Leaders of the British Whig Party

This is a list of the Leaders of the British Whig Party. It begins in 1830 as, in the words of J C Sainty, 'it would be misleading to convey the impression that there was in any precise sense a Leader of the Whig Party in the House of Lords before 1830'.[1] Also, Cook & Stevenson, British Historical Facts 1760–1830 have no section for party leaders in either House of Parliament. The section on 'Overall Leaders' gives details of those who were either the Prime Minister or a former Prime Minister who was still in Parliament and leading the Whig Party in the House in which he sat.

List of leaders of the Whig Party, 1830–1859
Name Portrait Constituency/Title Took office Left office Prime Minister
Earl Grey 2nd Earl Grey 22 November 1830 16 July 1834 Earl Grey 1830–34
Viscount Melbourne 2nd Viscount Melbourne 16 July 1834 23 October 1842 [2] Viscount Melbourne 1834
The Duke of Wellington 1834
Sir Robert Peel 1834–35
Viscount Melbourne 1835–41
Sir Robert Peel 1841–46
VACANT Leader in Lords -The Marquess of Lansdowne
Leader in Commons -Lord John Russell		 23 October 1842 30 June 1846 Sir Robert Peel 1841–46
Lord John Russell City of London 30 June 1846 30 January 1855 Lord John Russell 1846–52
Earl of Derby 1852
Earl of Aberdeen 1852–55
Henry John Temple,
3rd Viscount Palmerston[3]		 Tiverton 6 February 1855 6 June 1859 [4] Viscount Palmerston 1855–1858
Earl of Derby 1858–59

Leaders of the Whig Party in the House of Commons, 1830–1859
Name Constituency Took office Left office
Viscount Althorp Northamptonshire (1830–1832);
South Northamptonshire (1832–1834)		 March 1830 November 1834 [5]
Lord John Russell Devonshire South (1834–1835);
Stroud (1835–1841);
City of London (1841–1855)		 November 1834 February 1855 [5]
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston Tiverton February 1855 June 1859 [4][5]

Leaders of the Whig Party in the House of Lords, 1830–1859
Name Took office Left office
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey November 1830 July 1834 [1]
Viscount Melbourne July 1834 October 1842 [6]
The Marquess of Lansdowne October 1842 February 1855 [6]
Earl Granville February 1855 1859 [4][6]

Notes and references
  1. J. C. Sainty (1964), Leaders and Whips in the House of Lords, 1783–1964 House of Lords Record Office p. 10
  2. Melbourne ceased to be leader when he suffered a stroke on this date.
  3. Palmerston was an Irish peer and a member of the House of Commons.
  4. This date is given as being the date when the Whig Party came to an end and the Liberal Party began.
  5. Cook & Keith, British Historical Facts 1830–1900 p 92
  6. J. C. Sainty (1964), Leaders and Whips in the House of Lords, 1783–1964 House of Lords Record Office p 11
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