First Russell ministry


Whig Lord John Russell led the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1846 to 1852.

History

Following the split in the Tory Party over the Corn Laws in 1846 and the consequent end of Sir Robert Peel's second government, the Whigs came to power under Lord John Russell. Sir Charles Wood became Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir George Grey Home Secretary and Lord Palmerston Foreign Secretary for the third time.
One of the major problems facing the government was the Great Irish Famine, which Russell failed to deal with effectively. Another problem was the maverick Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston, who was eventually forced to resign in December 1851 after recognising the coup d'état of Louis Napoleon without first seeking royal approval. He was succeeded by Lord Granville, the first of his three tenures as Foreign Secretary. Palmerston thereafter successfully devoted his energies to bringing down Russell's government, leading to the formation of a minority Conservative government under Lord Derby in February 1852.

Cabinet

July 1846 – February 1852

† became the Earl of Carlisle in 1848
‡ denotes becoming a member of the cabinet, not gaining the office

Changes

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.
OfficeNameDateNotes
Prime Minister,
First Lord of the Treasury
and Leader of the House of Commons		Lord John Russell30 June 1846 – 21 February 1852The Government resigned 22 February 1851 and resumed 3 March 1851
Chancellor of the ExchequerSir Charles Wood, Bt6 July 1846
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryHenry Tufnell7 July 1846
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryWilliam Goodenough HayterJuly 1850
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryJohn Parker7 July 1846
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryWilliam Goodenough Hayter22 May 1849
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryGeorge Cornewall Lewis9 July 1850
Junior Lords of the TreasuryViscount Ebrington6 July 1846 – 22 December 1847the number of Junior Lordships was reduced from four to three in 1848
Junior Lords of the TreasuryDenis O'Conor6 July 1846 – 2 August 1847the number of Junior Lordships was reduced from four to three in 1848
Junior Lords of the TreasuryWilliam Gibson-Craig6 July 1846 – 21 February 1852the number of Junior Lordships was reduced from four to three in 1848
Junior Lords of the TreasuryHenry Rich6 July 1846 – 21 February 1852the number of Junior Lordships was reduced from four to three in 1848
Junior Lords of the TreasuryRichard Bellew2 August 1847 – 21 February 1852the number of Junior Lordships was reduced from four to three in 1848
Junior Lords of the TreasuryEarl of Shelburne22 December 1847 – August 1848the number of Junior Lordships was reduced from four to three in 1848
Lord ChancellorThe Lord Cottenham6 July 1846
Lord Chancellorin commission19 June 1850
Lord ChancellorThe Lord Truro15 July 1850
Lord President of the Council
and Leader of the House of Lords		The Marquess of Lansdowne6 July 1846
Lord Privy SealThe Earl of Minto6 July 1846
Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentSir George Grey, Bt6 July 1846
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentSir William Somerville, Bt5 July 1846
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentSir Denis Le Marchant, Bt22 July 1847
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentGeorge Cornewall Lewis15 May 1848
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentEdward Pleydell-Bouverie9 July 1850
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsThe Viscount Palmerston6 July 1846
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsThe Earl Granville26 December 1851
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsEdward Stanley6 July 1846
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsAusten Henry Layard12 February 1852
Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesThe Earl Grey6 July 1846
Under-Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesBenjamin Hawes6 July 1846
Under-Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesFrederick Peel1 November 1851
President of the Board of ControlSir John Hobhouse, Bt8 July 1846
President of the Board of ControlFox Maule5 February 1852
Joint Secretaries to the Board of ControlGeorge Byng6 July 1846 – 30 November 1847
Joint Secretaries to the Board of ControlThomas Wyse6 July 1846 – 26 January 1849
Joint Secretaries to the Board of ControlGeorge Cornewall Lewis30 November 1847 – 16 May 1848
Joint Secretaries to the Board of ControlJames Wilson16 May 1848 – 21 February 1852
Joint Secretaries to the Board of ControlJohn Elliot26 January 1849 – 21 February 1852
First Lord of the AdmiraltyThe Earl of Auckland7 July 1846
First Lord of the AdmiraltySir Francis Baring, Bt15 January 1849
First Secretary of the AdmiraltyHenry George Ward13 July 1846
First Secretary of the AdmiraltyJohn Parker21 May 1849
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyWilliam Cowper7 July 1846
Chief Secretary for IrelandHenry Labouchere6 July 1846
Chief Secretary for IrelandSir William Somerville, Bt22 July 1847
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Earl of Bessborough8 July 1846
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Earl of Clarendon22 May 1847
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Lord Campbell6 July 1846
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Earl of Carlisle6 March 1850
Paymaster-GeneralThomas Babington Macaulay7 July 1846
Paymaster-GeneralThe Earl Granville8 May 1848entered the Cabinet October 1851
Paymaster-GeneralThe Lord Stanley of Alderley12 February 1852
Postmaster-GeneralThe Marquess of Clanricarde7 July 1846
President of the Board of TradeThe Earl of Clarendon6 July 1846
President of the Board of TradeHenry Labouchere22 July 1847
Vice-President of the Board of TradeThomas Milner Gibson8 July 1846
Vice-President of the Board of TradeThe Earl Granville8 May 1848
Vice-President of the Board of TradeThe Lord Stanley of Alderley11 February 1852
First Commissioner of Woods and ForestsViscount Morpeth7 July 1846succeeded as 7th Earl of Carlisle 7 October 1848
First Commissioner of Woods and ForestsLord Seymour17 April 1849office abolished 1 August 1851
First Commissioner of WorksLord Seymour1 August 1851entered the Cabinet October 1851
Master-General of the OrdnanceThe Marquess of Anglesey8 July 1846
Surveyor-General of the OrdnanceCharles Richard Fox8 July 1846
Clerk of the OrdnanceGeorge Anson8 July 1846
Storekeeper of the OrdnanceSir Thomas Hastings25 July 1845continued in office
President of the Poor Law BoardCharles Buller23 July 1847
President of the Poor Law BoardMatthew Talbot Baines1 January 1849
Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law BoardViscount Ebrington23 July 1847
Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law BoardRalph William Grey28 January 1851
Secretary at WarFox Maule6 July 1846
Secretary at WarRobert Vernon Smith6 February 1852
Attorney GeneralSir Thomas Wilde7 July 1846
Attorney GeneralSir John Jervis17 July 1846
Attorney GeneralSir John Romilly11 July 1850
Attorney GeneralSir Alexander Cockburn, Bt28 March 1851
Solicitor GeneralJohn Jervis7 July 1846
Solicitor GeneralSir David Dundas18 July 1846
Solicitor GeneralSir John Romilly4 April 1848
Solicitor GeneralSir Alexander Cockburn, Bt11 July 1850
Solicitor GeneralSir William Page Wood28 March 1851
Judge Advocate GeneralCharles Buller8 July 1846
Judge Advocate GeneralWilliam Goodenough Hayter22 December 1847
Judge Advocate GeneralSir David Dundas26 May 1849
Lord AdvocateAndrew Rutherfurd6 July 1846
Lord AdvocateJames Moncreiff7 April 1851
Solicitor General for ScotlandThomas Maitland6 July 1846
Solicitor General for ScotlandJames Moncreiff7 February 1850
Solicitor General for ScotlandJohn Cowan18 April 1851
Solicitor General for ScotlandGeorge Deas28 June 1851
Attorney General for IrelandRichard Moore16 July 1846
Attorney General for IrelandJames Henry Monahan21 December 1847
Attorney General for IrelandJohn Hatchell23 September 1850
Solicitor General for IrelandJames Henry Monahan16 July 1846
Solicitor General for IrelandJohn Hatchell24 December 1847
Solicitor General for IrelandHenry George Hughes26 September 1850
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Earl Fortescue8 July 1846
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Marquess of Westminster22 March 1850
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdThe Earl Spencer8 July 1846
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdThe Marquess of Breadalbane5 September 1848
Vice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdLord Edward Howard8 July 1846
Master of the HorseThe Duke of Norfolk11 July 1846
Treasurer of the HouseholdLord Robert Grosvenor3 August 1846
Treasurer of the HouseholdLord Marcus Hill23 July 1847
Comptroller of the HouseholdLord Marcus Hill6 July 1846
Comptroller of the HouseholdWilliam Lascelles23 July 1847
Comptroller of the HouseholdEarl of Mulgrave23 July 1851
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-ArmsThe Lord Foley24 July 1846
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardThe Viscount Falkland24 July 1846
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardThe Marquess of Donegal11 February 1848
Master of the BuckhoundsThe Earl Granville9 July 1846
Master of the BuckhoundsThe Earl of Bessborough16 May 1848
Chief Equerry and Clerk MarshalLord Alfred Paget7 July 1846
Mistress of the RobesThe Duchess of Sutherland4 July 1846
Lords in WaitingThe Earl of Morley24 July 1846 – 21 February 1852
Lords in WaitingThe Earl of Ducie24 July 1846 – 1 December 1847
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Waterpark24 July 1846 – 21 February 1852
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Camoys4 August 1846 – 21 February 1852
Lords in WaitingThe Earl of Morton10 September 1841 – 26 June 1849
Lords in WaitingThe Marquess of Ormonde10 September 1841 – 21 February 1852
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Elphinstone1 December 1847 – 21 February 1852
Lords in WaitingLord Dufferin and Clandeboye26 June 1849 – 21 February 1852