# Liberal government, 1859–1866

The Liberal government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that began in 1859 and ended in 1866 consisted of two ministries: the second Palmerston ministry and the second Russell ministry.

## History

After the fall of the second of Lord Derby's short-lived attempts at governments in 1859, Palmerston returned to power, this time in alliance with his former rival, the Earl Russell, in what is regarded as the first Liberal government. Palmerston remained as Prime Minister until his death in 1865, when Russell succeeded him. However, disunity within the party caused the fall of the government in the following year, and Lord Derby formed another Conservative ministry.

## Cabinets
### The Viscount Palmerston's Cabinet, June 1859 – October 1865

* Lord Palmerston – First Lord of the Treasury and Leader of the House of Commons
* Lord Campbell – Lord Chancellor
* Lord Granville – Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Lords
* The Duke of Argyll – Lord Privy Seal
* Sir George Cornewall Lewis – Secretary of State for the Home Department
* Lord John Russell – Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
* The Duke of Newcastle – Secretary of State for the Colonies
* Sidney Herbert – Secretary of State for War
* Sir Charles Wood – Secretary of State for India
* The Duke of Somerset – First Lord of the Admiralty
* William Ewart Gladstone – Chancellor of the Exchequer
* Edward Cardwell – Chief Secretary for Ireland
* Thomas Milner Gibson – President of the Board of Trade and of the Poor Law Board
* Sir George Grey – Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
* Lord Elgin – Postmaster-General

#### Changes

* July 1859 – Charles Pelham Villiers succeeds Milner-Gibson as President of the Poor Law Board (Milner-Gibson remains at the Board of Trade)
* May 1860 – Lord Stanley of Alderley succeeds Lord Elgin as Postmaster-General
* June 1861 – Lord Westbury succeeds Lord Campbell as Lord Chancellor
* July 1861 – Sir George Cornewall Lewis succeeds Herbert as Secretary for War. Sir George Grey succeeds Lewis as Home Secretary. Edward Cardwell succeeds Grey as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Cardwell's successor as Chief Secretary for Ireland is not in the Cabinet.
* April 1863 – Lord de Grey becomes Secretary for War following Sir George Lewis's death.
* April 1864 – Edward Cardwell succeeds the Duke of Newcastle as Colonial Secretary. Lord Clarendon succeeds Cardwell as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.
* July 1865 – Lord Cranworth succeeds Lord Westbury as Lord Chancellor

### The Earl Russell's Cabinet, October 1865 – June 1866

| Office | Name | Term |
| First Lord of the Treasury Leader of the House of Lords | The Earl Russell | October 1865 – June 1866 |
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Cranworth | October 1865 – June 1866 |
| Lord President of the Council | The Earl Granville | October 1865 – June 1866 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Duke of Argyll | October 1865 – June 1866 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer Leader of the House of Commons | William Ewart Gladstone | October 1865 – June 1866 |
| Home Secretary | Sir George Grey, Bt | October 1865 – June 1866 |
| Foreign Secretary | The Earl of Clarendon | October 1865 – June 1866 |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | Edward Cardwell | October 1865 – June 1866 |
| Secretary of State for War | The Earl de Grey | October 1865 – February 1866 |
| | Marquess of Hartington | February–June 1866 |
| Secretary of State for India | Sir Charles Wood, Bt | October 1865 – February 1866 |
| | The Earl de Grey | February–June 1866 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | The Duke of Somerset | October 1865 – June 1866 |
| President of the Board of Trade | Thomas Milner Gibson | October 1865 – June 1866 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | George Goschen | January–June 1866 |
| President of the Poor Law Board | Charles Pelham Villiers | October 1865 – June 1866 |
| Postmaster General | The Lord Stanley of Alderley | October 1865 – June 1866 |

#### Changes

* February 1866: The Lord de Grey succeeds Sir Charles Wood as Secretary for India. Lord Hartington succeeds Grey as Secretary for War.

## List of ministers

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.
| Office | Name | Date |
| Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury | Viscount Palmerston | 12 June 1859 – 18 October 1865 |
| Prime Minister First Lord of the Treasury | The Earl Russell | 29 October 1865 – 26 June 1866 |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer | William Ewart Gladstone | 18 June 1859 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury | Henry Brand | 24 June 1859 |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Samuel Laing | 24 June 1859 |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Frederick Peel | 2 November 1860 |
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | Hugh Childers | 19 August 1865 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen | 24 June 1859 – 21 April 1865 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Sir William Dunbar | 24 June 1859 – 21 April 1865 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | John Bagwell | 24 June 1859 – 25 March 1862 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | Luke White | 25 March 1862 – 2 June 1866 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | William Patrick Adam | 21 April 1865 – 26 June 1866 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | John Bonham Carter | 2 June 1866 – 26 June 1866 |
| Junior Lords of the Treasury | John Esmonde | 2 June 1866 – 26 June 1866 |
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Campbell | 18 June 1859 |
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Westbury | 26 June 1861 |
| Lord Chancellor | The Lord Cranworth | 7 July 1865 |
| Lord President of the Council | The Earl Granville | 18 June 1859 |
| Lord Privy Seal | The Duke of Argyll | 18 June 1859 |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | Sir George Cornewall Lewis | 18 June 1859 |
| Secretary of State for the Home Department | Sir George Grey | 25 July 1861 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | George Clive | 18 June 1859 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Henry Bruce | 14 November 1862 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Thomas Baring | 25 April 1864 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department | Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen | 25 May 1866 |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Lord John Russell | 18 June 1859 |
| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | The Earl of Clarendon | 3 November 1865 |
| Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | The Lord Wodehouse | 19 June 1859 |
| Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | Austen Henry Layard | 15 August 1861 |
| Secretary of State for War | Sidney Herbert | 18 June 1859 |
| Secretary of State for War | Sir George Cornewall Lewis | 22 July 1861 |
| Secretary of State for War | The Earl de Grey and Ripon | 28 April 1863 |
| Secretary of State for War | Marquess of Hartington | 16 February 1866 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | The Earl de Grey and Ripon | 18 June 1859 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | Thomas Baring | 21 January 1861 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | The Earl de Grey and Ripon | 31 July 1861 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | Marquess of Hartington | 28 April 1863 |
| Under-Secretary of State for War | The Lord Dufferin and Clandeboye | 17 February 1866 |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | The Duke of Newcastle | 18 June 1859 |
| Secretary of State for the Colonies | Edward Cardwell | 7 April 1864 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies | Chichester Fortescue | 18 June 1859 |
| Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies | William Edward Forster | 25 November 1865 |
| Secretary of State for India | Sir Charles Wood | 18 June 1859 |
| Secretary of State for India | The Earl de Grey and Ripon | 16 February 1866 |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | Thomas Baring | 25 June 1859 |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | The Earl de Grey and Ripon | 21 January 1861 |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | Thomas Baring | 31 July 1861 |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | The Lord Wodehouse | 25 April 1864 |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | Lord Dufferin and Clandeboye | 16 November 1864 |
| Under-Secretary of State for India | James Stansfeld | 17 February 1866 |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | The Duke of Somerset | 27 June 1859 |
| First Secretary of the Admiralty | Lord Clarence Paget | 30 June 1859 |
| First Secretary of the Admiralty | Thomas Baring | 30 April 1866 |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | Samuel Whitbread | 27 June 1859 |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | Marquess of Hartington | 23 March 1863 |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | James Stansfeld | 2 May 1863 |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | Hugh Childers | 21 April 1864 |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | Henry Fenwick | 22 January 1866 |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | Lord John Hay | 7 April 1866 |
| Civil Lord of the Admiralty | George Shaw-Lefevre | 8 May 1866 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Edward Cardwell | 24 June 1859 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Sir Robert Peel | 29 July 1861 |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | Chichester Fortescue | 7 December 1865 |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | The Earl of Carlisle | 24 June 1859 |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | The Lord Wodehouse | 1 November 1864 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Sir George Grey | 22 June 1859 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | Edward Cardwell | 25 July 1861 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | The Earl of Clarendon | 7 April 1864 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | vacant | 3 November 1865 |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | George Goschen | 26 January 1866 |
| President of the Poor Law Board | Thomas Milner Gibson | 24 June 1859 |
| President of the Poor Law Board | Charles Pelham Villiers | 9 July 1859 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law Board | Charles Gilpin | 28 June 1859 |
| Parliamentary Secretary to the Poor Law Board | George Byng | 22 February 1865 |
| Postmaster-General | The Earl of Elgin | 24 June 1859 |
| Postmaster-General | The Duke of Argyll | 11 May 1860 |
| Postmaster-General | The Lord Stanley of Alderley | 17 August 1860 |
| President of the Board of Trade | vacant | |
| President of the Board of Trade | Thomas Milner Gibson | 6 July 1859 |
| Vice-President of the Board of Trade | James Wilson | 18 June 1859 |
| Vice-President of the Board of Trade | William Francis Cowper | 12 August 1859 |
| Vice-President of the Board of Trade | William Hutt | 22 February 1860 |
| Vice-President of the Board of Trade | George Goschen | 29 November 1865 |
| Vice-President of the Board of Trade | William Monsell | 12 March 1866 |
| Vice-President of the Committee on Education | Robert Lowe | 24 June 1859 |
| Vice-President of the Committee on Education | Henry Bruce | 26 April 1864 |
| Paymaster General | James Wilson | 18 June 1859 |
| Paymaster General | William Francis Cowper | 12 August 1859 |
| Paymaster General | William Hutt | 22 February 1860 |
| Paymaster General | George Goschen | 29 November 1865 |
| Paymaster General | William Monsell | 12 March 1866 |
| First Commissioner of Works | Henry Fitzroy | 18 June 1859 |
| First Commissioner of Works | William Francis Cowper | 9 February 1860 |
| Attorney General | Sir Richard Bethell | 18 June 1859 |
| Attorney General | Sir William Atherton | 4 July 1861 |
| Attorney General | Sir Roundell Palmer | 2 October 1863 |
| Solicitor General | Sir Henry Keating | 18 June 1859 |
| Solicitor General | Sir William Atherton | 16 December 1859 |
| Solicitor General | Sir Roundell Palmer | 8 July 1861 |
| Solicitor General | Sir Robert Collier | 2 October 1863 |
| Judge Advocate General | Thomas Emerson Headlam | 24 June 1859 |
| Lord Advocate | James Moncreiff | 24 June 1859 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | Edward F. Maitland | 27 June 1859 |
| Solicitor General for Scotland | George Young | 11 November 1862 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | John David Fitzgerald | June 1859 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | Rickard Deasy | February 1860 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | Thomas O'Hagan | 1861 |
| Attorney General for Ireland | James Anthony Lawson | 1865 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | John George | June 1859 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Rickard Deasy | 1859 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Thomas O'Hagan | February 1860 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | James Anthony Lawson | 1861 |
| Solicitor General for Ireland | Edward Sullivan | 1865 |
| Lord Steward of the Household | The Earl of St Germans | 18 June 1859 |
| Lord Steward of the Household | The Earl of Bessborough | 20 January 1866 |
| Lord Chamberlain of the Household | The Viscount Sydney | 23 June 1859 |
| Vice-Chamberlain of the Household | Viscount Castlerosse | 23 June 1859 |
| Master of the Horse | The Marquess of Ailesbury | 24 June 1859 |
| Treasurer of the Household | Viscount Bury | 23 June 1859 |
| Treasurer of the Household | Lord Otho Fitzgerald| | 8 May 1866 |
| Comptroller of the Household | Lord Proby | 23 June 1859 |
| Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms | The Lord Foley | 28 June 1859 |
| Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard | The Earl of Ducie | 28 June 1859 |
| Master of the Buckhounds | The Earl of Bessborough | 18 June 1859 |
| Master of the Buckhounds | The Earl of Cork | 23 January 1866 |
| Chief Equerry and Clerk Marshal | Lord Alfred Paget | 1 July 1859 |
| Mistress of the Robes | The Duchess of Sutherland | 22 June 1859 |
| Mistress of the Robes | The Duchess of Wellington | 25 April 1861 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Earl of Caithness | 23 June 1859 – 26 June 1866 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Camoys | 23 June 1859 – 26 June 1866 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Rivers | 23 June 1859 – 28 April 1866 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord de Tabley | 23 June 1859 – 26 June 1866 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Cremorne | 23 June 1859 – 26 June 1866 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Methuen | 23 June 1859 – 26 June 1866 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Viscount Torrington | 23 June 1859 – 27 April 1884 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Byron | 17 July 1837 – 31 March 1860 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Harris | 31 March 1860 – 4 May 1863 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Lord Talbot of Malahide | 4 May 1863 – 26 June 1866 |
| Lords in Waiting | The Marquess of Normanby | 8 May 1866 – 26 June 1866 |
| Extra Lord in Waiting | The Lord Byron | 31 March 1860 – 3 March 1868 |

### Notes

* ↑ Also Leader of the House of Commons.
* ↑ Also Leader of the House of Lords 29 October 1865 – 26 June 1866.
* ↑ Also Leader of the House of Commons 1865–1866.
* ↑ Also Leader of the House of Lords 18 June 1859 – 29 October 1865.
* ↑ Created Earl Russell on 30 July 1861.
* ↑ Created Baron Herbert of Lea on 15 January 1861.
* 1 2 Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath from 27 November 1865.
* ↑ Permanent.