Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle
Thomas Pelham-Holles (21 July 1693 – 17 November 1768) was 1st Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne and 1st Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyme. He was a British Whig statesman, and the third Prime Minister. He was Prime Minister for two separate terms. He is commonly known as the Duke of Newcastle.
His official life extended throughout the Whig supremacy of the 18th century. He was a protégé of Sir Robert Walpole, and served under him for more than 20 years until 1742. He held power with his brother, Prime Minister Henry Pelham, until 1754. By then he had served as a Secretary of State continuously for 30 years and dominated British foreign policy.
After Henry's death, the Duke of Newcastle was prime minister for six years in two separate periods. His first premiership (1754–1756) was not particularly notable: Newcastle partly caused the Seven Years' War, and his weak diplomacy cost him the premiership.[1] After his second term (1757–1762), he served briefly in Lord Rockingham's ministry, before he retired from government. He was most effective as a deputy to a leader of greater ability, such as Walpole, his brother, or William Pitt the Elder.
Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke Of Newcastle Media
Newcastle House which he inherited from his uncle in 1711, and used as his primary London residence, often throwing lavish parties there.
From 1720 Newcastle allied himself with Robert Walpole. They would be political partners for the next 20 years, and Newcastle would remain a loyalist until Walpole's fall in 1742.
Newcastle (left) and Henry Clinton, 7th Earl of Lincoln as painted by Godfrey Kneller, c. 1721.
Newcastle in 1735 when he was Southern Secretary in the Walpole ministry
George II, who reigned from 1727 to 1760. Despite their initial violent hatred of each other, he and Newcastle grew to have a very productive relationship, which lasted for over three decades.
Newcastle enjoyed a close but at times strained relationship with his brother Henry Pelham. The two men formed a formidable political partnership following the fall of Walpole, and together dominated British politics until Henry's death in 1754.
Newcastle was a strong supporter of Austria and advocated aid to the country during the War of the Austrian Succession. After the war, he built his system for retaining peace around the alliance with Austria, only for it to collapse spectacularly in 1756.
Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, by John Giles Eccardt, after Jean Baptiste van Loo, c. 1740
William Pitt was the leader of the Patriot Whigs and a constant thorn in Newcastle's side. Many were surprised when the two formed an electoral partnership in 1757.
1759 became known as the "Annus mirabilis" after Britain enjoyed victories on several continents as well as at sea. In November a French fleet planning to invade England was defeated at Quiberon. Much of the credit went to Pitt, rather than Newcastle.
References
- ↑ Basil Williams, The Whig Supremacy 1714–1760 (2nd ed. 1962) pp 352–53.