James Gascoyne-Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Salisbury

The Most Honourable
The Marquess of Salisbury
KG PC
Lord Privy Seal
In office
27 February 1852  17 December 1852
Monarch Victoria
Prime Minister The Earl of Derby
Preceded by The Earl of Minto
Succeeded by The Duke of Argyll
Lord President of the Council
In office
26 February 1858  11 June 1859
Monarch Victoria
Prime Minister The Earl of Derby
Preceded by The Earl Granville
Succeeded by The Earl Granville
Personal details
Born 17 April 1791
Died 12 April 1868
Nationality British
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) (1) Frances Gascoyne
(c. 18061839)
(2) Lady Mary Sackville-West (18241900)

James Brownlow William Gascoyne-Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Salisbury, KG PC (17 April 1791 12 April 1868), styled Viscount Cranborne until 1823, was a British Conservative politician. He held office under the Earl of Derby as Lord Privy Seal in 1852 and Lord President of the Council between 1858 and 1859. He was the father of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Background

Salisbury was the son of James Cecil, 1st Marquess of Salisbury, and Lady Emily Mary, daughter of Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire.[1]

Political career

Salisbury entered the House of Commons in 1813 as Member of Parliament for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, a seat he held until 1817,[2] and then sat for Hertford between 1817 and 1823.[3] In the latter year he succeeded his father in the marquessate and entered the House of Lords. He served in the Earl of Derby's first two cabinets as Lord Privy Seal in 1852[4] and as Lord President of the Council between 1858 and 1859.[5] He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1826[6] and made a Knight of the Garter in 1842.[7]

Apart from his political career he also served as Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex between 1841 and 1868.[8]

Family

Lord Salisbury was married twice. His first marriage was on 2 February 1821 to Frances Mary Gascoyne (c. 1806 15 October 1839), daughter of Bamber Gascoyne of Childwall Hall, Lancashire, and his wife Sarah Bridget Frances Price. A biography of her by Carola Oman appeared in 1966.[9] The couple had six children including:

Lord Salisbury's second marriage on 29 April 1847 was to Lady Mary Catherine Sackville-West, daughter of George Sackville-West, 5th Earl De La Warr and Elizabeth Sackville-West, Countess De La Warr, with whom he had five children:

Lord Salisbury died in April 1868, aged 76, and was succeeded in the marquessate by his third but eldest surviving son, Robert. The Marchioness of Salisbury died in December 1900.[1]

External links

References

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Sir John Murray
Thomas Wallace
John Broadhurst
Henry Trail
Member of Parliament for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
1813 1817
With: John Murray
Masterton Ure
Christopher Idle
Succeeded by
John Murray
Masterton Ure
Christopher Idle
Adolphus Dalrymple
Preceded by
Edward Cowper
Nicolson Calvert
Member of Parliament for Hertford
1817 1823
With: Nicolson Calvert
Succeeded by
Nicolson Calvert
Thomas Byron
Political offices
Preceded by
The Earl of Minto
Lord Privy Seal
1852
Succeeded by
The Duke of Argyll
Preceded by
The Earl Granville
Lord President of the Council
1858 1859
Succeeded by
The Earl Granville
Honorary titles
Preceded by
The Duke of Portland
Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex
1841 1868
Succeeded by
The Duke of Wellington
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by
James Cecil
Marquess of Salisbury
1823 1868
Succeeded by
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil