Liberal Government 1892–95

William Ewart Gladstone, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

The Earl of Rosebery, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

In the 1892 general election, the Conservative Party, led by Lord Salisbury, won the most seats but not an overall majority. As a result, William Ewart Gladstone's Liberal Party formed a minority government that relied upon Irish Nationalist support. On 3 March 1894, Gladstone resigned over the rejection of his Home Rule Bill, and the Earl of Rosebery succeeded him.

Cabinets

Gladstone’s Cabinet, August 1892 – February 1894

• William Ewart Gladstone - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury and Lord Privy Seal
• Lord Herschell - Lord Chancellor
• Lord Kimberley - Lord President of the Council, Secretary of State for India
• Herbert Henry Asquith - Home Secretary
• Lord Rosebery - Foreign Secretary
• Lord Ripon - Secretary of State for the Colonies
• Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman - Secretary of State for War
• Sir William Harcourt - Chancellor of the Exchequer
• Lord Spencer - First Lord of the Admiralty
• Anthony John Mundella - President of the Board of Trade
• Arnold Morley - Postmaster General
• Henry Hartley Fowler - President of the Local Government Board
• James Bryce - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• George John Shaw-Lefevre - First Commissioner of Works
• John Morley - Chief Secretary for Ireland
• Sir George Otto Trevelyan - Secretary for Scotland
• Arthur Herbert Dyke Acland - Vice President of the Council of Education

The Earl of Rosebery’s Cabinet, March 1894 – June 1895

• Lord Rosebery – Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Lord President of the Council, and Leader of the House of Lords
• Lord Herschell – Lord Chancellor
• Lord Tweedmouth – Lord Privy Seal
• Herbert Henry Asquith – Secretary of State for the Home Department
• Lord Kimberley – Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
• Lord Ripon – Secretary of State for the Colonies
• Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman – Secretary of State for War
• Sir Henry Hartley Fowler – Secretary of State for India
• Sir William Vernon Harcourt – Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons
• Lord Spencer – First Lord of the Admiralty
• Anthony John Mundella – President of the Board of Trade
• Arnold Morley – Postmaster-General
• George John Shaw-Lefevre – President of the Local Government Board
• James Bryce – Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• John Morley – Chief Secretary for Ireland
• Sir George Otto Trevelyan – Secretary for Scotland
• Arthur Herbert Dyke Acland – Vice President of the Council of Education

Changes

• May 1894: James Bryce succeeds A.J. Mundella at the Board of Trade. Lord Tweedmouth succeeds Bryce at the Duchy of Lancaster, remaining also Lord Privy Seal.

List of Ministers

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.

Office	Name	Date	Notes
Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury	William Ewart Gladstone	15 August 1892 – 2 March 1894	also Leader of the House of Commons
	The Earl of Rosebery	5 March 1894 – 21 June 1895	also Leader of the House of Lords
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Sir William Vernon Harcourt	18 August 1892	also Leader of the House of Commons 1894–1895
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury	Edward Marjoribanks	18 August 1892	succeeded as 2nd Baron Tweedmouth 4 March 1894
	T. E. Ellis	10 March 1894
Financial Secretary to the Treasury	Sir John Tomlinson Hibbert	18 August 1892
Junior Lords of the Treasury	T. E. Ellis	22 August 1892 – 21 June 1895
	Richard Causton	22 August 1892 – 21 June 1895
	William Alexander McArthur	22 August 1892 – 21 June 1895
Lord Chancellor	The Lord Herschell	18 August 1892
Lord President of the Council	The Earl of Kimberley	18 August 1892	also Leader of the House of Lords 18 August 1892 – 5 March 1894
	The Earl of Rosebery	10 March 1894
Lord Privy Seal	William Ewart Gladstone	20 August 1892
	The Lord Tweedmouth	10 March 1894
Secretary of State for the Home Department	H. H. Asquith	18 August 1892
Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department	Herbert Gladstone	19 August 1892
	George W. E. Russell	12 March 1894
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	The Earl of Rosebery	18 August 1892
	The Earl of Kimberley	11 March 1894
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Sir Edward Grey	19 August 1892
Secretary of State for War	Henry Campbell-Bannerman	18 August 1892
Under-Secretary of State for War	The Lord Sandhurst	22 August 1892
	The Lord Monkswell	5 January 1895
Financial Secretary to the War Office	William Woodall	22 August 1892
Secretary of State for the Colonies	The Marquess of Ripon	18 August 1892
Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies	Sydney Buxton	18 August 1892
Secretary of State for India	The Earl of Kimberley	18 August 1892
	Henry Fowler	10 March 1894
Under-Secretary of State for India	George W. E. Russell	19 August 1892
	The Lord Reay	11 March 1894
First Lord of the Admiralty	The Earl Spencer	19 August 1892
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty	Sir Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth	19 August 1892
Civil Lord of the Admiralty	Edmund Robertson	25 August 1892
Vice-President of the Committee on Education	Arthur Dyke Acland	25 August 1892
Chief Secretary for Ireland	John Morley	22 August 1892
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland	The Lord Houghton	18 August 1892
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	James Bryce	18 August 1892
	The Lord Tweedmouth	28 May 1894
President of the Local Government Board	Henry Fowler	18 August 1892
	George Shaw-Lefevre	1894
Postmaster-General	Arnold Morley	18 August 1892
Secretary for Scotland	Sir George Trevelyan, Bt	18 August 1892
President of the Board of Trade	A. J. Mundella	18 August 1892
	James Bryce	28 May 1894
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade	Thomas Burt	18 August 1892
First Commissioner of Works	George Shaw-Lefevre	18 August 1892
	Herbert Gladstone	10 March 1894
President of the Board of Agriculture	Herbert Gardner	25 August 1892
Paymaster General	Charles Seale-Hayne	18 August 1892
Attorney General	Sir Charles Russell	20 August 1892
	Sir John Rigby	3 May 1894
	Sir Robert Threshie Reid	24 October 1894
Solicitor General	Sir John Rigby	20 August 1892
	Sir Robert Threshie Reid	3 May 1894
	Sir Frank Lockwood	28 October 1894
Judge Advocate General	Sir Francis Jeune	31 December 1892
Lord Advocate	John Balfour	20 August 1892
Solicitor General for Scotland	Alexander Asher	20 August 1892
	Thomas Shaw	22 March 1894
Attorney-General for Ireland	The Macdermot	August 1892
Solicitor-General for Ireland	Charles Hemphill	August 1892
Lord Steward of the Household	The Marquess of Breadalbane	25 August 1892
Lord Chamberlain of the Household	The Lord Carrington	25 August 1892
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household	Charles Spencer	25 August 1892
Master of the Horse	The Viscount Oxenbridge	25 August 1892
	The Earl of Cork	19 March 1894
Treasurer of the Household	The Earl of Chesterfield	25 August 1892
	Arthur Brand	13 March 1894
Comptroller of the Household	George Leveson-Gower	25 August 1892
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-Arms	The Lord Vernon	25 August 1892
	The Earl of Chesterfield	13 March 1894
Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard	The Lord Kensington	25 August 1892
Master of the Buckhounds	The Lord Ribblesdale	25 August 1892
Mistress of the Robes	vacant	—
Lords-in-Waiting	The Lord Acton	19 September 1892 – 21 June 1895
	The Lord Camoys	19 September 1892 – 21 June 1895
	The Lord Hamilton of Dalzell	19 September 1892 – 1 May 1894
	The Lord Monkswell	19 September 1892 – 4 February 1895
	The Lord Wolverton	19 September 1892 – 14 June 1893
	The Lord Playfair	26 November 1892 – 21 June 1895
	The Lord Brassey	14 June 1893 – 21 June 1895
	Viscount Drumlanrig	1 July 1893 – 18 October 1894
	The Lord Hawkesbury	1 May 1894 – 21 June 1895
	The Earl of Buckinghamshire	17 January 1895 – 21 June 1895
	The Earl Granville	4 February 1895 – 21 June 1895

References

Preceded by Second Salisbury ministry

British Government 1892–1895

Succeeded by Third Salisbury ministry