Leaders of the British Whig Party
Encyclopedia
This is a list of the Leaders of the British Whig Party. It begins in 1830 as, in the words of J C Sainty, 'it would be misleading to convey the impression that there was in any precise sense a Leader of the Whig Party in the House of Lords before 1830' . Also, Cook & Stevenson, British Historical Facts 1760-1830 have no section for party leaders in either House of Parliament. The section on 'Overall Leaders' gives details of those who were either the Prime Minister or a former Prime Minister who was still in Parliament and leading the Whig Party in the House in which he sat.
Overall Leaders of the Whig Party, 1830–1859
Name | Portrait | Constituency/Title | Took Office | Left Office | Prime Minister | |
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Earl Grey Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the... |
2nd Earl Grey Earl Grey Earl Grey is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1806 for General Charles Grey, 1st Baron Grey. He had already been created Baron Grey, of Howick in the County of Northumberland, in 1801, and was made Viscount Howick, in the County of Northumberland, at the same time as... |
22 November 1830 | 16 July 1834 | Earl Grey 1830-34 | ||
Viscount Melbourne William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics... |
2nd Viscount Melbourne Viscount Melbourne Viscount Melbourne, of Kilmore in the County of Cavan, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland held by the Lamb family. This family descended from Matthew Lamb, who represented Stockbridge and Peterborough in the House of Commons. In 1755 he was created a Baronet, of Brocket Hall in the County of... |
16 July 1834 | 23 October 1842 | Viscount Melbourne 1834 | ||
The Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century... 1834 |
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Sir Robert Peel 1834-35 | ||||||
Viscount Melbourne 1835-41 | ||||||
Sir Robert Peel 1841-46 | ||||||
VACANT Leader in Lords -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... Leader in Commons -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.... |
23 October 1842 | 30 June 1846 | Sir Robert Peel 1841-46 | |||
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.... |
City of London City of London (UK Parliament constituency) The City of London was a 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 1950.-Boundaries and boundary... |
30 June 1846 | 30 January 1855 | Lord John Russell 1846–52 | ||
Earl of Derby Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley... 1852 |
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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... 1852-55 |
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Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston |
Tiverton Tiverton (UK Parliament constituency) Tiverton was a constituency located in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Enfranchised as a parliamentary borough in 1615 and first represented in 1621, it elected two Members of Parliament by the first past the post system of election... |
6 February 1855 | 6 June 1859 | Viscount Palmerston 1855-1858 | ||
Earl of Derby Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby Edward George Geoffrey Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby, KG, PC was an English statesman, three times Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and to date the longest serving leader of the Conservative Party. He was known before 1834 as Edward Stanley, and from 1834 to 1851 as Lord Stanley... 1858-59 |
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Leaders of the Whig Party in the House of Commons, 1830–1859
Name | Constituency | Took Office | Left Office | |
Viscount Althorp John Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer John Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer PC, FRS , styled Viscount Althorp from 1783 to 1834, was a British statesman... |
Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency) The county constituency of Northamptonshire, in the East Midlands of England 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 1832 and was represented in... (1830–1832); South Northamptonshire South Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency) South Northamptonshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The current Member of Parliament is Andrea Leadsom of the Conservative Party.-History:... (1832–1834) |
March 1830 | November 1834 | |
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.... |
Devonshire South (1834–1835); Stroud Stroud (UK Parliament constituency) Stroud is a county 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.... (1835–1841); City of London City of London (UK Parliament constituency) The City of London was a 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 1950.-Boundaries and boundary... (1841–1855) |
November 1834 | February 1855 | |
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston | Tiverton Tiverton (UK Parliament constituency) Tiverton was a constituency located in east Devon, formerly represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Enfranchised as a parliamentary borough in 1615 and first represented in 1621, it elected two Members of Parliament by the first past the post system of election... |
February 1855 | June 1859 | |
Leaders of the Whig Party in the House of Lords, 1830–1859
Name | Took Office | Left Office | |
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, KG, PC , known as Viscount Howick between 1806 and 1807, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 22 November 1830 to 16 July 1834. A member of the Whig Party, he backed significant reform of the British government and was among the... |
November 1830 | July 1834 | |
Viscount Melbourne William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, PC, FRS was a British Whig statesman who served as Home Secretary and Prime Minister . He is best known for his intense and successful mentoring of Queen Victoria, at ages 18-21, in the ways of politics... |
July 1834 | October 1842 | |
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... |
October 1842 | February 1855 | |
Earl Granville | February 1855 | 1859 | |