Ministry of All the Talents
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The Ministry of All the Talents was formed by William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville on his appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on February 11 1806 after the death of William Pitt the Younger. With the country at war, Grenville aimed to form the strongest possible government and so included most leading politicians from almost all groupings, although the followers of Pitt, led by George Canning, refused to join. The inclusion of Charles James Fox raised eyebrows as King George III had been previously heavily hostile to Fox, but the King's willingness to put aside past enmities for the sake of national unity encouraged many others to join or support the government as well.
The Ministry of All the Talents had comparatively little success, failing to bring peace with France. It did, however, abolish the slave trade in 1807 before it broke up over the question of Catholic emancipation.
It was succeeded by the Second Portland Ministry, headed by William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland.
Members of the Cabinet, February 1806 - March 1807
- Lord Grenville - First Lord of the Treasury and Leader of the House of Lords
- Charles James Fox - Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the House of Commons
- Lord Erskine - Lord Chancellor
- Lord Fitzwilliam - Lord President of the Council
- Lord Sidmouth - Lord Privy Seal
- Lord Spencer - Secretary of State for the Home Department
- William Windham - Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
- Lord Howick - First Lord of the Admiralty
- Lord Henry Petty - Chancellor of the Exchequer
- Lord Moira - Master-General of the Ordnance
- Lord Ellenborough - Chief Justice, King's Bench
Changes
- September, 1806 - On Fox's death, Lord Howick succeeds him as Foreign Secretary and Leader of the House of Commons. Thomas Grenville succeeds Howick at the Admiralty. Lord Fitzwilliam becomes Minister without Portfolio, and Lord Sidmouth succeeds him as Lord President. Lord Holland succeeds Sidmouth as Lord Privy Seal.