Pitt–Newcastle ministry

Between 1757 and 1762,[1] at the height of the Seven Years' War, the Pitt–Newcastle ministry governed the Kingdom of Great Britain. It was headed by Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, serving in his second stint as prime minister. The most influential and famous minister however was William Pitt the Elder, Secretary of State.

Pitt–Newcastle ministry
Pitt (top) and Newcastle (bottom)

History

The ministry ended a period of political instability, in which Great Britain had struggled in the war. Pitt was a strong war leader, but lacked the support in Parliament necessary to provide effective leadership. Newcastle provided this, as he had a strong base of support in the House of Commons. They divided duties between each other; Pitt directed defence and foreign policy, while Newcastle controlled the nation's finances and patronage.

The ministry led Britain to many victories in the war, particularly in the so-called Annus Mirabilis of 1759, which put the country in a strong position by 1761; that year however, Pitt resigned over a dispute concerning the entry of Spain into the war. Since King George II's death in 1760, the ministry had been under pressure by the accession of George III, who disliked both Pitt and Newcastle and favoured John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute. Bute, a Tory, was made Northern Secretary in March 1761, and following Pitt's resignation the ministry is otherwise referred to as the ButeNewcastle coalition.[2]

In 1762 Newcastle was forced to resign, with his followers (the "Pelhamites") dismissed by Bute in what became known as the "Massacre of the Pelhamite Innocents";[3][4] this is traditionally considered to have been the moment the ministry collapsed.[5]

Ministry

It is unclear who was a member of the Cabinet.

PortfolioMinisterTookofficeLeftoffice
The Duke of Newcastle*1757 (1757)1762 (1762)
Henry Bilson-Legge1757 (1757)1761 (1761)
The Viscount Barrington1761 (1761)1762 (1762)
The Lord Henley1757 (1757)1762 (1762)
Lord President of the Council[9]The Earl Granville1757 (1757)1762 (1762)
Lord Privy Seal[10]The Earl Temple1757 (1757)1761 (1761)
In commission1761 (1761)1761 (1761)
The Duke of Bedford1761 (1761)1762 (1762)
Leader of the House of CommonsWilliam Pitt*1757 (1757)1761 (1761)
George Grenville1761 (1761)1762 (1762)
Secretary of State for the Southern Department[11]William Pitt*1757 (1757)1761 (1761)
The Earl of Egremont1761 (1761)1762 (1762)
Secretary of State for the Northern Department[11]The Earl of Holderness1757 (1757)1761 (1761)
The Earl of Bute1761 (1761)1762 (1762)
Master-General of the Ordnance[12]The Duke of Marlborough1757 (1757)1758 (1758)
Vacant1758 (1758)1759 (1759)
The Viscount Ligonier1759 (1759)1762 (1762)
First Lord of the Admiralty[13]The Lord Anson1757 (1757)1762 (1762)
Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland[14]The Duke of Argyll1757 (1757)1761 (1761)
The Duke of Queensberry1761 (1761)1762 (1762)
Lord Chamberlain of the Household[15]The Duke of Devonshire1757 (1757)1762 (1762)
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Duke of Rutland1757 (1757)1761 (1761)
The Earl Talbot1761 (1761)1762 (1762)
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster[16]The Lord Edgcumbe1757 (1757)1758 (1758)
The Earl of Kinnoull1758 (1758)1762 (1762)
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Duke of Bedford1757 (1757)1761 (1761)
The Earl of Halifax1761 (1761)1762 (1762)
Master of the Horse[17]The Earl Gower1757 (1757)1760 (1760)
The Earl of Huntingdon1760 (1760)1761 (1761)
The Duke of Rutland1761 (1761)1762 (1762)
Paymaster of the ForcesThe Lord Holland1757 (1757)1765 (1765)

See also

Notes

References

Preceded by
Caretaker ministry
Government of Great Britain
27 June 1757 – 26 May 1762 (1757-06-27 1762-05-26)
Succeeded by
Bute ministry
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