The son of the 3rd Duke of Devonshire, William Cavendish was a Whig MP for 10 years (1741-1751) before entering the House of Lords as Lord Cavendish in 1751. He assumed a ministerial office of the Master of the Horse (1751-1755) almost immediately, and was a successful Lord Lieutenant and Governor-General of Ireland (1755-1762). George II appointed Devonshire First Lord of the Treasury on 16 Nov 1756 and asked him to form a ministry following Newcastle's resignation, although in reality William Pitt 'the Elder', Secretary of State for the Southern Department (1756-1761), dominated the political scene. Devonshire's brief period in office was notable for the court martial of Admiral Byng (executed 14 Mar 1757) for his failure to relieve Minorca, and for difficulties with the Duke of Cumberland over the defense of Hanover. The latter dispute provoked a political crisis in early 1757 leading to the reconstitution of the Government, with the Duke of Newcastle replacing Devonshire as First Lord of the Treasury (29 Jun 1757) and prime minister. Devonshire remained in the Government as Lord Chamberlain (1757-1762), but the influence of the Earl of Bute and the Tories increased as that of Newcastle and Devonshire declined. When Devonshire refused to attend Privy Council meetings following Bute's appointment as First Lord of the Treasury (26 May 1762) George III dismissed him from ministerial office and from the Privy Council. [1, pp. 23-27] |
