Third Gladstone ministry


The Third Gladstone ministry was one of the shortest-lived ministries in British history. It was led by William Ewart Gladstone of the Liberal Party upon his reappointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by Queen Victoria. It lasted five months until July 1886.

Formation

The Liberal Party under the leadership of William Ewart Gladstone came to power in the United Kingdom in February 1886 after they, with the support of the Irish Nationalists, defeated the Conservative government of Lord Salisbury. The ministry was to become one of the most short-lived in British history. Gladstone, aged 76, became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom for the third time. Sir William Vernon Harcourt became Chancellor of the Exchequer, Hugh Childers Home Secretary and future Prime Minister the Earl of Rosebery Foreign Secretary. Lord Selborne and Sir Henry James both rejected the Lord Chancellorship, a post, which, however, was accepted by Sir Farrer Herschell, who was ennobled as Baron Herschell. Former Foreign Secretary Lord Granville became Secretary of State for the Colonies, while another political veteran, Lord Kimberley, resumed the post of Secretary of State for India which he had held from 1882 to 1885. The influential Joseph Chamberlain was appointed President of the Local Government Board while future party leader and Prime Minister Henry Campbell-Bannerman was made Secretary of State for War. The government also saw John Morley hold his first ministerial post as Chief Secretary for Ireland.
The ministry is chiefly remembered for Gladstone's first attempt to introduce the Home Rule Bill for Ireland. The bill was defeated by a majority of 30 on 8 June and on 26 June Parliament was dissolved. The issue split the Liberal Party. Lord Hartington, who had refused to serve under Gladstone because of his Irish policies, became leader of the Liberal Unionists. He was joined by Joseph Chamberlain, who had resigned over Home Rule in April.

Fate

The Conservative Party, with the support of the Liberal Unionists, gained a decisive victory in the July 1886 general election, and Lord Salisbury once again became Prime Minister. The Liberals were to remain out of office until 1892, when Gladstone became Prime Minister for a fourth time.

Cabinet

February 1886 to August 1886

Changes

April 1886: James Stansfeld succeeds Joseph Chamberlain at the Local Government Board. George Otto Trevelyan leaves the Cabinet. His successor as Secretary for Scotland is not in the Cabinet.

List of Ministers

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.
OfficeNameDate
Prime MinisterWilliam Ewart Gladstone1 February 188620 July 1886
First Lord of the TreasuryWilliam Ewart Gladstone1 February 188620 July 1886
Leader of the House of CommonsWilliam Ewart Gladstone1 February 188620 July 1886
Chancellor of the ExchequerSir William Vernon Harcourt6 February 1886
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryArnold Morley6 February 1886
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryHenry Fowler6 February 1886
Junior Lords of the TreasurySir Edward James Reed13 February 188620 July 1886
Junior Lords of the TreasuryCyril Flower13 February 188620 July 1886
Junior Lords of the TreasuryGeorge Leveson-Gower13 February 188620 July 1886
Lord ChancellorSir Farrer Herschell6 February 1886
Lord President of the CouncilThe Earl Spencer6 February 1886
Lord Privy SealWilliam Ewart Gladstone17 February 1886
Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentHugh Childers6 February 1886
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentHenry Broadhurst6 February 1886
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsThe Earl of Rosebery6 February 1886
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsJames Bryce7 February 1886
Secretary of State for WarHenry Campbell-Bannerman6 February 1886
Under-Secretary of State for WarThe Lord Sandhurst6 February 1886
Financial Secretary to the War OfficeHerbert Gladstone6 February 1886
Surveyor-General of the OrdnanceWilliam Woodall6 February 1886
Secretary of State for the Colonies
and Leader of the House of Lords		The Earl Granville6 February 1886
Under-Secretary of State for the ColoniesGeorge Osborne Morgan6 February 1886
Secretary of State for IndiaThe Earl of Kimberley6 February 1886
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaSir Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth7 February 1886
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaStafford Howard12 April 1886
First Lord of the AdmiraltyThe Marquess of Ripon9 February 1886
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the AdmiraltyJohn Tomlinson Hibbert9 February 1886
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyRobert Duff15 February 1886
Chief Secretary for IrelandJohn Morley6 February 1886
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Earl of Aberdeen8 February 1886
President of the Local Government BoardJoseph Chamberlain6 February 1886
President of the Local Government BoardJames Stansfeld3 April 1886
Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government BoardJesse Collings6 February 1886
Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government BoardWilliam Copeland Borlase3 April 1886
Secretary for ScotlandGeorge Trevelyan8 February 1886
Secretary for ScotlandThe Earl of Dalhousie5 April 1886
President of the Board of TradeA. J. Mundella17 February 1886
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of TradeCharles Dyke Acland6 February 1886
Vice-President of the Committee on EducationSir Lyon Playfair13 February 1886
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterEdward Heneage6 February 1886
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterSir Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth16 April 1886
Paymaster-GeneralThe Lord Thurlow3 April 1886
Postmaster-GeneralThe Lord Wolverton17 February 1886
First Commissioner of WorksThe Earl of Morley17 February 1886
First Commissioner of WorksThe Earl of Elgin16 April 1886
Attorney GeneralSir Charles Russell9 February 1886
Solicitor GeneralSir Horace Davey16 February 1886
Judge Advocate GeneralJohn William Mellor22 February 1886
Lord AdvocateJohn Balfour13 February 1886
Solicitor General for ScotlandAlexander Asher13 February 1886
Attorney General for IrelandSamuel WalkerFebruary 1886
Solicitor General for IrelandThe MacdermotFebruary 1886
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Earl Sydney10 February 1886
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdThe Earl of Kenmare10 February 1886
Vice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdViscount Kilcoursie19 February 1886
Master of the HorseThe Earl of Cork10 February 1886
Treasurer of the HouseholdThe Earl of Elgin17 February 1886
Comptroller of the HouseholdEdward Marjoribanks10 February 1886
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-ArmsThe Lord Sudeley10 February 1886
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardThe Lord Monson10 February 1886
Master of the BuckhoundsThe Lord Suffield17 February 1886
Mistress of the Robesvacant—
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Methuen16 February 188620 July 1886
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Thurlow16 February 188620 July 1886
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Camoys16 February 188620 July 1886
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Houghton16 February 188620 July 1886
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Kensington1 March 188620 July 1886
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Hothfield1 March 188620 July 1886
Lords in WaitingThe Lord Ribblesdale1 March 188627 March 1886
Extra Lord in WaitingThe Lord Sackville1 October 18761 October 1888

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