Whig government, 1830–1834


The Whig government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that began in November 1830 and ended in November 1834 consisted of two ministries: the Grey ministry and then the First Melbourne ministry.

History

The first wholly Whig government since 1783 came to power after the Duke of Wellington's Tory government lost a vote of no confidence on 15 November 1830. The government, led by the Earl Grey, passed the Great Reform Act in 1832 and abolished slavery throughout the Empire in 1833. However, King William IV dismissed Grey's successor Lord Melbourne in 1834 and asked Sir Robert Peel to form a government. Peel was out of the country at the time, so the Duke of Wellington formed a caretaker government.

Cabinets

The Earl Grey's Cabinet, November 1830 – July 1834

The Viscount Melbourne's Cabinet, July 1834 – November 1834

List of Ministers

Members of the Cabinet are indicated by bold face.
OfficeNameDate
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
Leader of the House of Lords
The Earl Grey22 November 18309 July 1834
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
Leader of the House of Lords
The Viscount Melbourne16 July 183414 November 1834
Chancellor of the ExchequerViscount Althorp22 November 1830
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryThomas Spring-Rice26 November 1830
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryFrancis Baring6 June 1834
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryEdward Ellice26 November 1830
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryCharles Wood10 August 1832
Junior Lords of the TreasuryThe Lord Nugent22 November 183022 November 1832
Junior Lords of the TreasuryRobert Vernon Smith22 November 183014 November 1834
Junior Lords of the TreasuryFrancis Baring22 November 18306 June 1834
Junior Lords of the TreasuryHon. George Ponsonby22 November 183014 November 1834
Junior Lords of the TreasuryThomas Francis Kennedy22 November 18329 April 1834
Junior Lords of the TreasuryRobert Graham9 April 183414 November 1834
Junior Lords of the TreasuryGeorge Byng20 June 183414 November 1834
Lord ChancellorThe Lord Brougham and Vaux22 November 1830
Lord President of the CouncilThe Marquess of Lansdowne22 November 1830
Lord Privy SealThe Lord Durham22 November 1830
Lord Privy SealThe Earl of Ripon3 April 1833
Lord Privy SealThe Earl of Carlisle5 June 1834
Lord Privy SealThe Earl of Mulgrave30 July 1834
Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentThe Viscount Melbourne22 November 1830
Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentViscount Duncannon19 July 1834
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentHon. George Lamb22 November 1830
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentViscount Howick13 January 1834
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentEdward Stanley23 July 1834
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsThe Viscount Palmerston22 November 1830
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsSir George Shee26 November 1830
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsViscount Fordwich13 November 1834
Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesThe Viscount Goderich22 November 1830
Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesHon. Edward Smith-Stanley3 April 1833
Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesThomas Spring Rice5 June 1834
Under-Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesViscount Howick23 November 1830
Under-Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesSir John Shaw-Lefevre13 January 1834
Under-Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesSir George Grey16 July 1834
First Lord of the AdmiraltySir James Graham22 November 1830
First Lord of the AdmiraltyThe Lord Auckland7 June 1834
First Secretary to the AdmiraltyHon. George Elliot29 November 1830
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyHenry Labouchere8 June 1832
President of the Board of ControlCharles Grant1 December 1830
Secretary to the Board of ControlViscount Sandon18 December 1830
Secretary to the Board of ControlThomas Hyde Villiers18 May 1831
Secretary to the Board of ControlThomas Babington Macaulay19 December 1832
Secretary to the Board of ControlRobert Gordon26 December 183314 November 1834
Secretary to the Board of ControlJames Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie22 April 183414 November 1834
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Lord Holland25 November 1830
Chief Secretary for IrelandHon. Edward Smith-Stanley29 November 1830
Chief Secretary for IrelandSir John Hobhouse29 March 1833
Chief Secretary for IrelandEdward LittletonMay 1833
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Marquess of Anglesey4 December 1830
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Marquess Wellesley12 September 1833
Master of the MintThe Lord Auckland14 December 1830
Master of the MintJames Abercromby13 June 1834
Paymaster of the ForcesLord John Russell16 December 1830
Minister without PortfolioThe Earl of Carlisle22 November 18305 June 1834
Postmaster-GeneralThe Duke of Richmond11 December 1830
Postmaster-GeneralThe Marquess Conyngham5 July 1834
President of the Board of TradeThe Lord Auckland22 November 1830
President of the Board of TradeCharles Poulett Thomson5 June 1834
Vice-President of the Board of TradeCharles Poulett Thomson22 November 1830
Vice-President of the Board of TradeHenry Labouchere5 June 1834
Secretary at WarCharles Williams-Wynn30 November 1830
Secretary at WarSir Henry Parnell4 April 1831
Secretary at WarSir John Hobhouse1 February 1832
Secretary at WarEdward Ellice6 April 1833
First Commissioner of Woods and ForestsGeorge Agar-Ellis2 December 1830
First Commissioner of Woods and ForestsViscount Duncannon7 February 1831
First Commissioner of Woods and ForestsSir John Hobhouse22 July 1834
Treasurer of the NavyCharles Poulett Thomson30 November 1830
Master-General of the OrdnanceSir James Kempt11 December 1830
Treasurer of the OrdnanceThomas Creevey31 January 1831
Surveyor-General of the OrdnanceWilliam Leader Maberly12 January 1831
Surveyor-General of the OrdnanceCharles Richard Fox30 November 1832
Clerk of the OrdnanceCharles Tennyson30 December 1830
Clerk of the OrdnanceThomas Francis Kennedy8 February 1832
Clerk of the OrdnanceWilliam Leader Maberly30 November 1832
Clerk of the OrdnanceAndrew Leith Hay19 June 1834
Storekeeper of the OrdnanceHenry Duncan30 December 1830
Attorney GeneralSir Thomas Denman24 November 1830
Attorney GeneralSir William Horne26 November 1832
Attorney GeneralSir John Campbell1 March 1834
Solicitor GeneralSir William Horne24 November 1830
Solicitor GeneralSir John Campbell26 November 1832
Solicitor GeneralSir Charles Pepys25 February 1834
Solicitor GeneralSir Robert Rolfe6 November 1834
Judge Advocate GeneralSir Robert Grant24 November 1830
Judge Advocate GeneralRobert Cutlar Fergusson19 June 1834
Lord AdvocateFrancis Jeffrey3 December 1830
Lord AdvocateJohn Murray17 May 1834
Solicitor General for ScotlandHenry Cockburn3 December 1830
Solicitor General for ScotlandAndrew Skene5 November 1834
Attorney General for IrelandEdward Pennefather23 December 1830
Attorney General for IrelandFrancis Blackburne11 January 1831
Solicitor General for IrelandPhilip Cecil Crampton23 December 1830
Solicitor General for IrelandMichael O'Loghlen21 October 1834
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Marquess Wellesley23 November 1830
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Duke of Argyll11 September 1833
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdThe Duke of Devonshire22 November 1830
Vice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdEarl of Belfast24 July 1830
Master of the HorseThe Earl of Albemarle24 November 1830
Treasurer of the HouseholdSir William Henry Fremantle27 May 1826Continued in office
Comptroller of the HouseholdLord Robert Grosvenor23 November 1830
Captain of the Gentlemen PensionersThe 3rd Lord Foley8 December 1830
Captain of the Gentlemen PensionersThe 4th Lord Foley1 May 1833
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardThe Marquess of Clanricarde1 December 1830
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardThe Earl of Gosford16 July 1834
Master of the BuckhoundsThe Viscount Anson24 November 1830

;Notes