George Robert Dawson
The Right Honourable George Robert Dawson | |
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Financial Secretary to the Treasury | |
In office 28 January 1830 – 24 November 1830 | |
Monarch |
George IV William IV |
Prime Minister | The Duke of Wellington |
Preceded by | Thomas Frankland Lewis |
Succeeded by | Thomas Spring Rice |
Personal details | |
Born |
24 December 1790 Castledawson, County Londonderry |
Died | 3 April 1856 (aged 65) |
Nationality | British |
Political party | Tory |
Spouse(s) | Mary Peel |
Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
George Robert Dawson PC (24 December 1790 – 3 April 1856), was an Anglo-Irish Tory politician.
Background and education
Dawson was born at Castledawson, County Londonderry, Ireland, the son of Arthur Dawson, who represented Banagher, Midleton and Newtownards in the Irish Parliament, and Catherine Tyrone. He was educated at Harrow and Christ Church, Oxford, where he became friends with Robert Peel, whose sister Dawson later married. He was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1811.
Political career
In 1812 Dawson served as Peel's private secretary during Peel's tenure as Chief Secretary for Ireland. He was elected Member of Parliament for County Londonderry in 1815, upon the death of the incumbent Member, William Ponsonby.[1] He served under Lord Liverpool as Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department from 1822 to 1827 and under the Duke of Wellington as Financial Secretary to the Treasury from 1828 to 1830. In 1830 he was returned to Parliament for Harwich, a seat he held for two years,[2] and sworn of the Privy Council. He again held office as First Secretary of the Admiralty under Peel from 1834 to 1835. From 1841 to 1850 he served as Commissioner and Deputy Chairman of Customs.
At Derry, in 1828, Dawson made an important speech in which he advocated Catholic emancipation; the following year, under the Tory government of the Duke of Wellington, the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 was made law.
Family
Dawson married Mary Peel, daughter of Sir Robert Peel, 1st Baronet, on 9 January 1816. He died in 1856 leaving five children, including Robert Peel Dawson, also an MP.
References
External links
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by George Robert Dawson
Parliament of the United Kingdom | ||
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Preceded by Hon. William Ponsonby Alexander Stewart |
Member of Parliament for County Londonderry 1815–1830 With: Alexander Stewart 1815–1818 Alexander Robert Stewart 1818–1830 |
Succeeded by Theobald Jones Sir Robert Bateson, Bt |
Preceded by J. C. Herries Sir William Rae, Bt |
Member of Parliament for Harwich 1830–1832 With: J. C. Herries |
Succeeded by J. C. Herries Christopher Thomas Tower |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by Henry Clive |
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department 1822–1827 |
Succeeded by Spencer Perceval |
Preceded by Thomas Frankland Lewis |
Financial Secretary to the Treasury 1828–1830 |
Succeeded by Thomas Spring Rice |
Preceded by George Elliot |
First Secretary of the Admiralty 1834–1835 |
Succeeded by Charles Wood |