Liberal government, 1859–1866


The Liberal government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that began in 1859 and ended in 1866 consisted of two ministries: the Second Palmerston ministry and the Second Russell ministry.

History

After the fall of the second of Lord Derby's short-lived attempts at governments in 1859, the Viscount Palmerston returned to power, this time in alliance with his former rival the Earl Russell, in what is regarded as the first Liberal government. Palmerston remained as Prime Minister until his death in 1865, when Russell succeeded him. However, disunity within the party caused the fall of the government in the following year, and Lord Derby formed another Conservative ministry.

Cabinets

The Viscount Palmerston's Cabinet, June 1859 – October 1865

Changes

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.
OfficeNameDate
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
Viscount Palmerston12 June 185918 October 1865
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
The Earl Russell29 October 186526 June 1866
Chancellor of the ExchequerWilliam Ewart Gladstone18 June 1859
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryHenry Brand24 June 1859
Financial Secretary to the TreasurySamuel Laing24 June 1859
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryFrederick Peel2 November 1860
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryHugh Childers19 August 1865
Junior Lords of the TreasuryEdward Knatchbull-Hugessen24 June 185921 April 1865
Junior Lords of the TreasurySir William Dunbar24 June 185921 April 1865
Junior Lords of the TreasuryJohn Bagwell24 June 185925 March 1862
Junior Lords of the TreasuryLuke White25 March 18622 June 1866
Junior Lords of the TreasuryWilliam Patrick Adam21 April 186526 June 1866
Junior Lords of the TreasuryJohn Bonham Carter2 June 186626 June 1866
Junior Lords of the TreasuryJohn Esmonde2 June 186626 June 1866
Lord ChancellorThe Lord Campbell18 June 1859
Lord ChancellorThe Lord Westbury26 June 1861
Lord ChancellorThe Lord Cranworth7 July 1865
Lord President of the CouncilThe Earl Granville18 June 1859
Lord Privy SealThe Duke of Argyll18 June 1859
Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentSir George Cornewall Lewis18 June 1859
Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentSir George Grey25 July 1861
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentGeorge Clive18 June 1859
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentHenry Bruce14 November 1862
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentThomas Baring25 April 1864
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentEdward Knatchbull-Hugessen25 May 1866
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsLord John Russell18 June 1859
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsThe Earl of Clarendon3 November 1865
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsThe Lord Wodehouse19 June 1859
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsAusten Henry Layard15 August 1861
Secretary of State for WarSidney Herbert18 June 1859
Secretary of State for WarSir George Cornewall Lewis22 July 1861
Secretary of State for WarThe Earl de Grey and Ripon28 April 1863
Secretary of State for WarMarquess of Hartington16 February 1866
Under-Secretary of State for WarThe Earl de Grey and Ripon18 June 1859
Under-Secretary of State for WarThomas Baring21 January 1861
Under-Secretary of State for WarThe Earl de Grey and Ripon31 July 1861
Under-Secretary of State for WarMarquess of Hartington28 April 1863
Under-Secretary of State for WarThe Lord Dufferin and Clandeboye17 February 1866
Secretary of State for the ColoniesThe Duke of Newcastle18 June 1859
Secretary of State for the ColoniesEdward Cardwell7 April 1864
Under-Secretary of State for the ColoniesChichester Fortescue18 June 1859
Under-Secretary of State for the ColoniesWilliam Edward Forster25 November 1865
Secretary of State for IndiaSir Charles Wood18 June 1859
Secretary of State for IndiaThe Earl de Grey and Ripon16 February 1866
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaThomas Baring25 June 1859
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaThe Earl de Grey and Ripon21 January 1861
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaThomas Baring31 July 1861
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaThe Lord Wodehouse25 April 1864
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaLord Dufferin and Clandeboye16 November 1864
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaJames Stansfeld17 February 1866
First Lord of the AdmiraltyThe Duke of Somerset27 June 1859
First Secretary of the AdmiraltyLord Clarence Paget30 June 1859
First Secretary of the AdmiraltyThomas Baring30 April 1866
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltySamuel Whitbread27 June 1859
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyMarquess of Hartington23 March 1863
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyJames Stansfeld2 May 1863
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyHugh Childers21 April 1864
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyHenry Fenwick22 January 1866
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyLord John Hay7 April 1866
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyGeorge Shaw-Lefevre8 May 1866
Chief Secretary for IrelandEdward Cardwell24 June 1859
Chief Secretary for IrelandSir Robert Peel29 July 1861
Chief Secretary for IrelandChichester Fortescue7 December 1865
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Earl of Carlisle24 June 1859
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Lord Wodehouse1 November 1864
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterSir George Grey22 June 1859
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterEdward Cardwell25 July 1861
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Earl of Clarendon7 April 1864
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancastervacant3 November 1865
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterGeorge Goschen26 January 1866
President of the Poor Law BoardThomas Milner Gibson24 June 1859
President of the Poor Law BoardCharles Pelham Villiers9 July 1859
Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law BoardCharles Gilpin28 June 1859
Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law BoardGeorge Byng22 February 1865
Postmaster-GeneralThe Earl of Elgin24 June 1859
Postmaster-GeneralThe Duke of Argyll11 May 1860
Postmaster-GeneralThe Lord Stanley of Alderley17 August 1860
President of the Board of Tradevacant
President of the Board of TradeThomas Milner Gibson6 July 1859
Vice-President of the Board of TradeJames Wilson18 June 1859
Vice-President of the Board of TradeWilliam Francis Cowper12 August 1859
Vice-President of the Board of TradeWilliam Hutt22 February 1860
Vice-President of the Board of TradeGeorge Goschen29 November 1865
Vice-President of the Board of TradeWilliam Monsell12 March 1866
Vice-President of the Committee on EducationRobert Lowe24 June 1859
Vice-President of the Committee on EducationHenry Bruce26 April 1864
Paymaster-GeneralJames Wilson18 June 1859
Paymaster-GeneralWilliam Francis Cowper12 August 1859
Paymaster-GeneralWilliam Hutt22 February 1860
Paymaster-GeneralGeorge Goschen29 November 1865
Paymaster-GeneralWilliam Monsell12 March 1866
First Commissioner of WorksHenry Fitzroy18 June 1859
First Commissioner of WorksWilliam Francis Cowper9 February 1860
Attorney GeneralSir Richard Bethell18 June 1859
Attorney GeneralSir William Atherton4 July 1861
Attorney GeneralSir Roundell Palmer2 October 1863
Solicitor GeneralSir Henry Keating18 June 1859
Solicitor GeneralSir William Atherton16 December 1859
Solicitor GeneralSir Roundell Palmer8 July 1861
Solicitor GeneralSir Robert Collier2 October 1863
Judge Advocate GeneralThomas Emerson Headlam24 June 1859
Lord AdvocateJames Moncreiff24 June 1859
Solicitor General for ScotlandEdward F. Maitland27 June 1859
Solicitor General for ScotlandGeorge Young11 November 1862
Attorney General for IrelandJohn David FitzgeraldJune 1859
Attorney General for IrelandRickard DeasyFebruary 1860
Attorney General for IrelandThomas O'Hagan1861
Attorney General for IrelandJames Anthony Lawson1865
Solicitor General for IrelandJohn GeorgeJune 1859
Solicitor General for IrelandRickard Deasy1859
Solicitor General for IrelandThomas O'HaganFebruary 1860
Solicitor General for IrelandJames Anthony Lawson1861
Solicitor General for IrelandEdward Sullivan1865
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Earl of St Germans18 June 1859
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Earl of Bessborough20 January 1866
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdThe Viscount Sydney23 June 1859
Vice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdViscount Castlerosse23 June 1859
Master of the HorseThe Marquess of Ailesbury24 June 1859
Treasurer of the HouseholdViscount Bury23 June 1859
Treasurer of the Household8 May 1866
Comptroller of the HouseholdLord Proby23 June 1859
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-ArmsThe Lord Foley28 June 1859
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardThe Earl of Ducie28 June 1859
Master of the BuckhoundsThe Earl of Bessborough18 June 1859
Master of the BuckhoundsThe Earl of Cork23 January 1866
Chief Equerry and Clerk MarshalLord Alfred Paget1 July 1859
Mistress of the RobesThe Duchess of Sutherland22 June 1859
Mistress of the RobesThe Duchess of Wellington25 April 1861
Lords in WaitingThe Earl of Caithness23 June 185926 June 1866
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Camoys23 June 185926 June 1866
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Rivers23 June 185928 April 1866
Lords in WaitingThe Lord de Tabley23 June 185926 June 1866
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Cremorne23 June 185926 June 1866
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Methuen23 June 185926 June 1866
Lords in WaitingThe Viscount Torrington23 June 185927 April 1884
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Byron17 July 183731 March 1860
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Harris31 March 18604 May 1863
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Talbot of Malahide4 May 186326 June 1866
Lords in WaitingThe Marquess of Normanby8 May 186626 June 1866
Extra Lord in WaitingThe Lord Byron31 March 18603 March 1868

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