William Grenville

William Grenville (1759-1834), British prime minister (1806-1807), who as foreign secretary negotiated Jay's Treaty, an agreement resolving major differences between Great Britain and the United States, and whose lasting legacy was the abolition of the British overseas slave trade. Born William Wyndham Grenville, the youngest son of George Grenville, he was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. He became member of Parliament for Buckingham in 1782, and served as chief secretary for Ireland between 1782 and 1783 before becoming Paymaster General. He was made speaker of the House of Commons in 1789 but resigned in the same year to become secretary of state for the home department. In 1790 he was created Baron Grenville and elevated to the House of Lords.

From 1791 to 1801 he served as secretary of state for foreign affairs during the ministry of his cousin William Pitt. In that office he negotiated Jay's Treaty and prosecuted the war with France. Although not always in accord with Pitt, Grenville resigned with him in protest against the refusal of George III to consent to legislation providing Roman Catholic emancipation. When offered a place in the new Pitt ministry in 1804, Grenville rejected it because his political ally, Charles James Fox, was excluded from the Cabinet by the king.

After Pitt's death in 1806, Grenville became prime minister in a coalition government, called the “Ministry of All the Talents”, with Fox as foreign secretary and Viscount Sidmouth as Lord Privy Seal. In that capacity he secured the passage of a law abolishing the slave trade, meeting strong opposition in the House of Lords. Unwilling to comply with the request of George III that no more measures proposing concessions to Roman Catholics be presented to Parliament, the Grenville Cabinet resigned in 1807. He did not serve again in an administrative office, although was asked to do so; but he continued to sit in Parliament leading the opposition. He was also chancellor of Oxford University after 1810 until his death.