James Grenville, 1st Baron Glastonbury
Encyclopedia
James Grenville, 1st Baron Glastonbury, PC (6 July 1742 – 26 April 1825) was a United Kingdom
politician, who was a member of both houses of Parliament during his career.
Grenville was the eldest son of James Grenville
MP (12 February 1715-14 September 1783) and a first cousin of George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham
. The Grenvilles were the most prominent aristocrat
ic family in the south-eastern English county of Buckinghamshire
in the eighteenth and early 19th centuries. For much of this time they supplied one of the two parliamentary representatives of Buckinghamshire
and both of those from the town of Buckingham
.
The family produced some prominent national political figures, including two Prime Ministers (George Grenville
and William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville). They were also related to William Pitt the Elder and William Pitt the Younger
.
Grenville was educated at Eton College
and Christ Church, Oxford
.
As a politician he generally followed his family connection up to 1801 and after 1806, but between those years he continued to support William Pitt the Younger
instead of becoming closer to Charles James Fox
as most of his politically active Grenville relatives did.
Grenville served as Member of Parliament
for the Yorkshire
borough of Thirsk
1766-1768. He sat for his family borough of Buckingham
1770-1790. He then represented the county seat of Buckinghamshire
1790-1797.
He held junior ministerial office as a Lord of the Treasury
March 1782-March 1783. William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne
offered to make Grenville Chancellor of the Exchequer
or Secretary at War
, but he declined these appointments. He was sworn of the Privy Council
on 26 December 1783. He was a member of the Board of Trade
from 1784 until his death.
On 20 October 1797 he was created Baron Glastonbury. Lord Glastonbury never married and the title became extinct on his death in 1825. He left his estate to Thomas Grenville
, with a remainder
to the Reverend George Neville of Windsor
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician, who was a member of both houses of Parliament during his career.
Grenville was the eldest son of James Grenville
James Grenville
James Grenville was a British politician.He was born at Wotton in 1715 into the influential Grenville political family and was one of five brothers who went into politics...
MP (12 February 1715-14 September 1783) and a first cousin of George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham
George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham
George Nugent-Temple-Grenville, 1st Marquess of Buckingham, KG, PC was a British statesman. He was the second son of George Grenville and a brother of the 1st Baron Grenville.-Career:...
. The Grenvilles were the most prominent aristocrat
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
ic family in the south-eastern English county of Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
in the eighteenth and early 19th centuries. For much of this time they supplied one of the two parliamentary representatives of Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Buckinghamshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.Its most prominent member was...
and both of those from the town of Buckingham
Buckingham (UK Parliament constituency)
Buckingham is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
.
The family produced some prominent national political figures, including two Prime Ministers (George Grenville
George Grenville
George Grenville was a British Whig statesman who rose to the position of Prime Minister of Great Britain. Grenville was born into an influential political family and first entered Parliament in 1741 as an MP for Buckingham...
and William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville). They were also related to William Pitt the Elder and William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
.
Grenville was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
.
As a politician he generally followed his family connection up to 1801 and after 1806, but between those years he continued to support William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
instead of becoming closer to Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox
Charles James Fox PC , styled The Honourable from 1762, was a prominent British Whig statesman whose parliamentary career spanned thirty-eight years of the late 18th and early 19th centuries and who was particularly noted for being the arch-rival of William Pitt the Younger...
as most of his politically active Grenville relatives did.
Grenville served as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
borough of Thirsk
Thirsk (UK Parliament constituency)
Thirsk was a parliamentary borough in Yorkshire, represented in the English and later British House of Commons in 1295, and again from 1547. It was represented by two Members of Parliament until 1832, and by one member from 1832 to 1885, when the constituency was abolished and absorbed into the new...
1766-1768. He sat for his family borough of Buckingham
Buckingham (UK Parliament constituency)
Buckingham is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
1770-1790. He then represented the county seat of Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Buckinghamshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1885.Its most prominent member was...
1790-1797.
He held junior ministerial office as a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
March 1782-March 1783. William Petty, 2nd 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...
offered to make Grenville 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...
or 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...
, but he declined these appointments. He was sworn of the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
on 26 December 1783. He was a member of the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
from 1784 until his death.
On 20 October 1797 he was created Baron Glastonbury. Lord Glastonbury never married and the title became extinct on his death in 1825. He left his estate to Thomas Grenville
Thomas Grenville
Thomas Grenville PC was a British politician and bibliophile.-Background and education:Grenville was the second son of Prime Minister George Grenville and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet...
, with a remainder
Remainder (law)
A remainder in property law is a future interest given to a person that is capable of becoming possessory upon the natural end of a prior estate created by the same instrument...
to the Reverend George Neville of Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
.