James Gascoyne-Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Salisbury
Encyclopedia
James Brownlow William Gascoyne-Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Salisbury, KG
, PC (17 April 1791 – 12 April 1868), styled Viscount Cranborne until 1823, was a British Conservative
politician. He held office under the Earl of Derby
as Lord Privy Seal
in 1852 and Lord President of the Council
between 1858 and 1859. He was the father of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
.
, and Lady Emily Mary, daughter of Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire
.
in 1813 as Member of Parliament
for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
, a seat he held until 1817, and then sat for Hertford
between 1817 and 1823. The latter year he succeeded his father in the marquessate
and entered the House of Lords
. He served in the Earl of Derby
's first two cabinets as Lord Privy Seal
in 1852 and as Lord President of the Council
between 1858 and 1859. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1826 and made a Knight of the Garter
in 1842.
Apart from his political career he also served as Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex
between 1841 and 1868.
of Childwall Hall, Lancashire
, and wife Sarah Bridget Frances Price. The couple had six children including:
Lord Salisbury's second marriage on 29 April 1847 was to Lady Mary Catherine Sackville-West, daughter of George Sackville-West, 5th Earl De La Warr
and Elizabeth Sackville-West, Countess De La Warr
, with whom he had five children:
Lord Salisbury died in April 1868, aged 76, and was succeeded in the marquessate by his third but eldest surviving son, Robert. The Marchioness of Salisbury died in December 1900.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, PC (17 April 1791 – 12 April 1868), styled Viscount Cranborne until 1823, was a British Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician. He held office under the Earl of Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
as Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
in 1852 and Lord President of the Council
Lord President of the Council
The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above the Lord Privy Seal. The Lord President usually attends each meeting of the Privy Council, presenting business for the monarch's approval...
between 1858 and 1859. He was the father of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury
Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
.
Background
Salisbury was the son of James Cecil, 1st Marquess of SalisburyJames Cecil, 1st Marquess of Salisbury
James Cecil, 1st Marquess of Salisbury, KG, PC , styled Viscount Cranborne until 1780 and known as 7th Earl of Salisbury between 1780 and 1789, was a British politician.-Background:...
, and Lady Emily Mary, daughter of Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire
Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire
Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire PC , known as the Viscount Hillsborough from 1742 to 1751 and as the Earl of Hillsborough from 1751 to 1789, was a British politician of the Georgian era...
.
Political career
Salisbury entered the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in 1813 as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis (UK Parliament constituency)
Weymouth and Melcombe Regis was a parliamentary borough in Dorset represented in the English House of Commons, later in that of Great Britain, and finally in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was formed by an Act of Parliament of 1570 which amalgamated the existing boroughs of Weymouth and...
, a seat he held until 1817, and then sat for Hertford
Hertford (UK Parliament constituency)
Hertford was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Hertfordshire, which elected Members of Parliament from 1298 until 1974. It was represented in the House of Commons of England from 1298 to 1707, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally in the House of...
between 1817 and 1823. The latter year he succeeded his father in the marquessate
Marquess of Salisbury
Marquess of Salisbury is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1789 for the 7th Earl of Salisbury. Most of the holders of the title have been prominent in British political life over the last two centuries, particularly the 3rd Marquess, who served three times as Prime Minister...
and entered the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. He served in the Earl of Derby
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby
Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley...
's first two cabinets as Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
in 1852 and as Lord President of the Council
Lord President of the Council
The Lord President of the Council is the fourth of the Great Officers of State of the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord High Treasurer and above the Lord Privy Seal. The Lord President usually attends each meeting of the Privy Council, presenting business for the monarch's approval...
between 1858 and 1859. He was sworn of the Privy Council in 1826 and made a Knight of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in 1842.
Apart from his political career he also served as Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex
Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex. The office was abolished on 1 April 1965, with the creation of Greater London and the post of Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, with small parts of Middlesex coming under the jurisdiction of the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, the...
between 1841 and 1868.
Family
Lord Salisbury was married twice. His first marriage was on 2 February 1821 to Frances Mary Gascoyne (c. 1806 – 15 October 1839), daughter of Bamber GascoyneBamber Gascoyne (Junior)
Bamber Gascoyne of Childwell Hall, Lancashire was an eighteenth-century British politician. He was an ancestor of two British Prime Ministers, Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury and Arthur Balfour....
of Childwall Hall, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, and wife Sarah Bridget Frances Price. The couple had six children including:
- James Emilius William Evelyn Gascoyne-Cecil, Viscount Cranborne (29 October 1821 – 14 June 1865), died unmarried.
- Lady Mildred Arabella Charlotte Gascoyne-Cecil (21 October 1822 – 18 March 1881), married Alexander Beresford HopeAlexander Beresford HopeSir Alexander James Beresford Beresford Hope PC , known as Alexander Hope until 1854 Sir Alexander James Beresford Beresford Hope PC (25 January 1820 – 20 October 1887), known as Alexander Hope until 1854 Sir Alexander James Beresford Beresford Hope PC (25 January 1820 – 20 October 1887), known as...
- Lord Arthur Gascoyne-Cecil (19 December 1823 – 25 April 1825)
- Lady Blanche Mary Harriet (1825 – 16 May 1872), married James Maitland BalfourJames Maitland BalfourJames Maitland Balfour , of Whittinghame, Berwickshire, was a Scottish Member of Parliament. He was the father of Prime Minister Arthur Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour....
, mother of Prime Minister Arthur BalfourArthur BalfourArthur James Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour, KG, OM, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician and statesman... - Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of SalisburyRobert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of SalisburyRobert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC , styled Lord Robert Cecil before 1865 and Viscount Cranborne from June 1865 until April 1868, was a British Conservative statesman and thrice Prime Minister, serving for a total of over 13 years...
(1830–1903), Prime Minister of the United KingdomPrime Minister of the United KingdomThe Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
three times between 1885 and 1902. - Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Eustace Brownlow Henry Gascoyne-CecilLord Eustace CecilLord Eustace Brownlow Henry Cecil was a British, Conservative Party politician.Cecil was the youngest son of the 2nd Marquess of Salisbury and was educated at Harrow and Sandhurst. He served with the Coldstream Guards in the Crimean War from 1855–56, rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1861...
(24 April 1834 – 3 July 1921)
Lord Salisbury's second marriage on 29 April 1847 was to Lady Mary Catherine Sackville-West, daughter of George Sackville-West, 5th Earl De La Warr
George Sackville-West, 5th Earl De La Warr
George John Sackville-West, 5th Earl de la Warr PC , styled Viscount Cantelupe until 1795, was a British courtier and Tory politician.-Background:...
and Elizabeth Sackville-West, Countess De La Warr
Elizabeth Sackville-West, Countess De La Warr
Elizabeth Sackville-West, Countess De La Warr and 1st Baroness Buckhurst was a British peeress.-Biography:...
, with whom he had five children:
- Lord Sackville Arthur Cecil (16 March 1848 – 29 January 1898)
- Lady Mary Arabella Arthur Cecil (26 April 1850 – 18 August 1903), married Alan Stewart, 10th Earl of GallowayAlan Stewart, 10th Earl of GallowayAlan Plantagenet Stewart, 10th Earl of Galloway KT, DL, JP , styled Lord Garlies until 1873, was a British peer and politician.-Background:...
- Lady Margaret Elizabeth Cecil (1850 – 11 March 1919)
- Lord Arthur Cecil (3 July 1851 – 16 July 1913)
- Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Lionel Cecil (21 March 1853 – 13 January 1901)
Lord Salisbury died in April 1868, aged 76, and was succeeded in the marquessate by his third but eldest surviving son, Robert. The Marchioness of Salisbury died in December 1900.