John Manners, 7th Duke of Rutland

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For other persons named John Manners, see John Manners (disambiguation).

John James Robert Manners, 7th Duke of Rutland, KG, GCB, PC (13 December 1818 – 4 August 1906), known as Lord John Manners before 1888, was an English statesman.

He was born at Belvoir Castle on the 13th of December 1818, being the younger son of the 5th Duke of Rutland by Lady Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Lord Byron's guardian, the 5th Earl of Carlisle. Lord John Manners, as he then was, was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge. In 1841 he was returned for Newark in the Tory interest, along with Gladstone, and sat for that borough until 1847. Subsequently he sat for Colchester, 1850–57; for North Leicestershire, 1857–85; and for Melton from 1885 until, in 1888, he took his seat in the House of Lords upon succeeding to the dukedom.

In the early 1840s Manners was a leading figure in the Young England movement, led by Benjamin Disraeli. During the three short administrations of Lord Derby (1852, 1858-1859, and 1866-1868) he sat in the cabinet as First Commissioner of Works. On the return of the Conservatives to power in 1874 he became Postmaster-General under Disraeli, and was made GCB on his retirement in 1880. He was again Postmaster-General in Lord Salisbury's administration, 1885-86, and was head of the department when sixpenny telegrams were introduced. Finally, in the Conservative government of 1886-92 he was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

Manners married twice and had a total of five children. By his first wife, Catherine Marley:

• Henry Manners, 8th Duke of Rutland (1852–1925)

By his second wife, Janetta Hughan:

• Lord Edward Manners (1864–1903)
• Lord Cecil Manners (1868–1945)
• Lord Robert Manners (1870–1917)
• Lady Elizabeth Manners (1878–1924)

He had succeeded to the dukedom of Rutland in March 1888, upon the death of his elder brother. He died on the 4th of August 1906 at Belvoir Castle.

[edit] Quotations

"Let wealth and commerce, laws and learning die,

But leave us still our old Nobility."

[edit] Reference

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by: William Ewart Gladstone and Thomas Wilde	Member of Parliament for Newark with William Ewart Gladstone 1832-35, John Stuart 1846-52 1841–1847	Succeeded by: John Stuart and Hon. John Manners-Sutton
Preceded by: Sir George Smyth and Joseph Hardcastle	Member of Parliament for Colchester with Joseph Hardcastle 1847-52, William Hawkins 1852-57 1850–1857	Succeeded by: William Hawkins and John Rebow
Preceded by: Edward Farnham and Marquess of Granby	Member of Parliament for Leicestershire North Edward Farnham 1837-59, Edward Hartopp 1859-68, Samuel Clowes 1868-80, Edwyn Burnaby 1880-83, Hon. Montagu Curzon 1883-85 1857–1885	Succeeded by: (constituency divided)
Preceded by: (new constituency)	Member of Parliament for Melton 1885–1888	Succeeded by: Henry Manners
Political offices
Preceded by: Lord Seymour	First Commissioner of Works 1852	Succeeded by: Sir William Molesworth, Bt
Preceded by: Benjamin Hall	First Commissioner of Works 1858–1859	Succeeded by: Henry Fitzroy
Preceded by: Francis William Cowper	First Commissioner of Works 1866–1868	Succeeded by: Austen Henry Layard
Preceded by: Lyon Playfair	Postmaster General 1874–1880	Succeeded by: Henry Fawcett
Preceded by: George John Shaw-Lefevre	Postmaster General 1885–1886	Succeeded by: The Lord Wolverton
Preceded by: The Viscount Cranbrook	Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 1886–1892	Succeeded by: James Bryce
Peerage of England
Preceded by: Charles Manners	Duke of Rutland 1888–1906	Succeeded by: Henry Manners