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Henry Pelham
Henry Pelham (25 September 1694 – 6 March 1754) was a British Whig statesman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1743 until his death in 1754. He was the younger brother of Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, who served in Pelham's government and succeeded him as prime minister. Pelham is generally considered to have been Britain's third prime minister, after Robert Walpole and the Earl of Wilmington.
Pelham's premiership was relatively uneventful in terms of domestic affairs, although it was during his premiership that Great Britain experienced the tumult of the 1745 Jacobite uprising. In foreign affairs, Britain fought in several wars. Two of Pelham's final acts were the Jewish Naturalization Act 1753, which allowed Jews to become naturalized by application to Parliament, and the Marriage Act 1753, which enumerated the minimum age of consent for marriage. On Pelham's death, his brother Newcastle took full control of the British government.
Pelham, Newcastle's younger brother, was a younger son of Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham, and his wife, the former Grace Pelham, Baroness Pelham of Laughton, the daughter of Gilbert Holles, 3rd Earl of Clare, and Grace Pierrepont. Pelham's father, Thomas, died when he was 12 years of age. Pelham inherited £5,000 and small annuities for life while a large part of the estate went to his elder brother, the Duke Newcastle.
He was educated at Westminster School, and matriculated at King's College, Cambridge at Easter 1709, then migrated to Hart Hall, Oxford (the present-day Hertford College), matriculating on 6 September 1710, upon the appointment of his tutor Richard Newton as Principal of Hart Hall.
As a volunteer he served in Dormer's regiment at the Battle of Preston in 1715 and spent some time on the Continent. He was returned as Member of Parliament for Seaford in Sussex by his brother, the Duke of Newcastle, at a by-election on 28 February 1717 and represented it until 1722.
On 20 May 1720, Pelham made his first speech in the House of Commons. It was made during a time of union for the Whigs, which was achieved by a call for discharging the civil list debt, a motion supported by both Pelham and Walpole. On 15 March 1721, Pelham aided Walpole in getting the Earl of Sunderland's acquittal from charges of bribery.
The first position Pelham held was as Treasurer of the Chamber in 1720. The advancement came as a result of his brother's influence. Newcastle and Pelham lost £2,000 in the South Sea Bubble.
Through strong family influence, and the recommendation of Robert Walpole, he was chosen in 1721 as Lord of the Treasury. At the 1722 general election he was returned as MP for Sussex county.
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Henry Pelham
Henry Pelham (25 September 1694 – 6 March 1754) was a British Whig statesman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1743 until his death in 1754. He was the younger brother of Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, who served in Pelham's government and succeeded him as prime minister. Pelham is generally considered to have been Britain's third prime minister, after Robert Walpole and the Earl of Wilmington.
Pelham's premiership was relatively uneventful in terms of domestic affairs, although it was during his premiership that Great Britain experienced the tumult of the 1745 Jacobite uprising. In foreign affairs, Britain fought in several wars. Two of Pelham's final acts were the Jewish Naturalization Act 1753, which allowed Jews to become naturalized by application to Parliament, and the Marriage Act 1753, which enumerated the minimum age of consent for marriage. On Pelham's death, his brother Newcastle took full control of the British government.
Pelham, Newcastle's younger brother, was a younger son of Thomas Pelham, 1st Baron Pelham, and his wife, the former Grace Pelham, Baroness Pelham of Laughton, the daughter of Gilbert Holles, 3rd Earl of Clare, and Grace Pierrepont. Pelham's father, Thomas, died when he was 12 years of age. Pelham inherited £5,000 and small annuities for life while a large part of the estate went to his elder brother, the Duke Newcastle.
He was educated at Westminster School, and matriculated at King's College, Cambridge at Easter 1709, then migrated to Hart Hall, Oxford (the present-day Hertford College), matriculating on 6 September 1710, upon the appointment of his tutor Richard Newton as Principal of Hart Hall.
As a volunteer he served in Dormer's regiment at the Battle of Preston in 1715 and spent some time on the Continent. He was returned as Member of Parliament for Seaford in Sussex by his brother, the Duke of Newcastle, at a by-election on 28 February 1717 and represented it until 1722.
On 20 May 1720, Pelham made his first speech in the House of Commons. It was made during a time of union for the Whigs, which was achieved by a call for discharging the civil list debt, a motion supported by both Pelham and Walpole. On 15 March 1721, Pelham aided Walpole in getting the Earl of Sunderland's acquittal from charges of bribery.
The first position Pelham held was as Treasurer of the Chamber in 1720. The advancement came as a result of his brother's influence. Newcastle and Pelham lost £2,000 in the South Sea Bubble.
Through strong family influence, and the recommendation of Robert Walpole, he was chosen in 1721 as Lord of the Treasury. At the 1722 general election he was returned as MP for Sussex county.