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{{Use British English|date=December 2012}}{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}} Whig Lord John Russell led the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1846 to 1852.

History

{{see also|1851 vote of no confidence in the government of Lord John Russell|1852 vote of no confidence in the government of Lord John Russell}}Following the split in the Tory Party over the Corn Laws in 1846 and the consequent end of Sir Robert Peel's second government, the Whigs came to power under Lord John Russell. Sir Charles Wood became Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir George Grey Home Secretary and Lord Palmerston Foreign Secretary for the third time.One of the major problems facing the government was the Great Irish Famine (1845–1849), which Russell failed to deal with effectively. Another problem was the maverick Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston, who was eventually forced to resign in December 1851 after recognising the coup d'état of Louis Napoleon without first seeking royal approval. He was succeeded by Lord Granville, the first of his three tenures as Foreign Secretary. Palmerston thereafter successfully devoted his energies to bringing down Russell's government, leading to the formation of a minority Conservative government under Lord Derby in February 1852.

Cabinet

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July 1846 – February 1852{| classwikitable!Office||Name||Term

First Lord of the TreasuryLeader of the House of Commons>	John Russell, 1st Earl Russell>Lord John Russell	July 1846 – February 1852

Lord Chancellor>	Charles Pepys, 1st Earl of Cottenham>The Lord Cottenham	July 1846 – July 1850

	Thomas Wilde, 1st Baron Truro>The Lord Truro	July 1850 – February 1852

Lord President of the CouncilLeader of the House of Lords>	Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne>The Marquess of Lansdowne	July 1846 – February 1852

Lord Privy Seal>	Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 2nd Earl of Minto>The Earl of Minto	July 1846 – February 1852

Secretary of State for the Home Department>Home Secretary	'''Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet	'''>|July 1846 – February 1852

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (UK)>Foreign Secretary	'''Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston	'''>|July 1846 – December 1851

	Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville>The Earl Granville	December 1851 – February 1852

Secretary of State for War and the Colonies>	Henry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey>The Earl Grey	July 1846 – February 1852

Chancellor of the Exchequer>	Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax>Sir Charles Wood	July 1846 – February 1852

First Lord of the Admiralty>	George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland>The Earl of Auckland	July 1846 – January 1849

	Francis Baring, 1st Baron Northbrook>Sir Francis Baring	January 1849 – February 1852

President of the Board of Control>	John Hobhouse, 1st Baron Broughton>Sir John Cam Hobhouse, Bt	July 1846 – February 1852

	Fox Maule Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie>Fox Maule	February 1852

President of the Board of Trade>	George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon>The Earl of Clarendon	July 1846 – July 1847

	Henry Labouchere, 1st Baron Taunton>Henry Labouchere	July 1847 – February 1852

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster>	John Campbell, 1st Baron Campbell of St Andrews>The Lord Campbell	July 1846 – March 1850

	George Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle>The Earl of Carlisle	March 1850 – February 1852

First Commissioner of Woods and Forests>	George Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle>Lord Morpethâ€	July 1846 – July 1850

	Edward Seymour, 12th Duke of Somerset>Lord Seymour	July 1850 – February 1852

Chief Secretary for Ireland>	Henry Labouchere, 1st Baron Taunton>Henry Labouchere	July 1846 – July 1847

	successor not in cabinet

United Kingdom Postmaster General>Postmaster General	'''Ulick John de Burgh, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde	'''>|July 1846 – February 1852

Paymaster General>	Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay>Thomas Babington Macaulay	July 1846 – July 1847

	successor not in cabinet

	Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville>The Earl Granville	1851‡–December 1851

	successor not in cabinet

Secretary at War>	Fox Maule Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie>Fox Maule	1851‡–February 1852

	successor not in cabinet

{{clear}}† became the Earl of Carlisle in 1848‡ denotes becoming a member of the cabinet, not gaining the office

Notes

• Lord Carlisle served as both Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and First Commissioner of Woods and Forests between March and July 1850.

Changes

• July 1847: Henry Labouchere succeeds Lord Clarendon as President of the Board of Trade. Labouchere's successor as Chief Secretary for Ireland is not in the cabinet. Thomas Babington Macaulay leaves the cabinet. His successor as Paymaster-General is not in the Cabinet.
• January 1849: Sir Francis Baring succeeds Lord Auckland as First Lord of the Admiralty
• March 1850: Lord Carlisle succeeds Lord Campbell as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. He remains First Commissioner of Woods and Forests
• July 1850: Lord Truro succeeds Lord Cottenham as Lord Chancellor. Lord Seymour succeeds Lord Carlisle as First Commissioner of Woods and Forests. Lord Carlisle remains Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
• 1851: Fox Maule, the Secretary at War, and Lord Granville, the Paymaster-General, enter the Cabinet
• December 1851: Lord Granville succeeds Lord Palmerston as Foreign Secretary. Granville's successor as Paymaster-General is not in the Cabinet
• February 1852: Fox Maule succeeds Sir John Cam Hobhouse as President of the Board of Control. Maule's successor as Secretary at War is not in the Cabinet.

List of ministers

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.{| class="wikitable"!Office!!Name!!Date!!Notes

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom>Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Leader of the House of Commons	'''John Russell, 1st Earl Russell	'''>	|The Government resigned 22 February 1851 and resumed 3 March 1851

Chancellor of the Exchequer>	Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax>Sir Charles Wood, Bt	6 July 1846

Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	Henry Tufnell	7 July 1846

Sir William Goodenough Hayter, 1st Baronet>William Goodenough Hayter	July 1850

Financial Secretary to the Treasury	John Parker (Whig politician)	>

Sir William Goodenough Hayter, 1st Baronet>William Goodenough Hayter	22 May 1849

Sir George Cornewall Lewis, 2nd Baronet>George Cornewall Lewis	9 July 1850

Lord of the Treasury	>	Hugh Fortescue, 3rd Earl Fortescue>Viscount Ebrington	6 July 1846 – 22 December 1847	rowspan=6|the number of Junior Lordships was reduced from four to three in 1848

Denis O'Conor>|6 July 1846 – 2 August 1847

Sir William Gibson-Craig, 2nd Baronet>William Gibson-Craig	6 July 1846 – 21 February 1852

Sir Henry Rich, 1st Baronet>Henry Rich	6 July 1846 – 21 February 1852

Richard Bellew>|2 August 1847 – 21 February 1852

Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 4th Marquess of Lansdowne>Earl of Shelburne	22 December 1847 – August 1848

Lord Chancellor	'''Charles Pepys, 1st Earl of Cottenham	'''>

in commission>|19 June 1850

Thomas Wilde, 1st Baron Truro>The Lord Truro	15 July 1850

Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Lords>	Henry Petty-FitzMaurice, 3rd Marquess of Lansdowne>The Marquess of Lansdowne	6 July 1846

Lord Privy Seal>	Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 2nd Earl of Minto>The Earl of Minto	6 July 1846

Secretary of State for the Home Department>	Sir George Grey, 2nd Baronet>Sir George Grey, Bt	6 July 1846

Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department	William Somerville, 1st Baron Athlumney	>

Sir Denis Le Marchant, 1st Baronet>Sir Denis Le Marchant, Bt	22 July 1847

Sir George Cornewall Lewis, 2nd Baronet>George Cornewall Lewis	15 May 1848

Edward Pleydell-Bouverie>|9 July 1850

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (UK)	>	Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston>The Viscount Palmerston	6 July 1846	rowspan=2|

Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville>The Earl Granville	26 December 1851

Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Edward Stanley, 2nd Baron Stanley of Alderley	>

Austen Henry Layard>|12 February 1852

Secretary of State for War and the Colonies>	Henry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey>The Earl Grey	6 July 1846

Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies	Benjamin Hawes	6 July 1846	rowspan=2|

Frederick Peel>|1 November 1851

President of the Board of Control	'''John Hobhouse, 1st Baron Broughton	'''>

Fox Maule Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie>Fox Maule	5 February 1852

Secretary to the Board of Control	>	George Byng, 2nd Earl of Strafford>George Byng	6 July 1846 – 30 November 1847	rowspan=5|

Thomas Wyse>|6 July 1846 – 26 January 1849

Sir George Cornewall Lewis, 2nd Baronet>George Cornewall Lewis	30 November 1847 – 16 May 1848

James Wilson (UK politician)>James Wilson	16 May 1848 – 21 February 1852

John Elliot (1788–1862)>John Elliot	26 January 1849 – 21 February 1852

First Lord of the Admiralty	'''George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland	'''>

Francis Baring, 1st Baron Northbrook>Sir Francis Baring, Bt	15 January 1849

First Secretary of the Admiralty	Henry George Ward	13 July 1846	rowspan=2|

John Parker (Whig politician)>John Parker	21 May 1849

Civil Lord of the Admiralty>	William Cowper-Temple, 1st Baron Mount Temple>William Cowper	7 July 1846

Chief Secretary for Ireland	'''Henry Labouchere, 1st Baron Taunton	'''>

William Somerville, 1st Baron Athlumney>Sir William Somerville, Bt	22 July 1847

Lord Lieutenant of Ireland	John Ponsonby, 4th Earl of Bessborough	>

George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon>The Earl of Clarendon	22 May 1847

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	'''John Campbell, 1st Baron Campbell	'''>

George Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle>The Earl of Carlisle	6 March 1850

Paymaster General	'''Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay	'''>	|

Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville>The Earl Granville	8 May 1848	entered the Cabinet October 1851

Edward Stanley, 2nd Baron Stanley of Alderley>The Lord Stanley of Alderley	12 February 1852

United Kingdom Postmaster General>Postmaster-General	'''Ulick de Burgh, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde	'''>	|

President of the Board of Trade	'''George Villiers, 4th Earl of Clarendon	'''>

Henry Labouchere, 1st Baron Taunton>Henry Labouchere	22 July 1847

Vice-President of the Board of Trade	Thomas Milner Gibson	8 July 1846	rowspan=3|

Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville>The Earl Granville	8 May 1848

Edward Stanley, 2nd Baron Stanley of Alderley>The Lord Stanley of Alderley	11 February 1852

First Commissioner of Woods and Forests	'''George Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle	'''>	|succeeded as 7th Earl of Carlisle 7 October 1848

Edward Seymour, 12th Duke of Somerset>Lord Seymour	17 April 1849	office abolished 1 August 1851

First Commissioner of Works>	Edward Seymour, 12th Duke of Somerset>Lord Seymour	1 August 1851	entered the Cabinet October 1851

Master-General of the Ordnance>	Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey>The Marquess of Anglesey	8 July 1846

Surveyor-General of the Ordnance>	Charles Richard Fox>	|

Clerk of the Ordnance>	George Anson (British Army officer, born 1797)>George Anson	8 July 1846

Storekeeper of the Ordnance>	Thomas Hastings (admiral)>Sir Thomas Hastings	25 July 1845	continued in office

President of the Poor Law Board	Charles Buller	23 July 1847	rowspan=2|

Matthew Talbot Baines>|1 January 1849

Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law Board	Hugh Fortescue, 3rd Earl Fortescue	>

Ralph William Grey>|28 January 1851

Secretary at War	Fox Maule Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie	>

Robert Vernon Smith, 1st Baron Lyveden>Robert Vernon Smith	6 February 1852

Attorney General for England and Wales	>	Thomas Wilde, 1st Baron Truro>Sir Thomas Wilde	7 July 1846	rowspan=4|

John Jervis (judge)>Sir John Jervis	17 July 1846

John Romilly, 1st Baron Romilly>Sir John Romilly	11 July 1850

Sir Alexander Cockburn, 12th Baronet>Sir Alexander Cockburn, Bt	28 March 1851

Solicitor General for England and Wales	>	John Jervis (judge)>John Jervis	7 July 1846	rowspan=5|

David Dundas (solicitor)>Sir David Dundas	18 July 1846

John Romilly, 1st Baron Romilly>Sir John Romilly	4 April 1848

Sir Alexander Cockburn, 12th Baronet>Sir Alexander Cockburn, Bt	11 July 1850

William Page Wood, 1st Baron Hatherley>Sir William Page Wood	28 March 1851

Judge Advocate General (United Kingdom)	>	Charles Buller>

Sir William Goodenough Hayter, 1st Baronet>William Goodenough Hayter	22 December 1847

David Dundas (solicitor)>Sir David Dundas	26 May 1849

Lord Advocate	Andrew Rutherfurd, Lord Rutherfurd	>

James Moncreiff, 1st Baron Moncreiff>James Moncreiff	7 April 1851

Solicitor General for Scotland	Thomas Maitland, Lord Dundrennan	>

James Moncreiff, 1st Baron Moncreiff>James Moncreiff	7 February 1850

John Cowan, Lord Cowan>John Cowan	18 April 1851

George Deas, Lord Deas>George Deas	28 June 1851

Attorney General for Ireland	Richard Moore (Irish lawyer)	>

James Henry Monahan>|21 December 1847

John Hatchell>|23 September 1850

Solicitor General for Ireland	James Henry Monahan	16 July 1846	rowspan=3|

John Hatchell>|24 December 1847

Henry George Hughes>|26 September 1850

Lord Steward of the Household	Hugh Fortescue, 2nd Earl Fortescue	>

Richard Grosvenor, 2nd Marquess of Westminster>The Marquess of Westminster	22 March 1850

Lord Chamberlain of the Household	Frederick Spencer, 4th Earl Spencer	>

John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane>The Marquess of Breadalbane	5 September 1848

Vice-Chamberlain of the Household>	Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Glossop>Lord Edward Howard	8 July 1846

Master of the Horse>	Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 13th Duke of Norfolk>The Duke of Norfolk	11 July 1846

Treasurer of the Household	Robert Grosvenor, 1st Baron Ebury	>

Marcus Sandys, 3rd Baron Sandys>Lord Marcus Hill	23 July 1847

Comptroller of the Household	Marcus Sandys, 3rd Baron Sandys	>

William Lascelles>|23 July 1847

George Phipps, 2nd Marquess of Normanby>Earl of Mulgrave	23 July 1851

Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms>	Thomas Foley, 4th Baron Foley>The Lord Foley	24 July 1846

Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard	Lucius Cary, 10th Viscount Falkland	>

George Chichester, 3rd Marquess of Donegall>The Marquess of Donegal	11 February 1848

Master of the Buckhounds	Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville	>

John Ponsonby, 5th Earl of Bessborough>The Earl of Bessborough	16 May 1848

Chief Equerry and Clerk Marshal>	Lord Alfred Paget>	|

Mistress of the Robes>	Harriet Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland>The Duchess of Sutherland	4 July 1846

Lord-in-waiting	>	Edmund Parker, 2nd Earl of Morley>The Earl of Morley	24 July 1846 – 21 February 1852	rowspan=8|

Henry Reynolds-Moreton, 2nd Earl of Ducie>The Earl of Ducie	24 July 1846 – 1 December 1847

Henry Cavendish, 3rd Baron Waterpark>The Lord Waterpark	24 July 1846 – 21 February 1852

Thomas Stonor, 3rd Baron Camoys>The Lord Camoys	4 August 1846 – 21 February 1852

George Douglas, 17th Earl of Morton>The Earl of Morton	10 September 1841 – 26 June 1849

John Butler, 2nd Marquess of Ormonde>The Marquess of Ormonde	10 September 1841 – 21 February 1852

John Elphinstone, 13th Lord Elphinstone>The Lord Elphinstone	1 December 1847 – 21 February 1852

Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 1st Marquess of Dufferin and Ava>Lord Dufferin and Clandeboye	26 June 1849 – 21 February 1852

References

• C. Cook and B. Keith, British Historical Facts 1830–1900

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