John Pratt, 1st Marquess Camden

The Most Honourable
The Marquess Camden
KG PC FSA
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
In office
13 March 1795  14 June 1798
Monarch George III
Prime Minister Hon. William Pitt the Younger
Preceded by The Earl Fitzwilliam
Succeeded by The Marquess Cornwallis
Secretary of State for War
and the Colonies
In office
14 May 1804  10 July 1805
Monarch George III
Prime Minister Hon. William Pitt the Younger
Preceded by Lord Hobart
Succeeded by Viscount Castlereagh
Lord President of the Council
In office
26 March 1807  8 April 1812
Monarch George III
Prime Minister The Duke of Portland
Spencer Perceval
Preceded by Viscount Sidmouth
Succeeded by Viscount Sidmouth
Personal details
Born 11 February 1759
Lincoln's Inn Fields, London
Died 8 October 1840
Seale, Surrey
Nationality British
Political party Tory
Spouse(s) Frances Molesworth
(d. 1829)
Alma mater Trinity College, Cambridge

John Jeffreys Pratt, 1st Marquess Camden KG, PC (11 February 1759 – 8 October 1840), styled Viscount Bayham from 1786 to 1794 and known as The Earl Camden from 1794 to 1812, was a British politician. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland between 1795 and 1798 and as Secretary of State for War and the Colonies between 1804 and 1805.

Background and education

Camden was born at Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, the only son of Lord Chancellor Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden, and Elizabeth, daughter of Nicholas Jeffreys, of The Priory, Brecknockshire.[1] He was educated at the University of Cambridge (Trinity College).[1][2]

Political career

In 1780 Camden was elected Member of Parliament for Bath[1][3] and obtained the position of Teller of the Exchequer the same year,[1] a lucrative office which he kept until his death, although after 1812 he refused to receive the large income arising from it. He served under the Earl of Shelburne as Lord of the Admiralty between 1782 and 1783 and in the same post under William Pitt the Younger between 1783 and 1789, as well as a Lord of the Treasury between 1789 and 1792.[1] In 1793 he was sworn of the Privy Council. In 1794 he succeeded his father in the earldom, and the following year he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland by Pitt.[4] Disliked in Ireland as an opponent of Roman Catholic emancipation and as the exponent of an unpopular policy, Camden's term of office was one of turbulence, culminating in the rebellion of 1798; his refusal to reprieve the United Irishman William Orr, convicted of treason on the word of one witness of dubious credit, aroused great public indignation.[5]

Immediately after the suppression of the rising Camden resigned.[1] In 1804 he became Secretary of State for War and the Colonies under Pitt,[6] and in 1805 Lord President of the Council,[7] an office he retained until 1806. He was again Lord President from 1807 to 1812,[1] after which date he remained for some time in the cabinet without office. In 1812 he was created Earl of Brecknock and Marquess Camden.[8]

Camden was also Lord Lieutenant of Kent between 1808 and 1840[1][9] and Chancellor of Cambridge University between 1834 and 1840.[1] He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1799[10] and elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1802.[1]

Family

Lord Camden married Frances, daughter of William Molesworth, in 1785. She died at Bayham Abbey, Sussex, in July 1829. Lord Camden survived her by eleven years and died at Seale, Surrey, on 8 October 1840, aged 81. He was succeeded by his only son, George.[1]

References

External links

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Abel Moysey
Sir John Sebright, Bt
Member of Parliament for Bath
1780–1794
with Abel Moysey 1780–1790
Viscount Weymouth 1790–1794
Succeeded by
Viscount Weymouth
Sir Richard Arden
Political offices
Preceded by
Thomas Townshend
Teller of the Exchequer
1780–1834
Office abolished
Preceded by
The Earl Fitzwilliam
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
1795–1798
Succeeded by
The Marquess Cornwallis
Preceded by
Lord Hobart
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
1804–1805
Succeeded by
Viscount Castlereagh
Preceded by
The Viscount Sidmouth
Lord President of the Council
1805–1806
Succeeded by
The Earl Fitzwilliam
Preceded by
The Viscount Sidmouth
Lord President of the Council
1807–1812
Succeeded by
The Viscount Sidmouth
Honorary titles
Preceded by
The Earl of Romney
Lord Lieutenant of Kent
1808–1840
Succeeded by
The Earl of Thanet
Vacant
Title last held by
The Duke of Dorset
Vice-Admiral of Kent
1808–1840
Vacant
Academic offices
Preceded by
The Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh
Chancellor of Cambridge University
1834–1840
Succeeded by
The Duke of Northumberland
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New title Marquess Camden
1812–1840
Succeeded by
George Charles Pratt
Peerage of Great Britain
Preceded by
Charles Pratt
Earl Camden
1794–1840
Succeeded by
George Charles Pratt
Baron Camden
(descended by acceleration)

1794–1835