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Liberal Government 1868-1874

The Conservative government under Benjamin Disraeli had been defeated at the General Election, so in December 1868 the victorious William Gladstone formed his first government. He introduced reforms in the Army (including the abolition of the purchase system), the legal system (establishing the Supreme Court of Judicature) and the Civil Service, and disestablished the Church of Ireland. In foreign affairs he pursued a peaceful policy. His government was defeated in the General Election of 1874, whereupon Disraeli formed another government and Gladstone retired as Leader of the Liberal Party.


OfficeNameDateNotes
Prime MinisterW.E. Gladstone3 December 1868-17 February 1874the Government resigned 13 March 1873 and resumed 19 March 1873
Chancellor of the ExchequerR. Lowe9 December 1868 
W.E. Gladstone11 August 1873
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryG.G. Glyn9 December 1868 
A.W. Peel1 August 1873
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryA.S. Ayrton9 December 1868 
J. Stansfeld2 November 1869
W.E. Baxter17 March 1871
J.G. Dodgson11 August 1873
Junior Lords of the TreasuryJ. Stansfeld16 December 1868-2 November 1869 
Marquess of Lansdowne16 December 1868-25 April 1872
W.P. Adam16 December 1868-8 August 1873
J.C.W. Vivian16 December 1868-4 August 1870
W.H. Gladstone2 November 1869-17 February 1874
Lord F. Cavendish8 August 1873-17 February 1874
A.F. Greville8 August 1873-17 February 1874
Lord ChancellorLord Hatherley9 December 1868 
Lord Selborne15 October 1872
Lord President of the CouncilEarl de Grey and Ripon9 December 1868created Marquess of Ripon 23 June 1871
H.A. Bruce9 August 1873created Lord Aberdare 23 August 1873
Lord Privy SealEarl of Kimberley9 December 1868 
Viscount Halifax6 July 1870
Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentH.A. Bruce9 December 1868 
R. Lowe9 August 1873
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentE. Knatchbull-Hugessen10 December 1868 
G.J. Shaw-Lefevre11 January 1871
H. Winterbotham17 March 1871
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsEarl of Clarendon9 December 1868 
Earl Granville6 July 1870
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsA.J. Otway12 December 1868 
Viscount Enfield9 January 1871
Secretary of State for WarE. Cardwell9 December 1868 
Under-Secretary of State for WarLord Northbrook10 December 1868 
Marquess of Lansdowne26 April 1872
Financial Secretary to the War Office J.C.W. Vivian5 August 1870 
H. Campbell-Bannerman15 November 1871
Surveyor-General of the OrdnanceSir H. Storks5 August 1870 
Secretary of State for the ColoniesEarl Granville9 December 1868 
Earl of Kimberley6 July 1870
Under-Secretary of State for the ColoniesW. Monsell10 December 1868 
E. Knatchbull-Hugessen14 January 1871
Secretary of State for IndiaDuke of Argyll9 December 1868 
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaM.E. Grant Duff10 December 1868 
First Lord of the AdmiraltyH.C.E. Childers9 December 1868 
G.J. Goschen24 March 1871
First (later Parliamentary) Secretary to the Admiralty W.E. Baxter18 December 1868 
G.J. Shaw-Lefevre17 March 1871
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyG.O. Trevelyan21 December 1868 
Earl of Camperdown 11 July 1870
Vice-President of the Committee on EducationW.E. Forster9 December 1868entered the Cabinet July 1870
Chief Secretary for IrelandC.S. Fortescue16 December 1868 
Marquess of Hartington12 January 1871
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandEarl Spencer18 December 1868 
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterLord Dufferin12 December 1868created Earl of Dufferin 13 November 1871
H.C.E. Childers9 August 1872 
J. Bright30 September 1873
President of the Poor Law BoardG.J. Goschen9 December 1868 
J. Stansfeld24 March 1871Board abolished 14 August 1871
Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law Board A.W. Peel10 December 1868
President of the Local Government BoardJ. Stansfeld19 August 1871 
Parliamentary Secretary to the Local Government Board J. Hibbert19 August 1871 
Postmaster-GeneralMarquess of Hartington9 December 1868 
W. Monsell14 January 1871
L. Playfair18 November 1873
President of the Board of TradeJ. Bright9 December 1868 
C.S. Fortescue14 January 1871
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade G.J. Shaw-Lefevre9 December 1868 
A.W. Peel14 January 1871
Paymaster-GeneralLord Dufferin12 December 1868created Earl of Dufferin 13 November 1871
H.C.E Childers9 August 1872 
W.P. Adam30 September 1873
First Commissioner of WorksA.H. Layard9 December 1868 
A.S. Ayrton26 October 1869
W.P. Adam11 August 1873
Attorney GeneralSir R. Collier12 December 1868 
Sir J. Coleridge10 November 1871
Sir H. James20 November 1873
Solicitor GeneralSir J. Coleridge12 December 1868 
Sir G. Jessel10 November 1871
Sir H. James26 September 1873
Sir W.V. Harcourt20 November 1873
Judge Advocate GeneralSir C. O'Loghlen16 December 1868 
J. Davison28 December 1870
Sir R. Phillimore17 May 1871
A.S. Ayrton21 August 1873
Lord AdvocateJ. Montcrieff10 December 1868 
G. Young14 October 1869
Solicitor General for ScotlandG. Young14 December 1868 
A. Clark14 October 1869
Attorney General for Ireland E. Sullivan12 December 1868 
C. Barry26 January 1870
R. Dowse13 January 1872
C. Palles5 November 1872
Solicitor General for IrelandC. Barry12 December 1868 
R. Dowse14 February 1870
C. Palles6 February 1872
H. Law18 November 1872
Lord Steward of the HouseholdEarl of Bessborough12 December 1868 
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdViscount Sydney9 December 1868 
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household Viscount Castlerosse12 December 1868succeeded as 4th Earl of Kenmare 26 December 1871
Lord R. Grosvenor25 February 1872 
Master of the HorseMarquess of Ailesbury12 December 1868 
Treasurer of the HouseholdLord de Tabley12 December 1868 
Lord Poltimore1 March 1872
Lord Monson1 January 1874
Comptroller of the HouseholdLord O. Fitzgerald12 December 1868 
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-ArmsLord Foley12 December 1868 
Marquess of Normanby27 December 1869
Earl Cowper20 April 1871
Earl of Ilchester1 January 1874
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardDuke of St Albans22 December 1868 
Master of the BuckhoundsEarl of Cork12 December 1868 
Mistress of the RobesDuchess of Argyll17 December 1868 
Duchess of Sutherland22 January 1870
Lords in Waiting Marquess of Normanby17 December 1868-27 December 1869 
Earl of Camperdown17 December 1868-11 July 1870
Lord Camoys17 December 1868-17 February 1874
Lord Suffield17 December 1868-25 February 1872
Lord Methuen17 December 1868-17 February 1874
Earl of Morley22 December 1868-17 February 1874
Lord Lurgan27 January 1869-17 February 1874
Lord Wrottesley27 December 1869-17 February 1874
Marquess of Huntly21 July 1870-1 March 1873
Earl of Kenmare25 February 1872-17 February 1874
Earl of Breadalbane1 March 1873-17 February 1874

Source: C. Cook and B. Keith, British Historical Facts 1830-1900

Last updated: 06-06-2005 19:22:07
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