Pitt–Newcastle ministry facts for kids
Between 1757 and 1762, at the height of the Seven Years' War, the Pitt–Newcastle ministry governed the Kingdom of Great Britain. It was headed by Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, serving in his second stint as prime minister. The most influential and famous minister, however, was William Pitt the Elder, Secretary of State.
History
The ministry ended a period of political instability in which Great Britain had struggled in the war. Pitt was a strong war leader but lacked the support in Parliament necessary to provide effective leadership. Newcastle provided this, as he had a solid support base in the House of Commons. They divided duties between each other; Pitt directed the defence and foreign policies, while Newcastle controlled the nation's finances and patronage.
The ministry led Britain to many victories in the war, particularly in the so-called Annus Mirabilis of 1759, which put the country in a strong position by 1761; that year, however, Pitt resigned over a dispute concerning the entry of Spain into the war. Since King George II died in 1760, the ministry had been under pressure by the accession of George III, who disliked both Pitt and Newcastle and favoured John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute. Bute, a Tory, was made Northern Secretary in March 1761, and following Pitt's resignation, the ministry is otherwise referred to as the Bute–Newcastle coalition.
In 1762 Newcastle was forced to resign, with his followers (the "Pelhamites") dismissed by Bute in what became known as the "Massacre of the Pelhamite Innocents"; this is traditionally considered to have been the moment the ministry collapsed.
Ministry
It is unclear who was a member of the Cabinet.
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Duke of Newcastle* | 1757 | 1762 |
|
Henry Bilson-Legge | 1757 | 1761 |
| The Viscount Barrington | 1761 | 1762 | |
|
The Lord Henley | 1757 | 1762 |
| Lord President of the Council | The Earl Granville | 1757 | 1762 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Earl Temple | 1757 | 1761 |
| In commission | 1761 | 1761 | |
| The Duke of Bedford | 1761 | 1762 | |
| Leader of the House of Commons | William Pitt* | 1757 | 1761 |
|
George Grenville | 1761 | 1762 |
| Secretary of State for the Southern Department | William Pitt* | 1757 | 1761 |
| The Earl of Egremont | 1761 | 1762 | |
| Secretary of State for the Northern Department | The Earl of Holderness | 1757 | 1761 |
| The Earl of Bute | 1761 | 1762 | |
| Master-General of the Ordnance | The Duke of Marlborough | 1757 | 1758 |
| Vacant | 1758 | 1759 | |
| The Viscount Ligonier | 1759 | 1762 | |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | The Lord Anson | 1757 | 1762 |
| Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland | The Duke of Argyll | 1757 | 1761 |
| The Duke of Queensberry | 1761 | 1762 | |
| Lord Chamberlain of the Household | The Duke of Devonshire | 1757 | 1762 |
| Lord Steward of the Household | The Duke of Rutland | 1757 | 1761 |
| The Earl Talbot | 1761 | 1762 | |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | The Lord Edgcumbe | 1757 | 1758 |
| The Earl of Kinnoull | 1758 | 1762 | |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | The Duke of Bedford | 1757 | 1761 |
| The Earl of Halifax | 1761 | 1762 | |
| Master of the Horse | The Earl Gower | 1757 | 1760 |
| The Earl of Huntingdon | 1760 | 1761 | |
| The Duke of Rutland | 1761 | 1762 | |
| Paymaster of the Forces | The Lord Holland | 1757 | 1765 |
See also
- 11th Parliament of Great Britain
- 1761 British general election
- Great Britain in the Seven Years' War
- Whigs (British political party)
