Second Melbourne ministry

Last updated

Second Melbourne ministry
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government, 1901-1952).svg
1835–1841
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne.jpg
Date formed8 April 1835 (1835-04-08)
Date dissolved30 August 1835 (1835-08-30)
People and organisations
Monarch William IV
Victoria
Prime Minister The Viscount Melbourne
History
Election 1835 general election
Outgoing election 1841 general election
Predecessor First Peel ministry
Successor Second Peel ministry

The second Lord Melbourne ministry was formed in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland by the Viscount Melbourne in 1835.

Contents

History

Lord Melbourne's second government came to power after Sir Robert Peel's minority government resigned in 1835. Lord Palmerston returned as Foreign Secretary while Lord John Russell held his first major office as Home Secretary.

In 1837 Queen Victoria succeeded to the throne, and as was usual for a queen regnant, the Royal Household was appointed by the Prime Minister. The young Queen was so attached to her Whig ladies of the bedchamber that after Melbourne's resignation in 1839, she refused to let Sir Robert Peel replace them with Conservative ladies. This was known as the Bedchamber Crisis, and led to Peel's refusal to form a government. Melbourne therefore resumed, and continued in office until the Conservatives finally won a House of Commons majority in the General Election of 1841. He was succeeded by Sir Robert Peel's second government.

1841 votes of no confidence

The 1841 votes of no confidence against the government of Viscount Melbourne were votes of no confidence in the government of William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne which occurred on 7 June 1841. [1] Melbourne lost the vote by only one vote and dissolved Parliament leading to an election in July 1841. Melbourne lost a second vote of confidence shortly after the election in August, leading to his resignation.

Cabinets

April 1835 – August 1839

OfficeNameTerm
First Lord of the Treasury The Viscount Melbourne April 1835 – August 1839
Lord Chancellor In CommissionApril 1835 – January 1836
The Lord Cottenham January 1836 – August 1839
Lord President of the Council The Marquess of Lansdowne April 1835 – August 1839
Lord Privy Seal Viscount Duncannon April 1835 – August 1839
Home Secretary The Lord John Russell April 1835 – August 1839
Foreign Secretary The Viscount Palmerston April 1835 – August 1839
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies The Lord Glenelg April 1835 – February 1839
The Marquess of Normanby February–August 1839
First Lord of the Admiralty The Lord Auckland April–September 1835
The Earl of Minto September 1835 – August 1839
Chancellor of the Exchequer Thomas Spring Rice April 1835 – August 1839
President of the Board of Trade Charles Poulett Thomson April 1835 – August 1839
President of the Board of Control Sir John Cam Hobhouse April 1835 – August 1839
First Commissioner of Woods and Forests Viscount Duncannon April 1835 – August 1839
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The Lord Holland April 1835 – August 1839
Secretary at War Viscount Howick April 1835 – August 1839

Notes

August 1839 – September 1841

OfficeNameTerm
First Lord of the Treasury
Leader of the House of Lords
The Viscount Melbourne August 1839 – September 1841
Lord Chancellor The Lord Cottenham August 1839 – September 1841
Lord President of the Council The Marquess of Lansdowne August 1839 – September 1841
Lord Privy Seal Viscount Duncannon August 1839 – January 1840
The Earl of Clarendon January 1840 – September 1841
Home Secretary The Marquess of Normanby August 1839 – September 1841
Foreign Secretary The Viscount Palmerston August 1839 – September 1841
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Leader of the House of Commons
Lord John Russell August 1839 – September 1841
First Lord of the Admiralty The Earl of Minto August 1839 – September 1841
Chancellor of the Exchequer Francis Thornhill Baring August 1839 – September 1841
President of the Board of Trade Henry Labouchere August 1839 – September 1841
President of the Board of Control Sir John Cam Hobhouse August 1839 – September 1841
First Commissioner of Woods and Forests Viscount Duncannon August 1839 – September 1841
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The Lord Holland August 1839 – October 1840
The Earl of Clarendon October 1840 – June 1841
Sir George Grey June–September 1841
Secretary at War Thomas Babington Macaulay August 1839 – September 1841
Chief Secretary for Ireland Viscount Morpeth August 1839 – September 1841

Notes

List of ministers

Members of the Cabinet are indicated by bold face.

OfficeNameDate
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
Leader of the House of Lords
The Viscount Melbourne 18 April 1835 
 30 August 1841 [lower-alpha 1]
Chancellor of the Exchequer Thomas Spring Rice 18 April 1835
Francis Baring 26 August 1839
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury Edward Stanley 21 April 1835
Sir Denis Le Marchant 19 June 1841
Financial Secretary to the Treasury Francis Baring 21 April 1835
Robert Gordon 6 September 1839
Richard More O'Ferrall 9 June 1841
Junior Lords of the Treasury Lord Seymour 18 April 1835 
 2 November 1839
William Ord 18 April 1835 
 18 July 1837
Robert Steuart 18 April 1835 
 26 May 1840
Richard More O'Ferrall 16 May 1835 
 28 August 1839
John Parker 18 July 1837 
 23 June 1841
Thomas Wyse 28 August 1839 
 30 August 1841
Henry Tufnell 2 November 1839 
 30 August 1841
Edward Horsman 26 May 1840 
 30 August 1841
William Cowper 23 June 1841 
 30 August 1841
Lord Chancellor in commission23 April 1835
The Lord Cottenham 16 January 1836
Lord President of the Council The Marquess of Lansdowne 23 April 1835
Lord Privy Seal The Viscount Duncannon 23 April 1835
The Earl of Clarendon 15 January 1840
Secretary of State for the Home Department Lord John Russell [lower-alpha 2] 18 April 1835
The Marquess of Normanby 30 August 1839
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department Fox Maule 18 April 1835
Lord Seymour 15 June 1841
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Viscount Palmerston 18 April 1835
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs William Fox-Strangways 18 April 1835
Viscount Leveson 7 March 1840
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies Charles Grant [lower-alpha 3] 18 April 1835
The Marquess of Normanby 20 February 1839
Lord John Russell [lower-alpha 4] 30 August 1839
Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies Sir George Grey 18 April 1835
Henry Labouchere 28 February 1839
Robert Vernon Smith 31 August 1839
First Lord of the Admiralty The Lord Auckland 22 April 1835
The Earl of Minto 15 September 1835
First Secretary of the Admiralty Charles Wood 27 April 1835
Richard More O'Ferrall 4 October 1839
John Parker 9 June 1841
Civil Lord of the Admiralty Lord Dalmeny 23 April 1835
President of the Board of Control Sir John Hobhouse 23 April 1835
Joint Secretaries of the Board of Control Robert Gordon 21 April 1835 
 30 September 1839
Robert Vernon Smith 21 April 1835 
 30 September 1839
Lord Seymour 30 September 1839 
 15 June 1841
William Clay 30 September 1839 
 30 August 1841
Charles Buller 21 June 1841 
 30 August 1841
Chief Secretary for Ireland Viscount Morpeth [lower-alpha 5] 22 April 1835
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Earl of Mulgrave 29 April 1835
Viscount Ebrington 13 March 1839
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The Lord Holland 20 February 1835
The Earl of Clarendon 31 October 1840
Sir George Grey 23 June 1841
President of the Board of Trade Charles Poulett Thomson 18 April 1835
Henry Labouchere 29 August 1839
Vice-President of the Board of Trade Henry Labouchere 6 May 1835
Richard Lalor Sheil 29 August 1839
Fox Maule 28 June 1841
Secretary at War Viscount Howick 18 April 1835
Thomas Babington Macaulay 27 September 1839
First Commissioner of Woods and Forests The Viscount Duncannon 28 April 1835
Master of the Mint Henry Labouchere 25 April 1835
Treasurer of the Navy [lower-alpha 6] Sir Henry Parnell 20 April 1835
Master-General of the Ordnance Sir Hussey Vivian [lower-alpha 7] 4 May 1835
Treasurer of the Ordnance [lower-alpha 6] Sir Henry Parnell 9 May 1835
Surveyor-General of the Ordnance Sir Rufane Shaw Donkin 20 April 1835
Charles Richard Fox 5 May 1841
Clerk of the Ordnance Andrew Leith Hay 20 April 1835
James Whitley Deans Dundas 21 March 1838
George Anson 23 June 1841
Storekeeper of the Ordnance George Anson 25 April 1835
James Hanway Plumridge 23 June 1841
Paymaster of the Forces [lower-alpha 6] Sir Henry Parnell 28 April 1835
Paymaster General Sir Henry Parnell 27 April 1835
Edward Stanley 19 June 1841
Postmaster-General The Marquess Conyngham 30 April 1835
The Earl of Lichfield 22 May 1835
Attorney General Sir John Campbell 30 April 1835
Sir Thomas Wilde 3 July 1841
Solicitor General Sir Robert Rolfe 4 May 1835
Sir Thomas Wilde 2 December 1839
Judge Advocate General Robert Cutlar Fergusson 20 April 1835
William St Julien Arabin 24 November 1838
Sir George Grey 15 February 1839
Richard Lalor Sheil 23 June 1841
Lord Advocate John Murray 20 April 1835
Andrew Rutherfurd 20 April 1839
Solicitor General for Scotland John Cunninghame 22 April 1835
Andrew Rutherfurd 9 February 1837
James Ivory 20 April 1839
Thomas Maitland 9 May 1840
Attorney General for Ireland Louis Perrin 29 April 1835
Michael O'Loghlen 31 August 1835
John Richards 10 November 1836
Stephen Woulfe 3 February 1837
Nicholas Ball 11 July 1838
Maziere Brady 23 February 1839
David Richard Pigot 11 August 1840
Solicitor General for Ireland Michael O'Loghlen 29 April 1835
John Richards 21 September 1835
Stephen Woulfe 10 November 1836
Maziere Brady 3 February 1837
David Richard Pigot 11 February 1839
Richard Moore 14 August 1840
Lord Steward of the Household The Duke of Argyll 23 April 1835
The Earl of Erroll 21 November 1839
Lord Chamberlain of the Household The Marquess Wellesley 23 April 1835
The Marquess Conyngham 22 May 1835
Earl of Uxbridge 6 May 1839
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household Lord Charles FitzRoy 29 June 1835
Earl of Belfast 27 April 1838
Master of the Horse The Earl of Albemarle 25 April 1835
Treasurer of the Household Sir William Henry Fremantle 27 May 1826 
 Continued in office
Earl of Surrey 17 July 1837
George Byng 23 June 1841
Comptroller of the Household George Byng 6 May 1835
Lord Marcus Hill 23 June 1841
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms The Lord Foley 6 May 1835
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard The Earl of Gosford 23 April 1835
The Earl of Ilchester 5 August 1835
Earl of Surrey 6 July 1841
Master of the Buckhounds The Earl of Erroll 30 April 1835
The Lord Kinnaird 21 December 1839
Mistress of the Robes The Duchess of Sutherland 29 August 1837
Lords in Waiting The Marquess of Headfort 17 July 1837 
 30 August 1841
The Marquess of Queensberry 17 July 1837 
 30 August 1841
The Viscount Falkland 17 July 1837 
 4 February 1840
The Viscount Torrington 17 July 1837 
 30 August 1841
The Lord Byron [lower-alpha 8] 17 July 1837 
 31 March 1860
The Lord Gardner 17 July 1837 
 1 July 1840
The Lord Lilford 17 July 1837 
 30 August 1841
The Lord Templemore 17 July 1837 
 26 September 1837
Earl of Uxbridge 11 October 1837 
 6 May 1839
The Earl of Fingall 11 December 1837 
 30 August 1841
The Earl of Listowel 4 February 1840 
 30 August 1841
Earl of Aboyne 1 July 1840 
 30 August 1841
Notes
  1. The Government resigned on 7 May 1839 following a defeat in Parliament. Queen Victoria invited Sir Robert Peel to form a government, who declined. Melbourne resumed in office from 10 May 1839. [2]
  2. Also Leader of the House of Commons.
  3. Created Baron Glenelg 8 May 1835.
  4. Also Leader of the House of Commons.
  5. Entered the Cabinet 20 February 1839.
  6. 1 2 3 Office merged to become Paymaster-General 1 December 1836.
  7. Created Baron Vivian 19 August 1841.
  8. Permanent.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne</span> British politician (1779–1848)

Henry William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne was a British Whig politician who served as the Home Secretary and twice as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Peel</span> English statesman (1788–1850)

Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet, was a British Conservative statesman who twice was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and simultaneously was Chancellor of the Exchequer (1834–1835). He previously was Home Secretary twice. He is regarded as the father of modern British policing, owing to his founding of the Metropolitan Police Service while he was Home Secretary. Peel was one of the founders of the modern Conservative Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Russell, 1st Earl Russell</span> Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, 1846–1852 and 1865–1866

John Russell, 1st Earl Russell,, known by his courtesy title Lord John Russell before 1861, was a British Whig and Liberal statesman who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1852 and again from 1865 to 1866.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lord Privy Seal</span> Sinecure office of state in the UK

The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. Originally, its holder was responsible for the monarch's personal (privy) seal until the use of such a seal became obsolete. Though one of the oldest offices in European governments, it has no particular function today because the use of a privy seal has been obsolete for centuries; it may be regarded as a traditional sinecure, but today, the holder of the office is invariably given a seat in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom, and is sometimes referred to as a minister without portfolio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury</span> British Tory politician

Charles Manners-Sutton, 1st Viscount Canterbury, was a British Tory politician who served as Speaker of the House of Commons from 1817 to 1835.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Abercromby, 1st Baron Dunfermline</span> British politician (1776–1858)

James Abercromby, 1st Baron Dunfermline FRSE, was a British barrister and Whig politician. He served as Speaker of the House of Commons between 1835 and 1839, the first Scottish MP to hold that position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Stuart-Wortley, 1st Baron Wharncliffe</span> British soldier and politician

Colonel James Archibald Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie, 1st Baron Wharncliffe, PC was a British soldier and politician. A grandson of Prime Minister John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, he held office under Sir Robert Peel as Lord Privy Seal between 1834 and 1835 and as Lord President of the Council between 1841 and 1845.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1841 United Kingdom general election</span>

The 1841 United Kingdom general election, was held between 29 June and 22 July 1841 to elect the new Parliament of the United Kingdom. In this election, there was a large swing as Sir Robert Peel's Conservatives took control of the House of Commons. Melbourne's Whigs had seen their support in the Commons erode over the previous years. Whilst Melbourne enjoyed the firm support of the young Queen Victoria, his ministry had seen increasing defeats in the Commons, culminating in the defeat of the government's budget in May 1841 by 36 votes, and by 1 vote in a 4 June 1841 vote of no confidence put forward by Peel. According to precedent, Melbourne's defeat required his resignation. However, the cabinet decided to ask for a dissolution, which was opposed by Melbourne personally, but he came to accept the wishes of the ministers. Melbourne requested the Queen dissolve Parliament, leading to an election. The Queen thus prorogued Parliament on 22 June.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough</span> British politician (1781–1847)

John William Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough, PC, known as Viscount Duncannon from 1793 to 1844, was a British Whig politician. He was notably Home Secretary in 1834 and served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland between 1846 and 1847, the first years of the Great Famine.

The Lord High Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to the end of 1800, it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament: the Chancellor was Speaker of the Irish House of Lords. The Lord Chancellor was also Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of Ireland. In all three respects, the office mirrored the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Vesey-FitzGerald, 2nd Baron FitzGerald and Vesey</span> British politician (1783–1843)

William Vesey-FitzGerald, 2nd Baron FitzGerald and Vesey, was an Anglo-Irish statesman. A Tory, he served in the governments of Lord Wellington and Robert Peel, but is best known for his defeat in the 1828 Clare by-election, hastening Catholic Emancipation across Britain and Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Bessborough</span> Title in the peerage of Ireland

Earl of Bessborough is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1739 for Brabazon Ponsonby, 2nd Viscount Duncannon, who had previously represented Newtownards and County Kildare in the Irish House of Commons. In 1749, he was given the additional title of Baron Ponsonby of Sysonby, in the County of Leicester, in the Peerage of Great Britain, which entitled him to a seat in the British House of Lords. The titles Viscount Duncannon, of the fort of Duncannon in the County of Wexford, and Baron Bessborough, of Bessborough, Piltown, in the County of Kilkenny, had been created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1723 and 1721 respectively for Lord Bessborough's father William Ponsonby, who had earlier represented County Kilkenny in the Irish House of Commons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Hamilton, 9th Earl of Haddington</span> Scottish statesman

Thomas Hamilton, 9th Earl of Haddington, KT, PC, FRS, FRSE, known as Lord Binning from 1794 to 1828, was a Scottish Conservative statesman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Stanley, 2nd Baron Stanley of Alderley</span> British politician (1802–1869)

Edward John Stanley, 2nd Baron Stanley of Alderley,, known as The Lord Eddisbury between 1848 and 1850, was a British politician. He served as Postmaster General between 1860 and 1866.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Peel ministry</span> Government of the United Kingdom

The second Peel ministry was formed by Sir Robert Peel in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland in 1841.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernest Brudenell-Bruce, 3rd Marquess of Ailesbury</span> British politician

Ernest Augustus Charles Brudenell-Bruce, 3rd Marquess of Ailesbury,, styled Lord Ernest Bruce from 1821 until 1878, was a British courtier and politician. He served for many years as Vice-Chamberlain of the Household.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Egerton, 2nd Earl of Wilton</span>

Thomas Egerton, 2nd Earl of Wilton, GCH, PC, known as Thomas Grosvenor until 1814, was a British nobleman and Tory politician. He served as Lord Steward of the Household in 1835 in Sir Robert Peel's first government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bedchamber crisis</span> British political crisis of 1839

The Bedchamber crisis occurred on 7 May 1839 after Whig politician William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne declared his intention to resign as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom after a government bill passed by a very narrow margin of only five votes in the House of Commons. Following a few false moves toward an alternative Tory prime minister and a Conservative government, Lord Melbourne was reinstated until the 1841 election, when the Conservative party took over.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maurice Berkeley, 1st Baron FitzHardinge</span>

Admiral Maurice Frederick FitzHardinge Berkeley, 1st Baron FitzHardinge, was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer he commanded gunboats on the Tagus, reinforcing the Lines of Torres Vedras, in Autumn 1810 during the Peninsular War and, as a captain, he served on the coast of Syria taking part in the capture of Acre in November 1840 during the Oriental Crisis. He also served as Whig Member of Parliament for Gloucester and became First Naval Lord in the Aberdeen ministry in June 1854 and in that role focussed on manning the fleet and in carrying out reforms and improvements in the food, clothing, and pay of seamen.

References

  1. "British parliamentary timeline 1828 – 1900". Archived from the original on 31 March 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
  2. "Lord Melbourne (1779 – 1848)". BBC – History. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
Preceded by Government of the United Kingdom
1835–1841
Succeeded by