Category: Politics
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Duke of Portland is a Figurehead to the Fox-North Coalition
Portland may have been called Prime Minister, but think of him as PM in name only. Behind him were two big beasts…and, formerly bitter rivals: Radical Whig and Foreign Secretary Charles James Fox (1749-1806) and Tory and Home Secretary Lord Frederick North (1732-1792). Portland’s in there, click for more.
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Prime Minister Shelburne, Disliked, Not Trusted, Therefore Doomed
Shelburne was intelligent, able, wise and had great political knowledge, but he was detached from both the Whigs and Tories…that he had earned the incurable dislike and distrust of everyone important. His nickname was ‘Malagrida’ – after a notorious Portuguese Jesuit conspirator. So, not good then, but should have been.…
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Horse-Mad Prime Minister Rockingham on the Pan with Whistlejacket
The Marquess of Rockingham was a second time PM and his was the thirteenth prime ministerial administration of Eighteenth century Britain. Unlucky for some, and for him, he died in office. He was horse-mad and had the cash to indulge his interest. Click to read the story.
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Speech Bubbles and Talking Pictures in the Eighteenth Century
In modern cartoons we’re used to seeing clear text in a uniform speech bubble, but not in the Eighteenth century when satirical prints based around political, social and cultural issues, gave us the early speech bubble. Learn how they were used by Thomas Rowlandson, James Gillray and William Hogarth.
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Sleepy Prime Minister Lord North Lost the Colonies
Britain’s twelfth Prime Minister, Lord Frederick North, was a nice guy, but weak in the face of opposition, especially in relation to the King and strong personalities. His tactic? Pretend to sleep! He’s blamed for losing the American colonies, but who could have avoided it? Click to read. Go on!
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Prime Minister Grafton Targeted in the Letters of Junius
Grafton became Prime Minister in 1768, taking over from William Pitt the Elder, for whom he was First Lord of the Treasury. And a year plus later, after poor performance with the US colonies, he was finished off by tirade after tirade from the mysterious Letters of Junius. Read me!
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William Pitt the Elder, Prime Minister Almost on the Pan
William Pitt the Elder was a great Parliamentarian, but not such a good Prime Minister. He was a great war leader, a great orator in Parliament and father of the great Eighteenth century Prime Minister William Pit the Younger. Click to read about his time in office.
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PM Rockingham’s Unique Contribution to Modern Politics
Britain’s eighth Prime Minster, the Marquess of Rockingham, made an historic contribution to politics during his term as PM. Britain became the first nation in the world to develop this system, which he evolved along with his friend, the Irishman and philosopher Edmund Burke. Read this article, please.
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Benn’s Sixpenny Library Explodes with Knowledge
Want an entertaining and learned history book exploding with detail, written between the Wars? Oh, please, everybody wants that. Try Benn’s Sixpenny Library. There are 252 titles in the series. My copy’s about Eighteenth century Prime Ministers. Go get one. After you read this post. Cho!
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Prime Minister Grenville Sowed the Seed of American Independence
Grenville is remembered as the man who introduced the Stamp Act to the American colonies setting in train events that led to independence. He was from a hugely political family in Buckinghamshire, William Pitt was his brother-in-law and he prosecuted the ‘folk hero’ John Wilkes. Fascinating Prime Minister. Read on.
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Earl of Bute, First Tory and First Scots Prime Minister
He may only have been in office for 318 days, but just about everybody hated our 7th Prime Minster, the Earl of Bute…Scotsman and Tory. Hate the man, but don’t hate his legs. Bute was the Charles Atlas of his day…from the waist down, maybe. Read on…
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Prime Minister Newcastle and Global Supremacy in 1759
Britain’s 4th and 6th Prime Minister, Newcastle returned to the top job in 1757 and just two years later, along with William Pitt the Elder, engineered the 1759 ‘annus mirabilis,’ in which victories against the French launched Britain’s global supremacy. Read. Now. That’s an order!
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Duke of Devonshire, A Prime Minister of Many Pans
The 4th Duke of Devonshire became Prime Minister, Britain’s fifth, from 1756 to 1757. He owned the gigantic stately home Chatsworth House – the one used as Darcy’s Pemberley pile in the 2005 film Pride and Prejudice. How many ‘pans’ at Chatsworth? Probably many, probably a favourite. Read on!
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Duke of Newcastle Lost an Island, then Resigned
Britain’s 4th Prime Minister, The 1st Duke of Newcastle, followed his brother into the top job, but had to resign after just 2 years after the navy lost the strategic Mediterranean island of Menorca to the French. His nickname was Hubble Bubble. I dare you to click and read more…
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Strong and Stable Prime Minister, Henry Pelham
Henry Pelham was Britain’s 3rd Prime Minister, from 1743-1754. He formed the Broad Bottom Ministry by bringing some Tories into his Whig-led administration. This forced George II to give up his preference for the powerful John Carteret, giveing Pelham control. He’s an interesting fellow. Read this post. That’s an order.
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The Earl of Wilmington is Britain’s Forgotten PM
Eighteenth Century British Prime Minister No.2 Spencer Compton, Earl of WilmingtonPrime Minister: 1742-1743 (1 year + 137 days)Political faction: WhigPredecessor: Sir Robert Walpole[Life: 1674 (DoB unknown) – 2 July, 1743] Click to read Overview of ‘PMs on the Pan‘ ‘PM on the Pan’ Take Aways Check out my PMs on…
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Robert Walpole – Britain’s First Prime Minister
Eighteenth Century British Prime Minister No.1 Sir Robert WalpolePrime Minister: 1721-1742Political faction: WhigPredecessor: Charles Spencer, Earl of Sunderland[Life: 26 August, 1676 – 18 March, 1745] Click to read Overview of ‘PMs on the Pan‘ ‘PM on the Pan’ Take Aways Check out my PMs on the Pan series of posts…
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