William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne
1779 – 1848 · aged 69
British politician (1779–1848)
- Born
- 15 Mar 1779 · London
- Died
- 24 Nov 1848 · Brocket Hall
Life timeline
Their life from birth to death. On the timeline, world events of the time are shown faintly.
- 15 Mar 1779BornBorn in London
- 1806RoleMember of the 2nd Parliament of the United Kingdom
- 1806 – 1807RoleMember of the 3rd Parliament of the United Kingdom
- 1807 – 1812RoleMember of the 4th Parliament of the United Kingdom
- 1816 – 1818RoleMember of the 5th Parliament of the United Kingdom
- 1818 – 1819RoleMember of the 6th Parliament of the United Kingdom
- 1819 – 1820RoleMember of the 6th Parliament of the United Kingdom
- 1820 – 1826RoleMember of the 7th Parliament of the United Kingdom
- 1827RoleMember of the 8th Parliament of the United Kingdom
- 1827 – 1828RoleChief Secretary for Ireland
- 1830 – 1834RoleHome Secretary
- 1834RoleLeader of the House of Lords
- 1834RolePrime Minister of the United Kingdom
- 1835 – 1841RoleLeader of the House of Lords
- 1835 – 1841RolePrime Minister of the United Kingdom
- 1841 – 1842RoleLeader of the Opposition
- 1841AwardFellow of the Royal Society
- 24 Nov 1848DiedDied in Brocket Hall
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Meanwhile in the world
Major world events during their lifetime (1779 – 1848).
- 1789 – 1799French Revolution
- 1812 – 1815War of 1812
- 1814 – 1815Congress of Vienna
Biography
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne (15 March 1779 – 24 November 1848), was a British Whig statesman who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, first in 1834 and again from 1835 to 1841. He also held senior cabinet roles including Home Secretary (1830–1834) and Chief Secretary for Ireland (1827–1828), and led the House of Lords and the Opposition during key transitions in the early Victorian era.
Melbourne's first premiership ended when he was dismissed by King William IV in November 1834—the last time a British monarch removed a sitting prime minister. He returned to office five months later and remained in power for six years, guiding Queen Victoria through her early reign and acting as a trusted advisor during her political initiation.
His tenure was marked by personal influence rather than legislative innovation. Though not associated with major reforms or foreign conflicts, Melbourne played a central role in the Bedchamber Crisis and other court-related controversies. His legacy remains closely tied to his mentorship of Victoria and the stabilisation of Whig leadership during a politically volatile period.
Text from the Wikipedia article William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, CC BY-SA 4.0
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