The Grafton Ministry was the British

Kingdom of Great Britain

The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...

 government headed by Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton

Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton

Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, KG, PC , styled Earl of Euston between 1747 and 1757, was a British Whig statesman of the Georgian era...

 which served between 14 October 1768 – 28 January 1770. Grafton and most of the members had previously been part of the Chatham Ministry

Chatham Ministry

The Chatham Ministry was a British government led by William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham that ruled between 1766 and 1768. Because of Pitt's former prominence before his title, it is sometimes referred to as the Pitt Ministry...

, and the Grafton Ministry was in effect a continuation of that government.

The government was widely criticised for its handling of foreign affairs, particularly for allowing the Republic of Corsica, a British ally, to fall to the French

French conquest of Corsica

The French Conquest of Corsica took place during 1768 and 1769 when the Corsican Republic was occupied by French forces under the command of the Comte de Vaux....

 during the Corsican Crisis

Corsican Crisis

The Corsican Crisis was an event in British politics during 1768–69. It was precipitated by the invasion of the island of Corsica by France. The British government under the Duke of Grafton failed to intervene, for which it was widely criticised and was one of many factors that contributed to its...

. It was subject to a series of attacks in what became known as the Junius Letters. It was replaced by the North Ministry

North Ministry

The North Ministry governed the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1770 until 1782. Overseeing in this time the Falklands Crisis, the Gordon Riots and much of the American War of Independence. It was headed by the Tory politician Lord North and served under George III.-Membership:...

 which was to last until 1782.

Major figures

• Henry Seymour Conway
  Henry Seymour Conway
  Field Marshal Henry Seymour Conway was a British general and statesman. A brother of the 1st Marquess of Hertford, and cousin of Horace Walpole, he began his military career in the War of the Austrian Succession and eventually rose to the rank of Field Marshal .-Family and education:Conway was...
  
   - Northern Secretary
• The Earl of Shelburne
  William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne
  William Petty-FitzMaurice, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, KG, PC , known as The Earl of Shelburne between 1761 and 1784, by which title he is generally known to history, was an Irish-born British Whig statesman who was the first Home Secretary in 1782 and then Prime Minister 1782–1783 during the final...
  
   - Southern Secretary
• Lord North
  Frederick North, Lord North
  Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford, KG, PC , more often known by his courtesy title, Lord North, which he used from 1752 until 1790, was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. He led Great Britain through most of the American War of Independence...
  
   - Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Sir Edward Hawke - First Lord of the Admiralty
• The Viscount Townshend
  George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend
  Field Marshal George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, PC , known as The Viscount Townshend from 1764 to 1787, was a British soldier who reached the rank of field marshal.-Early life:...
  
   - Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
• The Lord Camden
  Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden
  Charles Pratt, 1st Earl Camden was an English lawyer, judge and Whig politician who was first to hold the title of Earl of Camden...
  
  - Lord Chancellor