Whig government, 1835–1841

Whig Viscount Melbourne led the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1835 to 1841. It consisted of two ministries: the second Melbourne ministry and the third Melbourne ministry.

History

Lord Melbourne's second government came to power after Sir Robert Peel's minority government resigned in 1835. Lord Palmerston returned as Foreign Secretary while Lord John Russell held his first major office as Home Secretary.

In 1837 Queen Victoria succeeded to the throne, and as was usual for a queen regnant, the Royal Household was appointed by the Prime Minister. The young Queen was so attached to her Whig ladies of the bedchamber that after Melbourne's resignation in 1839, she refused to let Sir Robert Peel replace them with Conservative ladies. This was known as the Bedchamber Crisis, and led to Peel's refusal to form a government. Melbourne therefore resumed, and continued in office until the Conservatives finally won a House of Commons majority in the General Election of 1841. He was succeeded by Sir Robert Peel's second government.

1841 votes of no confidence

The 1841 votes of no confidence against the government of Viscount Melbourne were votes of no confidence in the government of William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne which occurred on the 7 June 1841.[1] Melbourne lost the vote by only one vote and dissolved Parliament leading to an election in July 1841. Melbourne lost a second vote of confidence shortly after the election in August, leading to his resignation.

Cabinets

April 1835 – August 1839

OfficeNameTerm
First Lord of the TreasuryThe Viscount MelbourneApril 1835 – August 1839
Lord ChancellorIn CommissionApril 1835 – January 1836
 The Lord CottenhamJanuary 1836 – August 1839
Lord President of the CouncilThe Marquess of LansdowneApril 1835 – August 1839
Lord Privy SealViscount DuncannonApril 1835 – August 1839
Home SecretaryThe Lord John RussellApril 1835 – August 1839
Foreign SecretaryThe Viscount PalmerstonApril 1835 – August 1839
Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesThe Lord GlenelgApril 1835 – February 1839
 The Marquess of NormanbyFebruary–August 1839
First Lord of the AdmiraltyThe Lord AucklandApril–September 1835
 The Earl of MintoSeptember 1835 – August 1839
Chancellor of the ExchequerThomas Spring RiceApril 1835 – August 1839
President of the Board of TradeCharles Poulett ThomsonApril 1835 – August 1839
President of the Board of ControlSir John Cam Hobhouse, BtApril 1835 – August 1839
First Commissioner of Woods and ForestsViscount DuncannonApril 1835 – August 1839
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Lord HollandApril 1835 – August 1839
Secretary at WarViscount HowickApril 1835 – August 1839

Notes

August 1839 – September 1841

OfficeNameTerm
First Lord of the Treasury
Leader of the House of Lords
The Viscount MelbourneAugust 1839 – September 1841
Lord ChancellorThe Lord CottenhamAugust 1839 – September 1841
Lord President of the CouncilThe Marquess of LansdowneAugust 1839 – September 1841
Lord Privy SealViscount DuncannonAugust 1839 – January 1840
 The Earl of ClarendonJanuary 1840 – September 1841
Home SecretaryThe Marquess of NormanbyAugust 1839 – September 1841
Foreign SecretaryThe Viscount PalmerstonAugust 1839 – September 1841
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Leader of the House of Commons
The Lord John RussellAugust 1839 – September 1841
First Lord of the AdmiraltyThe Earl of MintoAugust 1839 – September 1841
Chancellor of the ExchequerFrancis Thornhill BaringAugust 1839 – September 1841
President of the Board of TradeHenry LabouchereAugust 1839 – September 1841
President of the Board of ControlSir John Cam HobhouseAugust 1839 – September 1841
First Commissioner of Woods and ForestsViscount DuncannonAugust 1839 – September 1841
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Lord HollandAugust 1839 – October 1840
 The Earl of ClarendonOctober 1840 – June 1841
 Sir George Grey, BtJune–September 1841
Secretary at WarThomas Babington MacaulayAugust 1839 – September 1841
Chief Secretary for IrelandViscount MorpethAugust 1839 – September 1841

Notes

List of Ministers

Members of the Cabinet are indicated by bold face.

OfficeNameDateNotes
Prime Minister,
First Lord of the Treasury
and Leader of the House of Lords
The Viscount Melbourne18 April 1835 – 30 August 1841The Government resigned 7 May 1839 and resumed 10 May 1839
Chancellor of the ExchequerThomas Spring Rice18 April 1835 
Francis Baring26 August 1839
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryHon. Edward Stanley21 April 1835 
Sir Denis Le Marchant19 June 1841
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryFrancis Baring21 April 1835 
Robert Gordon6 September 1839
Richard More O'Ferrall9 June 1841
Junior Lords of the TreasuryLord Seymour18 April 1835 – 2 November 1839 
William Ord18 April 1835 – 18 July 1837
Robert Steuart18 April 1835 – 26 May 1840
Richard More O'Ferrall16 May 1835 – 28 August 1839
John Parker18 July 1837 – 23 June 1841
Thomas Wyse28 August 1839 – 30 August 1841
Henry Tufnell2 November 1839 – 30 August 1841
Edward Horsman26 May 1840 – 30 August 1841
Hon. William Cowper23 June 1841 – 30 August 1841
Lord Chancellorin commission23 April 1835 
The Lord Cottenham16 January 1836
Lord President of the CouncilThe Marquess of Lansdowne23 April 1835 
Lord Privy SealThe Viscount Duncannon23 April 1835 
The Earl of Clarendon15 January 1840
Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentLord John Russell18 April 1835also Leader of the House of Commons
The Marquess of Normanby30 August 1839 
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentHon. Fox Maule18 April 1835 
Lord Seymour15 June 1841
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsViscount Palmerston18 April 1835 
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsHon. William Fox-Strangways18 April 1835 
Viscount Leveson7 March 1840
Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesCharles Grant18 April 1835created Baron Glenelg 8 May 1835
The Marquess of Normanby20 February 1839 
Lord John Russell30 August 1839also Leader of the House of Commons
Under-Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesSir George Grey, Bt18 April 1835 
Henry Labouchere28 February 1839
Robert Vernon Smith31 August 1839
First Lord of the AdmiraltyThe Lord Auckland22 April 1835 
The Earl of Minto15 September 1835
First Secretary of the AdmiraltyCharles Wood27 April 1835 
Richard More O'Ferrall4 October 1839
John Parker9 June 1841
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyLord Dalmeny23 April 1835 
President of the Board of ControlSir John Hobhouse, Bt23 April 1835 
Joint Secretaries of the Board of ControlRobert Gordon21 April 1835 – 30 September 1839 
Robert Vernon Smith21 April 1835 – 30 September 1839
Lord Seymour30 September 1839 – 15 June 1841
William Clay30 September 1839 – 30 August 1841
Charles Buller21 June 1841 – 30 August 1841
Chief Secretary for IrelandViscount Morpeth22 April 1835entered the Cabinet 20 February 1839
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Earl of Mulgrave29 April 1835 
Viscount Ebrington13 March 1839
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Lord Holland20 February 1835 
The Earl of Clarendon31 October 1840
Sir George Grey, Bt23 June 1841
President of the Board of TradeCharles Poulett Thomson18 April 1835 
Henry Labouchere29 August 1839
Vice-President of the Board of TradeHenry Labouchere6 May 1835 
Richard Lalor Sheil29 August 1839
Hon. Fox Maule28 June 1841
Secretary at WarViscount Howick18 April 1835 
Thomas Babington Macaulay27 September 1839
First Commissioner of Woods and ForestsThe Viscount Duncannon28 April 1835 
Master of the MintHenry Labouchere25 April 1835 
Treasurer of the NavySir Henry Parnell, Bt20 April 1835office merged to become Paymaster-General 1 December 1836
Master-General of the OrdnanceSir Hussey Vivian, Bt4 May 1835created Baron Vivian 19 August 1841
Treasurer of the OrdnanceSir Henry Parnell, Bt9 May 1835office merged to become Paymaster-General 1 December 1836
Surveyor-General of the OrdnanceSir Rufane Shaw Donkin20 April 1835 
Charles Richard Fox5 May 1841
Clerk of the OrdnanceAndrew Leith Hay20 April 1835 
James Whitley Deans Dundas21 March 1838
George Anson23 June 1841
Storekeeper of the OrdnanceGeorge Anson25 April 1835 
James Hanway Plumridge23 June 1841
Paymaster of the ForcesSir Henry Parnell, Bt28 April 1835office merged to become Paymaster-General 1 December 1836
Paymaster-GeneralSir Henry Parnell, Bt27 April 1835 
Hon. Edward Stanley19 June 1841
Postmaster-GeneralThe Marquess Conyngham30 April 1835 
The Earl of Lichfield22 May 1835
Attorney GeneralSir John Campbell30 April 1835 
Sir Thomas Wilde3 July 1841
Solicitor GeneralSir Robert Rolfe4 May 1835 
Sir Thomas Wilde2 December 1839
Judge Advocate GeneralRobert Cutlar Fergusson20 April 1835 
William St Julien Arabin24 November 1838
Sir George Grey, Bt15 February 1839
Richard Lalor Sheil23 June 1841
Lord AdvocateJohn Murray20 April 1835 
Andrew Rutherfurd20 April 1839
Solicitor General for ScotlandJohn Cunninghame22 April 1835 
Andrew Rutherfurd9 February 1837
James Ivory20 April 1839
Thomas Maitland9 May 1840
Attorney General for IrelandLouis Perrin29 April 1835 
Michael O'Loghlen31 August 1835
John Richards10 November 1836
Stephen Woulfe3 February 1837
Nicholas Ball11 July 1838
Maziere Brady23 February 1839
David Richard Pigot11 August 1840
Solicitor General for IrelandMichael O'Loghlen29 April 1835 
John Richards21 September 1835
Stephen Woulfe10 November 1836
Maziere Brady3 February 1837
David Richard Pigot11 February 1839
Richard Moore14 August 1840
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Duke of Argyll23 April 1835 
The Earl of Erroll21 November 1839
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdThe Marquess Wellesley23 April 1835 
The Marquess Conyngham22 May 1835
Earl of Uxbridge6 May 1839
Vice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdLord Charles FitzRoy29 June 1835 
Earl of Belfast27 April 1838
Master of the HorseThe Earl of Albemarle25 April 1835 
Treasurer of the HouseholdSir William Henry Fremantle27 May 1826continued in office
Earl of Surrey17 July 1837 
Hon. George Byng23 June 1841
Comptroller of the HouseholdHon. George Byng6 May 1835 
Lord Marcus Hill23 June 1841
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-ArmsThe Lord Foley6 May 1835 
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardThe Earl of Gosford23 April 1835 
The Earl of Ilchester5 August 1835
Earl of Surrey6 July 1841
Master of the BuckhoundsThe Earl of Erroll30 April 1835 
The Lord Kinnaird21 December 1839
Mistress of the RobesThe Duchess of Sutherland29 August 1837 
Lords in WaitingThe Marquess of Headfort17 July 1837 – 30 August 1841 
The Marquess of Queensberry17 July 1837 – 30 August 1841
The Viscount Falkland17 July 1837 – 4 February 1840
The Viscount Torrington17 July 1837 – 30 August 1841
The Lord Byron17 July 1837 – 31 March 1860(permanent)
The Lord Gardner17 July 1837 – 1 July 1840 
The Lord Lilford17 July 1837 – 30 August 1841
The Lord Templemore17 July 1837 – 26 September 1837
Earl of Uxbridge11 October 1837 – 6 May 1839
The Earl of Fingall11 December 1837 – 30 August 1841
The Earl of Listowel4 February 1840 – 30 August 1841
Earl of Aboyne1 July 1840 – 30 August 1841

References

  1. "British parliamentary timeline 1828 - 1900". Archived from the original on 2009-06-06. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
Preceded by
First Peel ministry
Government of the United Kingdom
1835–1841
Succeeded by
Second Peel ministry
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