Second Gladstone Ministry
Encyclopedia
The Cabinet
| OFFICE | NAME | TERM |
| First Lord of the Treasury First Lord of the Treasury The First Lord of the Treasury is the head of the commission exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom, and is now always also the Prime Minister... Leader of the House of Commons Leader of the House of Commons The Leader of the House of Commons is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Commons... |
William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time... |
April 1880–June 1885 |
| Lord Chancellor Lord Chancellor The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign... |
The Lord Selborne Roundell Palmer, 1st Earl of Selborne Roundell Palmer, 1st Earl of Selborne PC , was a British lawyer and politician. He served twice as Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.-Background and education:... † |
April 1880–June 1885 |
| 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... |
The Earl Spencer | April 1880–March 1883 |
| The Lord Carlingford Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford Chichester Samuel Parkinson-Fortescue, 2nd Baron Clermont and 1st Baron Carlingford KP, PC , known as Chichester Fortescue until 1863 and as Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue between 1863 and 1874, Lord Carlingford from 1874 to 1887 and Lord Clermont after 1887, was a British statesman and Liberal... |
March 1883–June 1885 | |
| 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... |
The Duke of Argyll | April 1880–May 1881 |
| The Lord Carlingford Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford Chichester Samuel Parkinson-Fortescue, 2nd Baron Clermont and 1st Baron Carlingford KP, PC , known as Chichester Fortescue until 1863 and as Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue between 1863 and 1874, Lord Carlingford from 1874 to 1887 and Lord Clermont after 1887, was a British statesman and Liberal... |
May 1881–March 1885 | |
| The Earl of Rosebery Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery, KG, PC was a British Liberal statesman and Prime Minister. Between the death of his father, in 1851, and the death of his grandfather, the 4th Earl, in 1868, he was known by the courtesy title of Lord Dalmeny.Rosebery was a Liberal Imperialist who... |
March 1885–June 1885 | |
| Home Secretary | Sir William Harcourt William Vernon Harcourt (politician) Sir William George Granville Venables Vernon Harcourt was a British lawyer, journalist and Liberal statesman. He served as Member of Parliament for various constituencies and held the offices of Home Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer under William Ewart Gladstone before becoming Leader of... |
April 1880–June 1885 |
| Foreign Secretary Leader of the House of Lords Leader of the House of Lords The Leader of the House of Lords is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Lords. The role is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position, usually one of the sinecure offices of Lord President of the Council,... |
The Earl Granville Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville Granville George Leveson Gower, 2nd Earl Granville KG, PC FRS , styled Lord Leveson until 1846, was a British Liberal statesman... |
April 1880–June 1885 |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies Secretary of State for the Colonies The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies.... |
The Earl of Kimberley John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley KG , PC , known as the Lord Wodehouse from 1846 to 1866, was a British Liberal politician... |
April 1880–December 1882 |
| The Earl of Derby Edward Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby Edward Henry Stanley, 15th Earl of Derby KG, PC, FRS , known as Lord Stanley from 1844 to 1869, was a British statesman... |
December 1882–June 1885 | |
| Secretary of State for War Secretary of State for War The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854... |
Hugh Childers Hugh Childers Hugh Culling Eardley Childers was a British and Australian Liberal statesman of the nineteenth century. He is perhaps best known for his reform efforts at the Admiralty and the War Office... |
April 1880–December 1882 |
| Marquess of Hartington Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire KG, GCVO, PC, PC , styled Lord Cavendish of Keighley between 1834 and 1858 and Marquess of Hartington between 1858 and 1891, was a British statesman... |
December 1882–June 1885 | |
| Secretary of State for India Secretary of State for India The Secretary of State for India, or India Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister responsible for the government of India and the political head of the India Office... |
Marquess of Hartington Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire KG, GCVO, PC, PC , styled Lord Cavendish of Keighley between 1834 and 1858 and Marquess of Hartington between 1858 and 1891, was a British statesman... |
April 1880–December 1882 |
| The Earl of Kimberley John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley KG , PC , known as the Lord Wodehouse from 1846 to 1866, was a British Liberal politician... |
December 1882–June 1885 | |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer Chancellor of the Exchequer The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the... |
William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone FRS FSS was a British Liberal statesman. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times , more than any other person. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister, 84 years old when he resigned for the last time... |
April 1880–December 1882 |
| Hugh Childers Hugh Childers Hugh Culling Eardley Childers was a British and Australian Liberal statesman of the nineteenth century. He is perhaps best known for his reform efforts at the Admiralty and the War Office... |
December 1882–June 1885 | |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | The Earl of Northbrook | April 1880–June 1885 |
| President of the Board of Trade | Joseph Chamberlain Joseph Chamberlain Joseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University.... |
April 1880–June 1885 |
| President of the Local Government Board President of the Local Government Board The President of the Local Government Board was a ministerial post, frequently a Cabinet position, in the United Kingdom, established in 1871. The Local Government Board itself was established in 1871 and took over supervisory functions from the Board of Trade and the Home Office, including the... |
John George Dodson | April 1880–December 1882 |
| Sir Charles Dilke, Bt | December 1882–June 1885 | |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is, in modern times, a ministerial office in the government of the United Kingdom that includes as part of its duties, the administration of the estates and rents of the Duchy of Lancaster... |
John Bright John Bright John Bright , Quaker, was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, associated with Richard Cobden in the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League. He was one of the greatest orators of his generation, and a strong critic of British foreign policy... |
April 1880–July 1882 |
| The Earl of Kimberley John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley KG , PC , known as the Lord Wodehouse from 1846 to 1866, was a British Liberal politician... |
July 1882–December 1882 | |
| John George Dodson | December 1882–October 1884 | |
| George Otto Trevelyan | October 1884–June 1885 | |
| Postmaster General United Kingdom Postmaster General The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs... |
George John Shaw-Lefevre | March–June 1885 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland Chief Secretary for Ireland The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually... |
William Edward Forster William Edward Forster William Edward Forster PC, FRS was an English industrialist, philanthropist and Liberal Party statesman.-Early life:... |
April 1880–May 1882 |
| successor not in the cabinet | ||
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland... |
The Earl Spencer | April 1882–June 1885 |
†Created Earl of Selborne in 1882.
Notes
- William Ewart Gladstone served as both First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer between April 1880 and December 1882.
- The Earl Spencer served as both Lord President and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland between April 1882 and March 1883.
- The Earl of Kimberley served as both Colonial Secretary and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster between July and December 1882.
- The Lord Carlingford served as both Lord Privy Seal and Lord President between March 1883 and March 1885.
Changes
- May 1881: The Lord Carlingford succeeds the Duke of Argyll as Lord Privy Seal.
- April 1882: The Earl Spencer becomes Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, but retains his seat in the cabinet and his position as Lord President.
- May 1882: William Edward Forster resigns as Chief Secretary for Ireland. His successor is not in the cabinet.
- July 1882: The Earl of Kimberley succeeds John Bright as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster remaining also Colonial Secretary.
- December 1882: Hugh Childers succeeds William Ewart Gladstone as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Lord Hartington succeeds Childers as Secretary for War. Kimberley succeeds Hartington as Secretary for India. The Earl of Derby succeeds Kimberley as Colonial Secretary. John George Dodson succeeds Kimberley as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Sir Charles Dilke succeeds Dodson as President of the Local Government Board.
- March 1883: Carlingford succeeds Spencer as Lord President, remaining also Lord Privy Seal. Spencer remains in the Cabinet as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
- October 1884: George Otto Trevelyan succeeds Dodson as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
- March 1885: The Earl of Rosebery succeeds Carlingford as Lord Privy Seal. Carlingford remains Lord President. George John Shaw-Lefevre enters the cabinet as Postmaster-General.
For a more detailed list, including ministers not in the Cabinet, see Liberal Government 1880-1885
Liberal Government 1880-1885
After ardently campaigning against the foreign policy of Lord Beaconsfield's Conservative Government, William Gladstone led the Liberal Party to victory in the United Kingdom General Election of 1880. The nominal leader of the Party, Lord Hartington, resigned in Gladstone's favour and Gladstone....
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