# Whig government, 1830–1834

The Whig government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that began in November 1830 and ended in November 1834 consisted of two ministries: the Grey ministry (from 1830 to July 1834) and then the first Melbourne ministry.

## History

The first wholly Whig government since 1783 came to power after the Duke of Wellington's Tory government lost a vote of no confidence on 15 November 1830. The government, led by the Earl Grey, passed the Great Reform Act in 1832, which brought about parliamentary reform, and enacted the Slavery Abolition Act 1833, bringing about the abolition of slavery in most of the British Empire.
However, King William IV dismissed Grey's successor Lord Melbourne in 1834 and asked Sir Robert Peel to form a government. Peel was out of the country at the time, so the Duke of Wellington formed a caretaker government.

## Cabinets
### The Earl Grey's Cabinet, November 1830 – July 1834

| Office | Name | Term |
| First Lord of the Treasury Leader of the House of Lords | The Earl Grey | November 1830 – July 1834 |
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Brougham | November 1830 – July 1834 |
| Lord President of the Council | The Marquess of Lansdowne | November 1830 – July 1834 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Lord Durham | November 1830 – April 1833 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Earl of Ripon | April 1833 – June 1834 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Earl of Carlisle | June 1834 – July 1834 |
| Home Secretary | The Viscount Melbourne | November 1830 – July 1834 |
| Foreign Secretary | The Viscount Palmerston | November 1830 – July 1834 |
| Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | The Viscount Goderich | November 1830 – April 1833 |
| Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | Edward Smith-Stanley | April 1833 – June 1834 |
| Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | Thomas Spring Rice | June 1834 – July 1834 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | Sir James Graham | November 1830 – June 1834 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | The Lord Auckland | June – July 1834 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer Leader of the House of Commons | Viscount Althorp | November 1830 – July 1834 |
| President of the Board of Control | Charles Grant | November 1830 – July 1834 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Edward Smith-Stanley | June 1831 – March 1833 |
| Postmaster-General | The Duke of Richmond | December 1830 – July 1834 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | The Lord Holland | November 1830 – July 1834 |
| Paymaster of the Forces | Lord John Russell | June 1831 – July 1834 |
| Secretary at War | Edward Ellice | June – July 1834 |
| Minister without Portfolio | The Earl of Carlisle | November 1830 – June 1834 |

### The Viscount Melbourne's Cabinet, July 1834 – November 1834

| Office | Name | Term |
| First Lord of the Treasury Leader of the House of Lords | The Viscount Melbourne | July–November 1834 |
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Brougham | July–November 1834 |
| Lord President of the Council | The Marquess of Lansdowne | July–November 1834 |
| Lord Privy Seal | Earl of Mulgrave | July–November 1834 |
| Home Secretary | Viscount Duncannon | July–November 1834 |
| Foreign Secretary | The Viscount Palmerston | July–November 1834 |
| Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | Thomas Spring Rice | July–November 1834 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | The Lord Auckland | July–November 1834 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer Leader of the House of Commons | Viscount Althorp | July–November 1834 |
| President of the Board of Trade Treasurer of the Navy | Charles Poulett Thomson | July–November 1834 |
| President of the Board of Control | Charles Grant | July–November 1834 |
| Master of the Mint | James Abercromby | July–November 1834 |
| First Commissioner of Woods and Forests | Sir John Hobhouse, Bt | July–November 1834 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | The Lord Holland | July–November 1834 |
| Paymaster of the Forces | Lord John Russell | July–November 1834 |
| Secretary at War | Edward Ellice | July–November 1834 |

## List of ministers

Members of the Cabinet are indicated by bold face.
| Office | Name | Date |
| Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Leader of the House of Lords | The Earl Grey | 22 November 1830 – 9 July 1834 |
| Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury Leader of the House of Lords | The Viscount Melbourne | 16 July 1834 – 14 November 1834 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | Viscount Althorp | 22 November 1830 |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Thomas Spring-Rice | 26 November 1830 |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Francis Baring | 6 June 1834 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | Edward Ellice | 26 November 1830 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | Charles Wood | 10 August 1832 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | The Lord Nugent | 22 November 1830 – 22 November 1832 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Robert Vernon Smith | 22 November 1830 – 14 November 1834 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Francis Baring | 22 November 1830 – 6 June 1834 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Hon. George Ponsonby | 22 November 1830 – 14 November 1834 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Thomas Francis Kennedy | 22 November 1832 – 9 April 1834 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Robert Graham | 9 April 1834 – 14 November 1834 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | George Byng | 20 June 1834 – 14 November 1834 |
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Brougham and Vaux | 22 November 1830 |
| Lord President of the Council | The Marquess of Lansdowne | 22 November 1830 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Lord Durham | 22 November 1830 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Earl of Ripon | 3 April 1833 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Earl of Carlisle | 5 June 1834 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Earl of Mulgrave | 30 July 1834 |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | The Viscount Melbourne | 22 November 1830 |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | Viscount Duncannon | 19 July 1834 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Hon. George Lamb | 22 November 1830 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Viscount Howick | 13 January 1834 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Edward Stanley | 23 July 1834 |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | The Viscount Palmerston | 22 November 1830 |
| Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Sir George Shee | 26 November 1830 |
| Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Viscount Fordwich | 13 November 1834 |
| Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | The Viscount Goderich | 22 November 1830 |
| Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | Hon. Edward Smith-Stanley | 3 April 1833 |
| Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | Thomas Spring Rice | 5 June 1834 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | Viscount Howick | 23 November 1830 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | Sir John Shaw-Lefevre | 13 January 1834 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies | Sir George Grey | 16 July 1834 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | Sir James Graham | 22 November 1830 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | The Lord Auckland | 7 June 1834 |
| First Secretary to the Admiralty | Hon. George Elliot | 29 November 1830 |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | Henry Labouchere | 8 June 1832 |
| President of the Board of Control | Charles Grant | 1 December 1830 |
| Secretary to the Board of Control | Viscount Sandon | 18 December 1830 |
| Secretary to the Board of Control | Thomas Hyde Villiers | 18 May 1831 |
| Secretary to the Board of Control | Thomas Babington Macaulay | 19 December 1832 |
| Secretary to the Board of Control | Robert Gordon | 26 December 1833 – 14 November 1834 |
| Secretary to the Board of Control | James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie | 22 April 1834 – 14 November 1834 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | The Lord Holland | 25 November 1830 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Hon. Edward Smith-Stanley | 29 November 1830 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Sir John Hobhouse | 29 March 1833 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Edward Littleton | 18 May 1833 |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | The Marquess of Anglesey | 4 December 1830 |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | The Marquess Wellesley | 12 September 1833 |
| Master of the Mint | The Lord Auckland | 14 December 1830 |
| Master of the Mint | James Abercromby | 13 June 1834 |
| Paymaster of the Forces | Lord John Russell | 16 December 1830 |
| Minister without Portfolio | The Earl of Carlisle | 22 November 1830 – 5 June 1834 |
| Postmaster-General | The Duke of Richmond | 11 December 1830 |
| Postmaster-General | The Marquess Conyngham | 5 July 1834 |
| President of the Board of Trade | The Lord Auckland | 22 November 1830 |
| President of the Board of Trade | Charles Poulett Thomson | 5 June 1834 |
| Vice-President of the Board of Trade | Charles Poulett Thomson | 22 November 1830 |
| Vice-President of the Board of Trade | Henry Labouchere | 5 June 1834 |
| Secretary at War | Charles Williams-Wynn | 30 November 1830 |
| Secretary at War | Sir Henry Parnell | 4 April 1831 |
| Secretary at War | Sir John Hobhouse | 1 February 1832 |
| Secretary at War | Edward Ellice | 6 April 1833 |
| First Commissioner of Woods and Forests | George Agar-Ellis | 2 December 1830 |
| First Commissioner of Woods and Forests | Viscount Duncannon | 7 February 1831 |
| First Commissioner of Woods and Forests | Sir John Hobhouse | 22 July 1834 |
| Treasurer of the Navy | Charles Poulett Thomson | 30 November 1830 |
| Master-General of the Ordnance | Sir James Kempt | 11 December 1830 |
| Treasurer of the Ordnance | Thomas Creevey | 31 January 1831 |
| Surveyor-General of the Ordnance | William Leader Maberly | 12 January 1831 |
| Surveyor-General of the Ordnance | Charles Richard Fox | 30 November 1832 |
| Clerk of the Ordnance | Charles Tennyson | 30 December 1830 |
| Clerk of the Ordnance | Thomas Francis Kennedy | 8 February 1832 |
| Clerk of the Ordnance | William Leader Maberly | 30 November 1832 |
| Clerk of the Ordnance | Andrew Leith Hay | 19 June 1834 |
| Storekeeper of the Ordnance | Henry Duncan | 30 December 1830 |
| Attorney General | Sir Thomas Denman | 24 November 1830 |
| Attorney General | Sir William Horne | 26 November 1832 |
| Attorney General | Sir John Campbell | 1 March 1834 |
| Solicitor General | Sir William Horne | 24 November 1830 |
| Solicitor General | Sir John Campbell | 26 November 1832 |
| Solicitor General | Sir Charles Pepys | 25 February 1834 |
| Solicitor General | Sir Robert Rolfe | 6 November 1834 |
| Judge Advocate General | Sir Robert Grant | 24 November 1830 |
| Judge Advocate General | Robert Cutlar Fergusson | 19 June 1834 |
| Lord Advocate | Francis Jeffrey | 3 December 1830 |
| Lord Advocate | John Murray | 17 May 1834 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | Henry Cockburn | 3 December 1830 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | Andrew Skene | 5 November 1834 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | Edward Pennefather | 23 December 1830 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | Francis Blackburne | 11 January 1831 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Philip Cecil Crampton | 23 December 1830 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Michael O'Loghlen | 21 October 1834 |
| Lord Steward of the Household | The Marquess Wellesley | 23 November 1830 |
| Lord Steward of the Household | The Duke of Argyll | 11 September 1833 |
| Lord Chamberlain of the Household | The Duke of Devonshire | 22 November 1830 |
| Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | Earl of Belfast | 24 July 1830 |
| Master of the Horse | The Earl of Albemarle | 24 November 1830 |
| Treasurer of the Household | Sir William Henry Fremantle | 27 May 1826 – Continued in office |
| Comptroller of the Household | Lord Robert Grosvenor | 23 November 1830 |
| Captain of the Gentlemen Pensioners | The 3rd Lord Foley | 8 December 1830 |
| Captain of the Gentlemen Pensioners | The 4th Lord Foley | 1 May 1833 |
| Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard | The Marquess of Clanricarde | 1 December 1830 |
| Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard | The Earl of Gosford | 16 July 1834 |
| Master of the Buckhounds | The Viscount Anson | 24 November 1830 |

### Notes

* ↑ The Government resigned 8 May 1832 and resumed 17 May 1832.
* ↑ Also Leader of the House of Commons until 1834.
* ↑ Created Earl of Durham 23 March 1833.
* 1 2 Joint Secretary from 22 April 1834.
* ↑ Entered the Cabinet 16 June 1831.
* ↑ Entered the Cabinet 16 June 1831; also Leader of the House of Commons 1834.
* ↑ entered the Cabinet 20 June 1834.
* ↑ Office renamed Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms 17 March 1834.
* ↑ Created Earl of Lichfield 15 September 1831.