Canningite government, 1827–1828


The Canningites, led by George Canning and then the Viscount Goderich as First Lord of the Treasury, governed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 1827 until 1828.

Formation

On 9 April 1827 the Tory Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Lord Liverpool, suffered a cerebral haemorrhage. He had been Prime Minister nearly fifteen years, ever since the assassination of his predecessor Spencer Perceval in May 1812. The man chosen to succeed him was the Foreign Secretary and Leader of the House of Commons, George Canning. Canning was very much on the moderate wing of the Tory Party, and many of the more hard-line members of Liverpool's government, including the Home Secretary, Sir Robert Peel, and national hero the Duke of Wellington, refused to serve under him. Canning's government was therefore recruited from the moderate wing of the Tory Party, known as the Canningites, with the support of several members of the Whig Party.

Fate

Canning, who was in poor health at the time of his appointment, died in office on 8 August 1827, and the Leader of the House of Lords Lord Goderich succeeded him as Prime Minister. However, Goderich's government never even met in a session of Parliament, and was replaced by a High Tory government under the Duke of Wellington on 22 January 1828.

Cabinets

George Canning's Cabinet, April 1827 – August 1827

This is a list of the members of the government. Members of the Cabinet are indicated by bold typeface.
OfficeNameDate
First Lord of the TreasuryGeorge Canning10 April 18278 August 1827
First Lord of the TreasuryThe Viscount Goderich31 August 182721 January 1828
Chancellor of the ExchequerGeorge Canning20 April 1827
Chancellor of the ExchequerJohn Charles Herries3 September 1827
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryJoseph Planta19 April 1827
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryJohn Charles HerriesContinued in office
Financial Secretary to the TreasuryThomas Frankland Lewis4 September 1827
Junior Lords of the TreasuryThe Earl of Mount Charles30 April 182726 January 1828
Junior Lords of the TreasuryLord Francis Leveson-Gower30 April 18278 September 1827
Junior Lords of the TreasuryLord Eliot30 April 182726 January 1828
Junior Lords of the TreasuryEdmund Alexander Macnaghten30 April 182726 January 1828
Junior Lords of the TreasuryMaurice FitzGerald31 July 182726 January 1828
Lord President of the CouncilThe Earl of HarrowbyContinued in office
Lord President of the CouncilThe Duke of Portland17 August 1827
Lord ChancellorThe Lord Lyndhurst2 May 1827
Home SecretaryWilliam Sturges Bourne20 April 1827
Home SecretaryThe Marquess of Lansdowne16 July 1827
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentSpencer Perceval30 April 1827
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentThomas Spring Rice16 July 1827
Foreign SecretaryThe Viscount Dudley and Ward30 April 1827
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsThe Lord Howard de WaldenContinued in office
Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsThe Marquess of ClanricardeContinued in office
until 17 August 1827
Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesThe Viscount Goderich30 April 1827
Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesWilliam Huskisson3 September 1827
Under-Secretary of State for War and the ColoniesRobert Wilmot HortonContinued in office
President of the Board of TradeWilliam HuskissonContinued in office
President of the Board of TradeCharles Grant3 September 1827
Vice-President of the Board of TradeCharles GrantContinued in office
President of the Board of ControlCharles Williams-WynnContinued in office
Secretary to the Board of ControlThomas CourtenayContinued in office
Lord High AdmiralThe Duke of Clarence17 April 1827
First Secretary to the AdmiraltyJohn Wilson CrokerContinued in office
Lord Privy SealThe Duke of Portland30 April 1827
Lord Privy SealThe Earl of Carlisle16 July 1827
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Lord BexleyContinued in office
Master-General of the OrdnanceThe Marquess of Anglesey30 April 1827
Lieutenant-General of the OrdnanceSir William Henry ClintonContinued in office
Treasurer of the OrdnanceWilliam HolmesContinued in office
Surveyor-General of the OrdnanceSir Edward Owen14 May 1827
Clerk of the OrdnanceSir George Clerk4 May 1827
Clerk of the Deliveries of the OrdnanceHon. Edmund PhippsContinued in office
Storekeeper of the OrdnanceMark SingletonContinued in office
Treasurer of the NavyWilliam HuskissonContinued in office
Treasurer of the NavyCharles Grant10 September 1827
Secretary at WarViscount PalmerstonContinued in office
Master of the MintGeorge Tierney29 May 1827
Paymaster of the ForcesHon. William Vesey-FitzGeraldContinued in office
First Commissioner of Woods and ForestsThe Earl of Carlisle30 May 1827
First Commissioner of Woods and ForestsWilliam Sturges Bourne23 July 1827
Ministers without PortfolioThe Marquess of LansdowneMay 1827
Ministers without PortfolioThe Duke of PortlandMay 1827
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandThe Marquess WellesleyContinued in office
Chief Secretary for IrelandHon. William Lamb29 April 1827
Attorney GeneralSir James Scarlett27 April 1827
Solicitor GeneralNicolas Conyngham TindalContinued in office
Judge Advocate GeneralHon. James Abercromby12 May 1827
Lord AdvocateSir William RaeContinued in office
Solicitor General for ScotlandJohn HopeContinued in office
Attorney General for IrelandHenry Joy18 June 1827
Solicitor General for IrelandJohn Doherty18 June 1827
Lord Steward of the HouseholdThe Marquess ConynghamContinued in office
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdThe Duke of Devonshire5 May 1827
Vice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdSir Samuel Hulse5 May 1827
Master of the HorseThe Duke of Leeds4 May 1827
Treasurer of the HouseholdSir William Henry FremantleContinued in office
Comptroller of the HouseholdLord George BeresfordContinued in office
Captain of the Gentlemen PensionersThe Viscount Hereford1827
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardThe Earl of MacclesfieldContinued in office
Master of the BuckhoundsThe Lord MaryboroughContinued in office

;Notes