Genius Fan

Eighteenth Century British Prime Minister No.1

• Sir Robert Walpole
  • Life: 26 August, 1676 – 18 March, 1745
• Administration: 3 April, 1721 – 11 February, 1742
  • Age in office: 44-65 years old
  • Duration of administration: 20 years and 315 days
  • Political faction: Whig
  • Predecessor: Charles Spencer, Earl of Sunderland
  • Successor: Earl of Wilmington

Click to read Overview of ‘PMs on the Pan‘

The Bare Essentials: Sir Robert Walpole

• First British Prime Minister: Back in the Eighteenth century being called Prime Minister was a slur and in 1741, Walpole is reported to have declared: “I unequivocally deny that I am sole and prime minister.” The title Prime Minister did not officially exist until well into the Nineteenth century. On 3 April 1721, Britain’s King George I announced Walpole was First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer. These two roles are closely connected (see the UK Government website). Walpole has been nominated the first prime minister because of technical differences with his predecessor, Charles Spencer, Earl of Sunderland, who was First Lord of the Treasury (NOT prime minister) from 1718-1721.
• Longest serving British Prime Minister: Twenty years and 315 days was the length of his premiership. That’s the longest of any prime minister.
• Robinocracy: This was the term used for Walpole’s administration (after his first name, Robert).
• Master of munificence: Walpole was supreme at creating support, largely by handing out positions in the government, military, universities, church and so on. This contributed to his political longevity.
• Surfed the South Sea Bubble of 1720: Walpole profited by buying shares in the South Sea Company and selling before the bubble ‘burst’, commonly referred to as the world’s first financial crash. He then successfully managed the aftermath, in which many notable and wealthy families lost huge amounts of money (Isaac Newton lost millions of pounds – in today’s money), to the satisfaction of many thereby solidifying his position and power for the next two decades.

Check out my PMs on the Pan series of posts

Here’s the full list of Eighteenth century British Prime Ministers. Note there were 16 administrations, but 14 Prime Ministers and that’s because two of them held office twice (Newcastle and Rockingham). Two others held office twice (Portland and Pitt the Younger), but their second terms were in the Nineteenth century. The text in bold highlights the name they’re commonly known by.

1. 1721-1742: Sir Robert Walpole
2. 1742-1743: Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington
3. 1743-1754: Henry Pelham
4. 1754-1756: Thomas Pelham-Holles, Duke of Newcastle (I)
5. 1756-1757: William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire
6. 1757-1762: Thomas Pelham-Holles, Duke of Newcastle (II)
7. 1762-1763: John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
8. 1763-1765: George Grenville
9. 1765-1766: Charles Watson-Wentworth, Marquess of Rockingham (I)
10. 1766-1768: William Pitt the Elder, Earl of Chatham
11. 1768-1770: Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton
12. 1770-1782: Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guilford (Lord North)
13. 1782: Charles Watson-Wentworth, Marquess of Rockingham (II)
14. 1782-1783: William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne
15. 1783: William Henry Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (I)
16. 1783-1801: William Pitt the Younger (I)

Sources for information about Sir Robert Walpole

The Prime Ministers, Iain Dale (2020) (Walpole article by Mark Fox)
The Impossible Office, Anthony Seldon (2021)
Historic-UK.com (South Sea Bubble)
Wikipedia: Sir Robert Walpole