William Monson, 7th Baron Monson	3 May 1880
Master of the Buckhounds	Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork	3 May 1880
Mistress of the Robes	Elizabeth Russell, Duchess of Bedford	3 May 1880
Mistress of the Robes	Anne Innes-Ker, Duchess of Roxburghe	11 January 1883
Lords in Waiting	Frederick Methuen, 2nd Baron Methuen	10 May 1880 – 9 June 1885
	Lawrence Dundas, 3rd Earl of Zetland	10 May 1880 – 14 September 1880
	William Hare, 3rd Earl of Listowel	10 May 1880 – 14 September 1880
	Thomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale	10 May 1880 – 9 June 1885
	Charles Hanbury-Tracy, 4th Baron Sudeley	10 May 1880 – 9 June 1885
	Arthur Wrottesley, 3rd Baron Wrottesley	10 May 1880 – 9 June 1885
	George Byng, Viscount Enfield	20 May 1880 – 1 September 1880
	George Byng, 7th Viscount Torrington ^[b]	23 June 1859 – 27 April 1884
	John William Ramsay, 13th Earl of Dalhousie	14 September 1880 – 9 June 1885
	William Mansfield, 2nd Baron Sandhurst	14 September 1880 – 9 June 1885
	Thomas Hovell-Thurlow-Cumming-Bruce, 5th Baron Thurlow	14 September 1880 – 9 June 1885
	Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport (1814-1904) ^[b]	30 June 1884 – 18 February 1901
Extra Lord in Waiting	Mortimer Sackville-West, 1st Baron Sackville	1 October 1876 – 1 October 1888

Notes

↑ Created Earl of Selborne on 30 December 1882.
1 2 Permanent.

References

Cook, C.; Keith, B. (1975). British Historical Facts 1830–1900 . London: Macmillan. ISBN 0333132203.

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