Sir Denis Le Marchant, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Denis Le Marchant, 1st Baronet (3 July 1795 – 30 October 1874), was a British barrister, civil servant, writer and Whig politician.
family, Le Marchant was born at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the second son of Major-General John Le Marchant and Mary Carey, daughter of John Carey, of Guernsey. His father was killed at the Battle of Salamanca
in 1812 while his elder brother Carey also died in the Peninsular War
. His younger brother John Le Marchant became a distinguished colonial administrator. He was educated at Eton
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, and was called to the Bar
, Lincoln's Inn
, in 1823.
and published Proceedings of the House of Lords in the Gardner Peerage Claim in 1828. In 1830 he was appointed principal secretary to Lord Brougham
, the Lord Chancellor
, on the recommendation of Brougham's brother, William Brougham
, who Le Marchant had befriended at Cambridge. He gained distinction during the debates over the Great Reform Act where he was of great assistance to government ministers. In 1834 he was appointed Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
and in the same year year he edited a successful pamphlet, The Reform Ministry and the Reform Parliament, to which his close friend Lord Althorp
, and also Lord Stanley
, Lord Palmerston
, and Sir James Graham were contributors. From 1836 to 1841 he was secretary to the Board of Trade
and also served briefly as joint secretary to the Treasury in 1841. The latter year he was created a Baronet, of Chobham Place in the County of Surrey.
Le Marchant unsuccessfully contested Harwich
in 1841 but in 1846 he was successfully returned to parliament as one of two representatives for Worcester
. In July of the following year he was made Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
under Lord John Russell
. He retired from parliament the same year but remained Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department until May 1848, when he returned as secretary to the Board of Trade. From 1850 until 1871 he was Clerk of the House of Commons
.
Apart from his career in the civil service and in politics, Le Marchant published a biography of his father in 1841. He also began a biography of his friend John Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer
, which was finished by his son after his death, and edited Horace Walpole's Memoirs of the Reign of George III (1845).
, in 1835. They had two sons and two daughters. Le Marchant died at his London
home, 21 Belgrave Place, in October 1874, aged 79, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son, Henry. Lady Le Marchant died in 1894.
Background and education
The member of an old GuernseyGuernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
family, Le Marchant was born at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the second son of Major-General John Le Marchant and Mary Carey, daughter of John Carey, of Guernsey. His father was killed at the Battle of Salamanca
Battle of Salamanca
The Battle of Salamanca saw Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish armies under the Duke of Wellington defeat Marshal Auguste Marmont's French forces among the hills around Arapiles south of Salamanca, Spain on July 22, 1812 during the Peninsular War....
in 1812 while his elder brother Carey also died in the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. His younger brother John Le Marchant became a distinguished colonial administrator. He was educated at Eton
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 Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, and was called to the Bar
Call to the bar
The Call to the Bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party, and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received a "call to the bar"...
, Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
, in 1823.
Career
Le Marchant appeared for the petitioner in the Gardner Peerage ClaimAlan Gardner, 3rd Baron Gardner
Alan Legge Gardner, 3rd Baron Gardner , was a British Whig politician.-Background:Gardner was the son of Admiral Alan Gardner, 2nd Baron Gardner. A viscountcy was to be conferred on his father in 1815 but he died before the patent had passed the Great Seal and the title was never given to his son...
and published Proceedings of the House of Lords in the Gardner Peerage Claim in 1828. In 1830 he was appointed principal secretary to Lord Brougham
Henry Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux
Henry Peter Brougham, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux was a British statesman who became Lord Chancellor of Great Britain.As a young lawyer in Scotland Brougham helped to found the Edinburgh Review in 1802 and contributed many articles to it. He went to London, and was called to the English bar in...
, the 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...
, on the recommendation of Brougham's brother, William Brougham
William Brougham, 2nd Baron Brougham and Vaux
William Brougham, 2nd Baron Brougham and Vaux DL, JP , known as William Brougham until 1868, was a British barrister and Whig politician.-Background and education:...
, who Le Marchant had befriended at Cambridge. He gained distinction during the debates over the Great Reform Act where he was of great assistance to government ministers. In 1834 he was appointed Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
In the Government of the United Kingdom, the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery is a senior civil servant who is the head of the Crown Office. The Crown Office, a section of the Ministry of Justice, has custody of the Great Seal of the Realm, and has certain administrative functions in connection with...
and in the same year year he edited a successful pamphlet, The Reform Ministry and the Reform Parliament, to which his close friend Lord 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...
, and also Lord Stanley
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...
, Lord 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...
, and Sir James Graham were contributors. From 1836 to 1841 he was secretary to 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...
and also served briefly as joint secretary to the Treasury in 1841. The latter year he was created a Baronet, of Chobham Place in the County of Surrey.
Le Marchant unsuccessfully contested Harwich
Harwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Harwich was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Until its abolition for the 2010 general election it elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in 1841 but in 1846 he was successfully returned to parliament as one of two representatives for Worcester
Worcester (UK Parliament constituency)
Worcester is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Since 1885 it has elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election; from 1295 to 1885 it elected two MPs....
. In July of the following year he was made Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
-Non-permanent and parliamentary under-secretaries, 1782-present:*April 1782: Evan Nepean*April 1782: Thomas Orde*July 1782: Henry Strachey*April 1783: George North*February 1784: Hon. John Townshend*June 1789: Scrope Bernard*July 1794: The Hon...
under 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....
. He retired from parliament the same year but remained Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department until May 1848, when he returned as secretary to the Board of Trade. From 1850 until 1871 he was Clerk of the House of Commons
Clerk of the House of Commons
The Clerk of the House of Commons is the chief executive of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and before 1707 of the House of Commons of England...
.
Apart from his career in the civil service and in politics, Le Marchant published a biography of his father in 1841. He also began a biography of his friend John Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer
John Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer
John Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl Spencer PC, FRS , styled Viscount Althorp from 1783 to 1834, was a British statesman...
, which was finished by his son after his death, and edited Horace Walpole's Memoirs of the Reign of George III (1845).
Personal life
Le Marchant married Sarah Eliza Smith, fourth daughter of Charles Smith, of Sutton, EssexSutton, Essex
Sutton is a civil parish in the District of Rochford in Essex, England. It is located between the River Roach and the adjoining Borough of Southend on Sea, and includes the Hamlet of Shopland...
, in 1835. They had two sons and two daughters. Le Marchant died at his London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
home, 21 Belgrave Place, in October 1874, aged 79, and was succeeded in the baronetcy by his son, Henry. Lady Le Marchant died in 1894.