First Newcastle ministry


From 1754 to 1756 the Duke of Newcastle headed the government of Great Britain. After the death of the previous Prime Minister, his brother Henry Pelham, Newcastle had formed a fresh administration. He remained in power until 1756, when his government collapsed following the fall of Minorca and the fierce criticism that he had come under for his handling of the war that was engulfing Europe. Among the most influential members of the Ministry was Henry Fox, who served as Leader of the House of Commons from November 1755, having firstly entered the Cabinet in his earlier position of Secretary at War in December 1754.
Newcastle later returned to head a second government in 1757 in an alliance with William Pitt the Elder.

The Ministry

It is unclear who was member of the Cabinet.
OfficeNameTerm
First Lord of the TreasuryThe Duke of Newcastle1754–1756
Leader of the House of LordsThe Duke of Newcastle1754–1756
Chancellor of the ExchequerSir William Lee1754
Chancellor of the ExchequerHenry Bilson Legge1754–1755
Chancellor of the ExchequerSir George Lyttelton, Bt.1755–1756
Second Lord of the TreasuryThe Earl of Darlington1754–1755
Second Lord of the TreasurySir George Lyttelton, Bt.1755–1756
Lord ChancellorThe Lord Hardwicke, later The Earl of Hardwicke1754–1756
Lord President of the CouncilThe Earl Granville1754–1756
Lord Privy SealThe Earl Gower1754
Lord Privy SealThe Duke of Marlborough1755
Lord Privy SealThe Earl Gower1755–1756
Secretary of State for the Southern Department
Leader of the House of Commons
Thomas Robinson1754–1755
Secretary of State for the Southern Department
Leader of the House of Commons
Henry Fox1755–1756
Secretary of State for the Northern DepartmentThe Earl of Holdernesse1754–1756
Master-General of the OrdnanceVacant1754–1755
Master-General of the OrdnanceThe Duke of Marlborough1755–1756
First Lord of the AdmiraltyThe Lord Anson1754–1756
Keeper of the Great Seal of ScotlandThe Duke of Argyll1754–1756
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdThe Duke of Grafton1754–1756
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Duke of Marlborough1754–1755
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Duke of Rutland1755–1756
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Lord Edgcumbe1754–1756
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Duke of Dorset1754–1755
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Duke of Devonshire1755–1756
Master of the HorseMarquess of Hartington1754–1755
Master of the HorseThe Duke of Dorset1755–1756
Paymaster of the ForcesWilliam Pitt the Elder1754–1755
Paymaster of the Forcesjointly: 1755–1756