Aberdeen Ministry
Encyclopedia
The Cabinet
| OFFICE | NAME | PARTY | 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 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 of Aberdeen George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen George Hamilton-Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen KG, KT, FRS, PC , styled Lord Haddo from 1791 to 1801, was a Scottish politician, successively a Tory, Conservative and Peelite, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1852 until 1855.-Early life:Born in Edinburgh on 28 January 1784, he... |
Peelite | December 1852–February 1855 |
| 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 Cranworth Robert Rolfe, 1st Baron Cranworth Robert Monsey Rolfe, 1st Baron Cranworth PC was a British lawyer and Liberal politician. He twice served as Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.-Background and education:... |
Whig | December 1852–February 1855 |
| 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 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... |
Whig | December 1852–June 1854 |
| The Lord John Russell John Russell, 1st Earl Russell John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC , known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century.... |
Whig | June 1854–February 1855 | |
| 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 | Peelite | January 1853–February 1855 |
| Home Secretary | The Viscount Palmerston Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC , known popularly as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century... |
Whig | December 1852–February 1855 |
| Foreign Secretary | The Lord John Russell John Russell, 1st Earl Russell John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC , known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century.... |
Whig | December 1852–February 1853 |
| The Earl of Clarendon George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon George William Frederick Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon KG, GCB, PC , was an English diplomat and statesman.-Background and education:... |
Whig | February 1853–February 1855 | |
| 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.... |
Sir George Grey, Bt Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet, PC was a British Whig politician. He held office under four Prime Ministers, Lord Melbourne, Lord John Russell, Lord Aberdeen, and Lord Palmerston, and notably served three times as Home Secretary.-Background and education:Grey was the only son of Sir George Grey, 1st... |
Whig | June 1854–February 1855 |
| Secretary of State for War and the Colonies Secretary of State for War and the Colonies The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet level position responsible for the army and the British colonies . The Department was created in 1801... † |
The Duke of Newcastle | Peelite | December 1852–February 1855 |
| 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... |
Peelite | December 1852–February 1855 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | Sir James Graham, Bt | Peelite | December 1852–February 1855 |
| President of the Board of Control President of the Board of Control The President of the Board of Control was a British government official in the late 18th and early 19th century responsible for overseeing the British East India Company and generally serving as the chief official in London responsible for Indian affairs. The position was frequently a cabinet... |
Sir Charles Wood, Bt Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax GCB PC , known as Sir Charles Wood, 3rd Bt between 1846 and 1866, was a British Whig politician and Member of Parliament. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1846 to 1852.... |
Whig | December 1852–February 1855 |
| 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... |
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... |
Whig | June 1854–February 1855 |
| First Commissioner of Works First Commissioner of Works The First Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings was a position within the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It took over some of the functions of the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests in 1851 when the portfolio of Crown holdings was divided into the public... |
Sir William Molesworth, Bt | Radical | January 1853–February 1855 |
| Secretary at War Secretary at War The Secretary at War was a political position in the English and later British government, with some responsibility over the administration and organization of the Army, but not over military policy. The Secretary at War ran the War Office. It was occasionally a cabinet level position, although... |
Sidney Herbert Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea PC was an English statesman and a close ally and confidante of Florence Nightingale.-Early life:... |
Peelite | December 1852–February 1855 |
| Minister without Portfolio Minister without Portfolio A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry... |
The Marquess of Lansdowne Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne KG, PC, FRS , known as Lord Henry Petty from 1784 to 1809 and then as The Earl of Kerry to 1818, was a British statesman... |
Whig | December 1852–February 1855 |
| The Lord John Russell John Russell, 1st Earl Russell John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC , known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century.... |
Whig | February 1853–June 1854 |
† After June 1854 office became 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...
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Notes
- Lord John Russell served as Leader of the House of CommonsLeader of the House of CommonsThe 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...
from December 1852 to February 1855.
Changes
- February, 1853: Lord John Russell becomes Minister without Portfolio, remaining Leader of the Commons. Lord Clarendon succeeds him as Foreign Secretary.
- June, 1854: Lord Granville becomes Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Lord John Russell succeeds him as Lord President, remaining also Leader of the Commons. The Secretaryship of State for War and the Colonies is split up. The Duke of Newcastle stays on as Secretary of State for War, while Sir George Grey becomes Secretary of State for the Colonies.
For a more detailed list, including ministers not in the Cabinet, see Coalition Government 1852-1855
Coalition Government 1852-1855
After the collapse of Lord Derby's minority government, the Whigs and Peelites formed a coalition under the Peelite leader Lord Aberdeen. The government resigned in early 1855 after a large parliamentary majority voted for a select committee to enquire into the incompetent management of the Crimean...
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