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Henry Pelham
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{{Infobox PM | name=The Rt Hon Henry Pelham
|image=Henry Pelham.jpg
|country=Great Britain
|term=
27 August 1743 –
6 March 1754
|before=
Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington The Earl of Wilmington
|after=
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle The Duke of Newcastle
|date_birth=
25 September 1694
|place_birth=
Laughton,
Sussex
|date_death=
6 March 1754
|place_death=
London
|party=n/a (
Whig)
}}
The Right Honourable '''Henry Pelham''' (
25 September 1694–
6 March1754) was a
Kingdom of Great Britain British Whig statesman, who served as
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Prime Minister of Great Britain from
14 February 1743 to his death about ten years later.
Biography
Career
For the first year of his premiership, real power was held by the
Secretary of State for the Northern Department John Carteret, 1st Earl Granville John Carteret, 3rd Baron Carteret, who headed the
Carteret Ministry (Pelham was
First Lord of the Treasury,
Chancellor of the Exchequer and
Leader of the House of Commons). Thereafter, he shared power with his brother,
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle The Duke of Newcastle; this period was relatively uneventful in terms of domestic affairs (Great Britain fought in several wars, however). Upon his death, his brother took full control of the ministry.
Pelham, Newcastle's younger brother, was a younger son of
Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton and of Lady Grace Holles, daughter of the 3rd
Earl of Clare. He was educated by a private tutor and at
Hart Hall, Oxford. As a volunteer he served in Dormer's regiment at the
Battle of Preston (1715) Battle of Preston in
1715, spent some time on the Continent, and in
1717 entered
Westminster Parliament Parliament for
Seaford, East Sussex Seaford in
Sussex which he represented until
1722.
Through strong family influence and the recommendation of
Robert Walpole he was chosen in
1721 a
Lord of the Treasury. The following year he was returned for Sussex county. In
1724 he entered the ministry as
Secretary at War, but this office he exchanged in
1730 for the more lucrative one of
Paymaster of the Forces. He made himself conspicuous by his support of Walpole on the question of the
excise tax excise, and in
1742 a union of parties resulted in the formation of an administration in of which Pelham became Prime Minister the following year, with the offices of First Lord of the Treasury, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons. The following year Carteret was forced out of the ministry and Pelham was regarded as the leading figure, but rank and influence made his brother very powerful in the Cabinet, and, in spite of a genuine attachment, there were occasional disputes between them, which led to difficulties.
Being strongly in favour of peace, Pelham carried on the
War of the Austrian Succession with languor and indifferent success, but the country, wearied of the interminable struggle, was disposed to acquiesce in his foreign policy almost without a murmur. King
George II of Great Britain George II, thwarted in his own favourite schemes, made overtures in
1746 to
William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath Lord Bath, but his purpose was upset by the resignation of the two Pelhams (Henry and Newcastle), who, at the King's request, resumed office.
Image:Henry-Pelham-arms.PNG thumb|right|150px|Arms of Henry Pelham
In
1749, the
Consolidation Act was passed, reorganising the
Royal Navy. On
20 March 1751, the British calendar was reorganised as well (New Year's Day became
1 January); Britain would adopt the
Gregorian calendar one year later. One of Pelham's final acts was the
Marriage Act 1753, which enumerated the minimum age of consent for
marriage. Upon his death, his brother (the aforementioned Duke of Newcastle) took over government.
Achievements
His very defects were among the chief elements of Pelham's success, for one with a strong personality, moderate self-respect, or high conceptions of statesmanship could not have restrained the discordant elements of the cabinet for any length of time. Moreover, he possessed tact and a thorough acquaintance with the forms of the
British House of Commons House of Commons. Whatever quarrels or insubordination might exist within the cabinet, they never broke out into open revolt. Nor can a high degree of praise be denied to his financial policy, especially his plans for the reduction of the national debt and the simplification and consolidation of its different branches.
Personal life
Pelham had married in
1726 Lady Catherine Manners, daughter of the
John Manners, 2nd Duke of Rutland; and one of his daughters married
Henry Fiennes Pelham-Clinton, 2nd Duke of Newcastle Henry Clinton who by this marriage subsequently became the 2nd
Duke of Newcastle.
{{start box}}
{{succession box | title=
Secretary at War .html">Thomas Trevor
after=William Strickland (statesman)|Sir William Strickland}}
{{succession box | title=
Paymaster of the Forces .html">Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington
The Lord Wilmington | after=
Thomas Winnington}}
{{succession box | title=
Aldborough (UK Parliament constituency) Member for Aldborough | years=1734–1735 | before=Charles Stanhope | after=John Jewkes}}
{{succession box | title=
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Prime Minister | years=1743–1754 | before=
Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington The Earl of Wilmington | after=
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle The Duke of Newcastle}}
{{succession box one to two | title1=
Chancellor of the Exchequer .html">Leader of the House of Commons
years1=1743–1754 | years2=1743–1754 | before=Samuel Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys|Samuel Sandys | after1=
William Lee (UK) William Lee | after2=
Thomas Robinson, 1st Baron Grantham Thomas Robinson}}
{{end box}}
References
*Some material has been adapted from the
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
{{UKPrimeMinisters}}
{{Chancellor of the Exchequer}}
Category:1694 births Pelham, Henry
Category:1754 deaths Pelham, Henry
Category:British MPs Pelham, Henry
Category:Chancellors of the Exchequer Pelham, Henry
Category:Old Westminsters Pelham, Henry
Category:Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom Pelham, Henry
Category:Members of the Privy Council Pelham, Henry
de:Henry Pelham
io:Henry Pelham
ja:ヘンリー・ペラム
pl:Henry Pelham
sv:Henry Pelham
zh:亨利·佩尔汉姆
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