Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl Of Liverpool
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Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool (7 June 1770 – 4 December 1828) was a British
Tory A Tory () is an individual who supports a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalist conservatism which upholds the established social order as it has evolved through the history of Great Britain. The To ...
statesman who served as
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister Advice (constitutional law), advises the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, sovereign on the exercise of much of the Royal prerogative ...
from 1812 to 1827. Before becoming Prime Minister he had been Foreign Secretary,
Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, more commonly known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom and the head of the Home Office. The position is a Great Office of State, maki ...
and
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet-level position responsible for the army and the British colonies (other than India). The Secretary was supported by an Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. Hist ...
. He held the constituency of Rye from 1790 until his elevation to the
House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...
in 1803, of which he was
Leader Leadership, is defined as the ability of an individual, group, or organization to "", influence, or guide other individuals, teams, or organizations. "Leadership" is a contested term. Specialist literature debates various viewpoints on the co ...
from 1807 to 1827. Liverpool's fifteen years as Prime Minister saw the end of the
Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
followed by a period of unrest and radicalism at home. During the first part of his premiership, repressive measures were taken to restore order at home, the
Corn Laws The Corn Laws were tariffs and other trade restrictions on imported food and corn enforced in the United Kingdom between 1815 and 1846. The word ''corn'' in British English denotes all cereal grains, including wheat, oats and barley. The la ...
were introduced and income tax was repealed. In the 1820s his leadership became more liberal, and the period saw a reform of the
criminal law Criminal law is the body of law that relates to crime. It proscribes conduct perceived as threatening, harmful, or otherwise endangering to the property, health, safety, and Well-being, welfare of people inclusive of one's self. Most criminal l ...
and prisons. Throughout his tenure as Prime Minister, Liverpool sought a compromise over the issue of Catholic emancipation. He resigned following a stroke in February 1827. Important events during Liverpool's premiership included the defeat of
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
at the
Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...
, the
Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...
, the 1812–1814 war with America, the
Peterloo massacre The Peterloo Massacre took place at St Peter's Field, Manchester, Lancashire, England, on Monday 16 August 1819. Eighteen people died and 400–700 were injured when the cavalry of the Yeomen charged into a crowd of around 60,000 people who ...
, the Cato Street Conspiracy and the Queen Caroline affair. Liverpool, known as Jenkinson until 1803 and as Hawkesbury from 1803 to 1808, was the son of Tory politician
Charles Jenkinson, 1st Earl of Liverpool Charles Jenkinson, 1st Earl of Liverpool (26 April 1729 – 17 December 1808), known as Lord Hawkesbury between 1786 and 1796, was a British statesman. He was the father of Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool. Early years, f ...
. He was educated at
Charterhouse School Charterhouse is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Godalming, Surrey, England. Founded by Thomas Sutton in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian monastery in Charter ...
and
Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...
. Twice married, he had no children; on his death, the earldom passed to his younger half-brother.


Early life

Jenkinson was born on 7 June 1770, the son of politician Charles Jenkinson (who was later created the first
Earl of Liverpool Earl of Liverpool is a title that has been created twice in British history. The first time was in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1796 for Charles Jenkinson, 1st Baron Hawkesbury, a favourite of King George III (see Jenkinson baronets for e ...
) and his first wife,
Amelia Watts Lady Amelia Jenkinson (née Watts; December 1750 – 12 July 1770) was an Anglo-Indian woman. She was the first wife of Charles Jenkinson, 1st Earl of Liverpool. She died soon after giving birth to Robert Jenkinson, who grew up to become Britis ...
. Jenkinson's 19-year-old mother, who was the daughter of senior
East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...
official William Watts and his wife Frances Croke, died one month after his birth. Through his mother's maternal grandmother, Isabella Beizor, Jenkinson was descended from Portuguese settlers in India, and he may also have had Indian ancestors. He was baptised on 29 June 1770 at St. Margaret's, Westminster. Charles Jenkinson did not remarry until 1782, and as a small child Robert was looked after by his widowed paternal grandmother, Amarantha Jenkinson, in
Winchester Winchester (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city in Hampshire, England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government Districts of England, district, at the western end of the South Downs N ...
. Robert's maternal aunt, Sophia Watts, and his paternal aunt Elizabeth, wife of Charles Wolfran Cornwall, were also involved in his early years. He briefly attended schools in Winchester and Chelsea before starting, aged nine, at Albion House preparatory school in
Parsons Green Parsons Green is a mainly residential district in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The Parsons Green (The green), Green itself, which is roughly triangular, is bounded on two of its three sides by the New King's Road section of th ...
. When he was thirteen, Jenkinson became a boarder at his father's old school,
Charterhouse School Charterhouse is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Godalming, Surrey, England. Founded by Thomas Sutton in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian monastery in Charter ...
, under the headmaster Samuel Berdmore. His father had ambitions of high office for him and exhorted him in letters to apply himself not just to his studies, but also to his appearance and personal habits. From Charterhouse, he went up to
Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...
, in April 1787. At university he was a sober and hardworking student. He formed what was to be a lifelong friendship with
George Canning George Canning (; 11 April 17708 August 1827) was a British Tory statesman. He held various senior cabinet positions under numerous prime ministers, including two important terms as foreign secretary, finally becoming Prime Minister of the U ...
, although at times they would be political rivals. Together with a few other students, including Lord Henry Spencer, they set up a debating society in which Jenkinson would present the Tory and Canning the Whig point of view. Having spent a summer in Paris, where he witnessed the
Storming of the Bastille The Storming of the Bastille ( ), which occurred in Paris, France, on 14 July 1789, was an act of political violence by revolutionary insurgents who attempted to storm and seize control of the medieval armoury, fortress, and political prison k ...
on 14 July 1789, Jenkinson was created a
Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...
at Oxford in May 1790.


Early career (1790–1812)


Member of Parliament

Jenkinson's political career began when he was elected to two seats in the 1790 general election,
Rye Rye (''Secale cereale'') is a grass grown extensively as a grain, a cover crop and a forage crop. It is grown principally in an area from Eastern and Northern Europe into Russia. It is much more tolerant of cold weather and poor soil than o ...
and Appleby. He chose to represent the former, and never sat for Appleby. Still under age when he was elected, he spent several months touring
continental Europe Continental Europe or mainland Europe is the contiguous mainland of Europe, excluding its surrounding islands. It can also be referred to ambiguously as the European continent, – which can conversely mean the whole of Europe – and, by som ...
and did not take up his seat for Rye until after his twenty-first birthday, near the end of the 1791 session. He made his maiden speech in February 1792, giving the government's reply to Samuel Whitbread's critical motion on the government's foreign policy. ''
The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...
'' praised it as "able and learned; cloathed in the best language and delivered with all the powers and graces of oratory". Several speeches followed, including one opposing
William Wilberforce William Wilberforce (24 August 1759 – 29 July 1833) was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the Atlantic slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780 ...
's motion to abolish Britain's involvement in the
Atlantic slave trade The Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of Slavery in Africa, enslaved African people to the Americas. European slave ships regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Pass ...
and one in opposition to an inquiry into the Priestley Riots. After the 1792 parliamentary session ended in June, Jenkinson travelled to
Koblenz Koblenz ( , , ; Moselle Franconian language, Moselle Franconian: ''Kowelenz'') is a German city on the banks of the Rhine (Middle Rhine) and the Moselle, a multinational tributary. Koblenz was established as a Roman Empire, Roman military p ...
, which was a centre for French émigrés. French newspapers accused him of being an agent of the government; ''The Times'' denied the rumours. His services as a capable speaker for the government were recognised in 1793 when he was appointed to the
India Board The Board of Commissioners for the Affairs of India (commonly known as the India Board or the Board of Control) was an arm of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for managing the government's interest in British India and the East In ...
. After the outbreak of the
War of the First Coalition The War of the First Coalition () was a set of wars that several European powers fought between 1792 and 1797, initially against the Constitutional Cabinet of Louis XVI, constitutional Kingdom of France and then the French First Republic, Frenc ...
with
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
in 1793, Jenkinson became
colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
of the Cinque Ports Light Dragoons, a fencible cavalry regiment, in 1794. There was a rare conflict between Jenkinson and his father when he fell in love with Lady Louisa Hervey, daughter of the Earl of Bristol and his wife Elizabeth. Lord Bristol approved of the match and offered a £10,000 dowry, but Jenkinson's father thought that Jenkinson should not marry before he was thirty unless it was to a fortune. He also objected to the Hervey family's eccentricity and Whig connections, only relenting after the intervention of Pitt and
George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
. The couple married on 25 March 1795 at
Wimbledon Wimbledon most often refers to: * Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London * Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships Wimbledon may also refer to: Places London * W ...
. Jenkinson's father was created Earl of Liverpool in May 1796, bringing Jenkinson the courtesy title of Lord Hawkesbury. The Cinque Ports Light Dragoons were posted to Scotland, where they provided a guard for the funeral of
Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...
in 1796 and perpetrated the massacre of Tranent in 1797. Jenkinson was not present at the massacre, and "was blamed for remaining at Haddington, as his presence might have prevented the outrages of the soldiery.". In March 1799 he became a Privy Councillor, member of the
Board of Trade The Board of Trade is a British government body concerned with commerce and industry, currently within the Department for Business and Trade. Its full title is The Lords of the Committee of the Privy Council appointed for the consideration of ...
and master of the
Royal Mint The Royal Mint is the United Kingdom's official maker of British coins. It is currently located in Llantrisant, Wales, where it moved in 1968. Operating under the legal name The Royal Mint Limited, it is a limited company that is wholly ow ...
.


Cabinet


Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary

Hawkesbury, as he now was, obtained his first Cabinet position in 1801 when he became
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs may refer to: * Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Spain) *Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (UK) The secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affairs, also known as the fore ...
in
Henry Addington Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth (30 May 175715 February 1844) was a British Tories (British political party), Tory statesman who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1804 and as Speaker of the House of Commons (U ...
's administration and was responsible for negotiating the
Treaty of Amiens The Treaty of Amiens (, ) temporarily ended hostilities between France, the Spanish Empire, and the United Kingdom at the end of the War of the Second Coalition. It marked the end of the French Revolutionary Wars; after a short peace it set t ...
with France. In 1803 he was elevated to the House of Lords as Baron Hawkesbury in order to support the government against Lord Grenville's attacks. When Pitt returned to power in May 1804, Hawkesbury became
Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, more commonly known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom and the head of the Home Office. The position is a Great Office of State, maki ...
and Leader of the House of Lords. After Pitt's death in January 1806, the
King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
asked Hawkesbury to form a government but he refused and instead was awarded the lucrative
sinecure A sinecure ( or ; from the Latin , 'without', and , 'care') is a position with a salary or otherwise generating income that requires or involves little or no responsibility, labour, or active service. The term originated in the medieval church, ...
of
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is the name of a ceremonial post in the United Kingdom. The post dates from at least the 12th century, when the title was Keeper of the Coast, but it may be older. The Lord Warden was originally in charge of the ...
. Following the resignation of Grenville in March 1807, Hawkesbury advised the King to ask the Duke of Portland to form a ministry and returned to his role as Home Secretary. In December 1808, on the death of his father, Hawkesbury became Lord Liverpool. Portland was more of a figurehead than the head of government. As a result of Portland's weakness, the departments were left to themselves while the government was without a higher authority to smooth down differences between departments and arbitrate disagreements between ministers. The real figures of importance were a foursome of Pittites, consisting of Viscount Castlereagh, George Canning, Spencer Perceval and Lord Hawkesbury. The government was soon torn apart from inner disputes and rivalries. After the duel between Castlereagh and Canning, the government collapsed.


War Secretary

Liverpool accepted the position of
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet-level position responsible for the army and the British colonies (other than India). The Secretary was supported by an Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. Hist ...
when
Spencer Perceval Spencer Perceval (1 November 1762 – 11 May 1812) was a British statesman and barrister who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from October 1809 until his assassination in May 1812. He is the only British prime minister to have been as ...
formed a ministry in November 1809. During his time in office, he ensured that the Cabinet gave sufficient support to the
Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...
. In 1810, he was made a colonel of militia.


Prime Minister (1812–1827)


Appointment

Following the
assassination of Spencer Perceval On 11 May 1812, at about 5:15 pm, Spencer Perceval, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, prime minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, was shot dead in the lobby of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, Hous ...
on 11 May 1812, the Cabinet proposed Liverpool as his successor, but James Stuart-Wortley moved a vote of no confidence in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
. The resolution was passed by four votes and Liverpool resigned, only to be reinstated when George, the Prince Regent, failed in his attempts to find an alternative. Liverpool was confirmed as Prime Minister on 8 June 1812. Liverpool then assembled a Cabinet, with
Viscount Castlereagh A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty. In the case of French viscounts, the title is s ...
as Foreign Secretary and
Leader of the House of Commons The Leader of the House of Commons is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom whose main role is organising government business in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons. The Leader is always a memb ...
, Viscount Sidmouth at the Home Office, Nicholas Vansittart at the
Exchequer In the Civil Service (United Kingdom), civil service of the United Kingdom, His Majesty's Exchequer, or just the Exchequer, is the accounting process of central government and the government's ''Transaction account, current account'' (i.e., mon ...
and Bathurst at the War Office. Canning was offered a place in the Cabinet, but turned the offer down as he refused to serve under Castlereagh in the House of Commons. Liverpool's first actions as Prime Minister were to cancel the
Orders in Council An Order in Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom, this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council ('' ...
in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the outbreak of war with the United States, and to assure the Prince Regent of the Cabinet's neutrality on the question of Catholic emancipation. He then called a general election in October 1812 in order to increase the government majority in the House of Commons. Liverpool chose not to move into
Downing Street Downing Street is a gated street in City of Westminster, Westminster in London that houses the official residences and offices of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In a cul-de-sac situated off Whiteh ...
, instead dividing his time between his London home, Fife House, Whitehall, his modest country home at
Coombe, Kingston upon Thames Coombe is a historic neighbourhood in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in south west London, England. It sits on high ground, east of Norbiton. Most of the area was part of the former Municipal Borough of Malden and Coombe before local ...
, and
Walmer Castle Walmer Castle is an artillery fort originally constructed by Henry VIII in Walmer, Kent, between 1539 and 1540. It formed part of the King's Device Forts, Device programme to protect against invasion from France and the Holy Roman Empire, and ...
.


War

The early years of Liverpool's tenure as Prime Minister saw the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 was fought by the United States and its allies against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom and its allies in North America. It began when the United States United States declaration of war on the Uni ...
with the United States, which ended when The Treaty of Ghent was signed on 24 December 1814., and the final campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars. After the downfall of Napoleon in April 1814, Liverpool was appointed to the
Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system, it is outranked in ...
and London hosted the allied monarchs. Foreign Secretary Castlereagh was sent to the
Congress of Vienna The Congress of Vienna of 1814–1815 was a series of international diplomatic meetings to discuss and agree upon a possible new layout of the European political and constitutional order after the downfall of the French Emperor Napoleon, Napol ...
to negotiate the post-war terms of European settlement. In February 1815, Napoleon escaped from the Isle of
Elba Elba (, ; ) is a Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino on the Italian mainland, and the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago. It is also part of the Arcipelago Toscano National Park, a ...
, where he had been exiled, and renewed his leadership of France until defeated at the
Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...
on 18 June 1815, nine days after the final act at the Congress of Vienna had been signed.


Unrest at home

Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the country experienced social and economic distress. In March 1815 Parliament passed an act forbidding the importation of wheat until the domestic price reached 80
shilling The shilling is a historical coin, and the name of a unit of modern currency, currencies formerly used in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, other British Commonwealth countries and Ireland, where they were generally equivalent to 1 ...
s per quarter. Known as the corn law, the act protected the interests of landowners at the cost of increased bread prices. In 1816 the House of Commons voted to repeal the income tax that had been introduced to fund the war with France; Liverpool had argued that the tax should be retained in peacetime. During the post-war years, unrest inspired by hardship or the desire for reform spread throughout the country and repressive measures were taken in response. After poor harvests led to rising bread prices, riots broke out in
East Anglia East Anglia is an area of the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, with parts of Essex sometimes also included. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, ...
in 1816. In Littleport a rioter was killed when troops opened fire and five rioters were subsequently executed. There was also a revival of
Luddite The Luddites were members of a 19th-century movement of English textile workers who opposed the use of certain types of automated machinery due to concerns relating to worker pay and output quality. They often destroyed the machines in organ ...
activity. In November and December 1816, followers of Thomas Spence organised two meetings at Spa Fields in London at which the radical Henry Hunt was invited to speak. The second meeting was followed by the Spa Fields riots and an unsuccessful attempt to seize the
Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...
and
Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the Kingdom of England, English Government's banker and debt manager, and still one ...
. The following month, the Prince Regent's carriage window was broken in a possible assassination attempt. In response to these incidents, a measure to temporarily suspend ''habeas corpus'' was passed by both Houses of Parliament. On 16 August 1819, between 20,000 and 60,000 people gathered at St Peter's Fields,
Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...
, to hear Henry Hunt and other speakers demand parliamentary reform in the form of
universal suffrage Universal suffrage or universal franchise ensures the right to vote for as many people bound by a government's laws as possible, as supported by the " one person, one vote" principle. For many, the term universal suffrage assumes the exclusion ...
and annual parliaments. Against the advice of home secretary Sidmouth, local magistrates ordered troops to disperse the crowd and arrest the speakers. Eleven people were killed and hundreds injured in what became known as the
Peterloo Massacre The Peterloo Massacre took place at St Peter's Field, Manchester, Lancashire, England, on Monday 16 August 1819. Eighteen people died and 400–700 were injured when the cavalry of the Yeomen charged into a crowd of around 60,000 people who ...
. Later that year, after the Whigs had tried to make political capital out of the Peterloo Massacre, parliament passed the
Six Acts Following the Peterloo Massacre on 16 August 1819, the government of the United Kingdom under Lord Liverpool acted to prevent any future disturbances by the introduction of new legislation, the so-called Six Acts aimed at suppressing any meetings ...
, which were designed to curtail disturbances of the peace while preserving traditional liberties. In February 1820, the Cato Street conspiracy, a plot to assassinate the cabinet and take over the government was uncovered. Two months later, there were outbreaks of unrest in Bonnymuir and
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
in Scotland. King George III died in January 1820 and the Prince Regent became King George IV. He immediately demanded a divorce from his estranged wife
Caroline of Brunswick Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (Caroline Amelia Elizabeth; 17 May 1768 – 7 August 1821) was List of British royal consorts, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Queen of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until her ...
; the Cabinet preferred the option of giving her an allowance on condition she remained abroad. When Caroline returned to London in June 1820 to public acclaim, Liverpool reluctantly issued a bill of pains and penalties to deprive her of her titles and dissolve her marriage. After evidence had been heard in the House of Lords, the bill was dropped at the third reading due to a lack of parliamentary support. The King nevertheless denied Caroline entry to his coronation in July 1821; she died the following month.


Liberal Toryism

Following what is sometimes seen as the reactionary early years of his premiership, the later years, from 1822 to 1827, have been described as a more liberal phase. In January 1822
Robert Peel Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850), was a British Conservative statesman who twice was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835, 1841–1846), and simultaneously was Chancellor of the Exchequer (1834–183 ...
replaced Sidmouth as home secretary and went on to introduce a number reforms to prisons and the criminal law. Later in 1822, following the suicide of Castlereagh, Canning became foreign secretary and leader of the House of Commons, while two of his followers were promoted, F.J. Robinson to the Chancellorship of the Exchequer and William Huskisson to the Presidency of the Board of Trade.


Retirement and death

On 28 February 1827, Liverpool suffered a
stroke Stroke is a medical condition in which poor cerebral circulation, blood flow to a part of the brain causes cell death. There are two main types of stroke: brain ischemia, ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and intracranial hemorrhage, hemor ...
at Fife House. He made only a partial recovery and was unable to return to office; the King appointed Canning as Prime Minister in April 1827. Liverpool suffered another stroke at Coombe in July 1827 and died on 4 December 1828 after a third attack. He was buried at Hawkesbury Church in Gloucestershire alongside his first wife and his parents.


Personal life

Liverpool married Louisa Hervey on 25 March 1795 and was widowed on 12 June 1821. His second marriage, on 24 September 1822, was to Mary, daughter of Reverend Charles Chester (formerly Bagot), who outlived him. Both marriages were childless and the earldom of Liverpool passed to his half-brother Charles Jenkinson on his death. Liverpool was one of the founders of the
National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of more than 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current di ...
and was the first president of the Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, later the
RNLI The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest of the lifeboat services operating around the coasts of the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways. Founded in 1824 ...
.


Legacy

Robert William Seton-Watson sums up Jenkinson's strengths and weaknesses: John W. Derry says Jenkinson was: Jenkinson was the first British Prime Minister to regularly wear long trousers instead of
breeches Breeches ( ) are an article of clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles. Formerly a standard item of Western men's ...
. He entered office at the age of 42 years and one day, younger than all of his successors. Liverpool served as Prime Minister for a total of 14 years and 305 days, making him the longest-serving Prime Minister of the 19th century. As of 2023, none of Liverpool's successors has served longer. In
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, Liverpool Street and
Liverpool Road Liverpool Road is a street in Islington, North London. It covers a distance of between Islington High Street and Holloway Road, running roughly parallel to Upper Street through the area of Barnsbury. It contains several attractive Terraced ho ...
, Islington, are named after Lord Liverpool. The Canadian town of Hawkesbury, Ontario, the
Hawkesbury River The Hawkesbury River, or Hawkesbury-Nepean River (Dharug language, Dharug: Dyarubbin) is a river located northwest of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its associated main tributary, the Nepean River, almost encircle ...
and the
Liverpool Plains The Liverpool Plains are an extensive agricultural area covering about of the north-western slopes of New South Wales in Australia. These plains are a region of prime agricultural land bounded to the east by the Great Dividing Range, to the s ...
, New South Wales, Australia,
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
, New South Wales, and the Liverpool River in the
Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...
of Australia were also named after Lord Liverpool. Lord Liverpool was portrayed by American actor
Gilbert Emery Gilbert Emery Bensley Pottle (June 11, 1875 – October 28, 1945), known professionally as Gilbert Emery, was an American actor who appeared in over 80 movies from 1921 to his death in 1945. He was also a playwright, author of seven Broadway pla ...
in the 1934 film ''
The House of Rothschild ''The House of Rothschild'' is a 1934 American pre-Code historical drama film directed by Alfred L. Werker and starring George Arliss, Loretta Young and Boris Karloff. It was adapted by Nunnally Johnson from the play by George Hembert Westley ...
''.


Lord Liverpool's ministry (1812–1827)

* Lord Liverpool –
First Lord of the Treasury The First Lord of the Treasury is the head of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury exercising the ancient office of Lord High Treasurer in the United Kingdom. Traditional convention holds that the office of First Lord is held by the Prime Mi ...
and
Leader of the House of Lords The leader of the House of Lords is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Lords. The post is also the leader of the governing party in the House of Lords who acts ...
* Lord Eldon
Lord Chancellor The Lord Chancellor, formally titled Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom. The lord chancellor is the minister of justice for England and Wales and the highest-ra ...
* Lord Harrowby
Lord President of the Council The Lord President of the Council is the presiding officer of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom and the fourth of the Great Officers of State, ranking below the Lord High Treasurer but above the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal. The Lor ...
* Lord Westmorland
Lord Privy Seal The Lord Privy Seal (or, more formally, the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) is the fifth of the Great Officers of State (United Kingdom), Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and abov ...
* Lord Sidmouth
Secretary of State for the Home Department The secretary of state for the Home Department, more commonly known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom and the head of the Home Office. The position is a Great Office of State, maki ...
* Lord Castlereagh (Lord Londonderry after 1821) –
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs may refer to: * Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Spain) *Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (UK) The secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affairs, also known as the fore ...
and
Leader of the House of Commons The Leader of the House of Commons is a minister of the Crown of the Government of the United Kingdom whose main role is organising government business in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons. The Leader is always a memb ...
* Lord Bathurst
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet-level position responsible for the army and the British colonies (other than India). The Secretary was supported by an Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. Hist ...
* Lord Melville
First Lord of the Admiralty First Lord of the Admiralty, or formally the Office of the First Lord of the Admiralty, was the title of the political head of the English and later British Royal Navy. He was the government's senior adviser on all naval affairs, responsible f ...
* Nicholas Vansittart
Chancellor of the Exchequer The chancellor of the exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and the head of HM Treasury, His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, t ...
* Lord Mulgrave
Master-General of the Ordnance The Master-General of the Ordnance (MGO) was a very senior British military position from 1415 to 2013 (except 1855–1895 and 1939–1958) with some changes to the name, usually held by a serving general. The Master-General of the Ordnance was ...
* Lord Buckinghamshire
President of the Board of Control President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
* Charles Bathurst
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is a ministerial office in the Government of the United Kingdom. Excluding the prime minister, the chancellor is the highest ranking minister in the Cabinet Office, immediately after the prime minister ...
* Lord Camden – minister without portfolio


Changes

* Late 1812 – Lord Camden leaves the Cabinet * September 1814 – William Wellesley-Pole (Lord Maryborough from 1821), the
Master of the Mint Master of the Mint is a title within the Royal Mint given to the most senior person responsible for its operation. It was an office in the governments of Scotland and England, and later Great Britain and then the United Kingdom, between the 16th ...
, enters the Cabinet * February 1816 –
George Canning George Canning (; 11 April 17708 August 1827) was a British Tory statesman. He held various senior cabinet positions under numerous prime ministers, including two important terms as foreign secretary, finally becoming Prime Minister of the U ...
succeeds Lord Buckinghamshire at the Board of Control * January 1818 – F. J. Robinson, the
President of the Board of Trade The president of the Board of Trade is head of the Board of Trade. A committee of the His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, Privy Council of the United Kingdom, it was first established as a temporary committee of inquiry in the 17th centur ...
, enters the Cabinet * January 1819 – The
Duke of Wellington Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they ar ...
succeeds Lord Mulgrave as Master-General of the Ordnance. Lord Mulgrave becomes minister without portfolio * 1820 – Lord Mulgrave leaves the cabinet * January 1821 – Charles Bathurst succeeds Canning as President of the Board of Control, remaining also at the Duchy of Lancaster * January 1822 –
Robert Peel Sir Robert Peel, 2nd Baronet (5 February 1788 – 2 July 1850), was a British Conservative statesman who twice was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1834–1835, 1841–1846), and simultaneously was Chancellor of the Exchequer (1834–183 ...
succeeds Lord Sidmouth as Home Secretary * February 1822 – Charles Williams-Wynn succeeds Charles Bathurst at the Board of Control. Bathurst remains at the Duchy of Lancaster and in the Cabinet * September 1822 – Following the suicide of Lord Londonderry,
George Canning George Canning (; 11 April 17708 August 1827) was a British Tory statesman. He held various senior cabinet positions under numerous prime ministers, including two important terms as foreign secretary, finally becoming Prime Minister of the U ...
becomes Foreign Secretary and Leader of the House of Commons * January 1823 – Vansittart, elevated to the peerage as Lord Bexley, succeeds Charles Bathurst as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. F. J. Robinson succeeds Vansittart as Chancellor of the Exchequer. He is succeeded at the Board of Trade by William Huskisson * 1823 – Lord Maryborough, the Master of the Mint, leaves the Cabinet. His successor in the office is not a Cabinet member


Arms


References


Further reading

* * * Cookson, J. E. ''Lord Liverpool's administration: the crucial years, 1815–1822'' (1975) * Evans, Eric. "Robert Banks Jenkinson, Second Earl of Liverpool." in ''Biographical Dictionary of British Prime Ministers'' (Routledge, 2002) pp.106–-115. * Gash, Norman. ''Lord Liverpool: The Life and Political Career of Robert Banks Jenkinson, Second Earl of Liverpool 1770–1828'' (1984) * Hay, William Anthony. "Lord Liverpool: Alliances, Intervention and the National Interest." in ''The Tory World'' (Routledge, 2016) pp.103–120. * Hilton, Boyd. ''A Mad, Bad, and Dangerous People? England 1783–1846'' (New Oxford History of England) (2006) * Hilton, Boyd. "The Political Arts of Lord Liverpool", ''Transactions of the Royal Historical Society'' (Fifth Series) 38 (1988): 147–170
online
* Hutchinson, Martin. ''Britain's Greatest Prime Minister: Lord Liverpool'' (Cambridge, The Lutterworth Press, 2020). * Plowright, John. ''Regency England: The Age of Lord Liverpool'' (Routledge, 1996) "The Lancaster Pamphlets". * Sack, James J. ''The Grenvillites, 1801–29: Party Politics and Factionalism in the Age of Pitt and Liverpool'' (1991) * Seton-Watson, R.W. ''Britain in Europe (1789–1914): A Survey of Foreign Policy'' (1937
online free


External links

*
"Earl of Liverpool" by Prime Minister's Office
(archived 12 November 2008) * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Liverpool, Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl Of 1770 births 1828 deaths 19th-century prime ministers of the United Kingdom Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford British MPs 1790–1796 British MPs 1796–1800 English proslavery activists British Secretaries of State for Foreign Affairs 2nd Earl of Liverpool Fellows of the Royal Society Knights of the Garter Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports Masters of the Mint Jenkinson, Robert Banks Members of the Privy Council of Great Britain Jenkinson, Robert Banks People educated at Charterhouse School People from Westminster Secretaries of State for the Home Department Secretaries of State for War and the Colonies Jenkinson, Robert Banks Jenkinson, Robert Banks Jenkinson, Robert Banks Liverpool, E2 Commissioners of the Treasury for Ireland Tory prime ministers of the United Kingdom Leaders of the House of Lords English people of Indian descent English people of Portuguese descent