Sir William Molesworth, 8th Baronet

The Right Honourable Sir William Molesworth Bt
First Commissioner of Works
In office 5 January 1853 – 30 January 1855
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Aberdeen
Preceded by	Lord John Manners
Succeeded by	Sir Benjamin Hall, Bt
Secretary of State for the Colonies
In office 21 July 1855 – 22 October 1855
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Viscount Palmerston
Preceded by	Lord John Russell
Succeeded by	Henry Labouchere
Personal details
Born	23 May 1810 (1810-05-23) London
Died	22 October 1855 (1855-10-23) (aged 45)
Nationality	British
Political party	Radical
Alma mater	University of Cambridge

Sir William Molesworth, 8th Baronet PC (23 May 1810 – 22 October 1855), was a Radical British politician, who served in the coalition cabinet of The Earl of Aberdeen from 1853 until his death in 1855 as First Commissioner of Works and then Colonial Secretary.

Much later, when justifying to the Queen his own new appointments, Gladstone told her: "For instance, even in Ld Aberdeen's Govt, in 52, Sir William Molesworth had been selected, at that time, a very advanced Radical, but who was perfectly harmless, & took little, or no part... He said these people generally became very moderate, when they were in office", which she admitted had been the case.^[1]

Background

Molesworth was born in London and succeeded to the baronetcy in 1823. He was educated privately before entering St John's College, Cambridge as a fellow commoner. Moving to Trinity College, he fought a duel with his tutor, and was sent down from the university.^[2] He also studied abroad and at Edinburgh University for some time.

Political career

On the passing of the Reform Act 1832 Molesworth was returned to Parliament for the Eastern division of Cornwall, to support the ministry of Lord Grey. Through Charles Buller he made the acquaintance of George Grote and James Mill, and in April 1835 he founded, in conjunction with Roebuck, the London Review, as an organ of the Philosophic Radicals. After the publication of two volumes he purchased the Westminster Review, and for some time the united magazines were edited by him and J. S. Mill.

From 1837 to 1841 Molesworth sat for Leeds, and acquired considerable influence in the House of Commons by his speeches and by his tact in presiding over the select committee on Penal transportation. But his Radicalism made little impression either on the house or on his constituency. In 1839 he commenced and carried to completion, at a cost of £6000, a reprint of the entire miscellaneous and voluminous writings of Thomas Hobbes, which were placed in most of the English university and provincial libraries. The publication did him great disservice in public life, his opponents endeavouring to identify him with the freethinking opinions of Thomas Hobbes in religion as well as with the philosopher's conclusions in favor of despotic government. From 1841 to 1845 he had no seat in parliament, but in 1842 served as High Sheriff of Cornwall^[3]

In 1845 Molesworth was returned for Southwark, and retained that seat until his death. On his return to parliament he devoted special attention to the condition of the colonies, and was the ardent champion of their self-government. In January 1853, Lord Aberdeen included him as the only Radical in his coalition cabinet as First Commissioner of Works, the chief work by which his name was brought into prominence at this time being the construction of the new Westminster Bridge; he also was the first to open Kew Gardens on Sundays. In July 1855, he was made Colonial Secretary, an office he held until his death in October of the same year.

Personal life

Molesworth married Andalusia Grant Carstairs (d. 16 May 1888) on 9 July 1844.

He died on 22 October 1855, aged 45. He is buried at Kensal Green Cemetery, London, on the north side of the main path leading from the entrance to the central chapel.

Biography

• Millicent Garrett Fawcett, Life of the Right Hon. Sir William Molesworth, Macmillan London 1901

References

Funerary monument, Kensal Green Cemetery, London

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 
• Leigh Rayment's list of baronets
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs
•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Gilman, D. C.; Thurston, H. T.; Moore, F., eds. (1905). "^{article name needed}". New International Encyclopedia (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead. 

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Sir William Molesworth