Genius Fan

Eighteenth Century British Prime Minister No.8

Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham
Prime Minister: 1765-1766 (First administration; 1 year and 17 days)
Political faction: Whig
Predecessor: George Grenville
[Life: 13 May, 1730 – 1 July, 1782]

‘PM on the Pan’ Take Aways

• Rockingham’s Historic Contribution to Politics: Rockingham is known for ‘discovering’ Irish lawyer Edmund Burke (he became his private secretary, then an MP himself), who became the theoretical brains behind the pair’s restructuring of the ruling Whig faction into a political party. At this point there were no political parties, just ‘interested groups’ who took a certain side when there was an issue to support and then came together as a single group waiting for the next issue. Hearnshaw says Rockingham’s “…greatest achievement was to recognise the unique genius of Edmund Burke.” Burke went on to have a blistering career as a parliamentarian, known for his oratory, his ability to persuade and convince.
• Five Things Rockingham’s Govt Did:
  1. Repealed the Stamp Act (which was so hated by the American colonies)
  2. Introduced the Declaratory Act in its place (setting in law the principle that the home country had the right to tax its colonies)
  3. Made General Warrants illegal (effectively clearing John Wilkes)
  4. Declared it would not dismiss civil or military personnel on grounds of their political opinions
  5. Saved money by limiting grants to George III’s brothers
• Personal ‘trivia’: Rockingham was among the wealthiest men in the country, maybe the richest of all; His home home near Rotherham in Yorkshire, Wentworth-Woodhouse has longest frontage of any house 618ft; He was a colonel of a volunteer regiment during the Jacobite rebellion of 1745. He had a second term in office 15 years later.
• How did it end? He resigned. There was dissatisfaction among other Whigs regarding his cabinet activities. George III was unhappy with Rockingham’s administration and he began negotiating to get Pitt the Elder in as First Minister.
• Difference of opinion: Hearnshaw (1928) says of Rockingham’s administration: “…it was one of the wisest, purest and most progressive administrations in the Eighteenth century,” while English MP, historian and author Jesse Norman says in his podcast interview with Iain Dale: “…there’s no evidence really that Rockingham was a great political leader.”

Check out my PMs on the Pan series of posts
1. First PM Sir Robert Walpole
2. Second PM Earl of Wilmington
3. Third PM Henry Pelham
4A. Fourth PM (1st Administration) Duke of Newcastle
5. Fifth PM Duke of Devonshire
4B. Fourth PM (2nd Administration) Duke of Newcastle
6. Sixth PM Earl of Bute
7. Seventh PM George Grenville
8. Eighth PM Marquess of Rockingham (1st Administration)

Notes
The Prime Ministers, Iain Dale (2020) (Rockingham article by Jesse Norman)
Marquess of Rockingham episode of Iain Dale’s Presidents, Prime Ministers, Monarchs and Dictators podcast
UK Govt Past Prime Ministers: Marquess of Rockingham
British Prime Ministers of the 18th Century, FJC Hearnshaw (1928)