GREY, George Harry, Lord Grey (1737-1819).

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1754-1790, ed. L. Namier, J. Brooke., 1964
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

1761 - 30 May 1768

Family and Education

b. 1 Oct. 1737, 1st s. of Harry, 4th Earl of Stamford, and bro. of Hon. Booth Grey. educ. Leicester; Queens’, Camb. 1755. m. 28 May 1763, Lady Henrietta Bentinck, da. of William, 2nd Duke of Portland, 4s. 5da. suc. fa. as 5th Earl of Stamford 30 May 1768;  cr. Earl of Warrington 22 April 1796.

Offices Held

Ld. Lt. Cheshire 1783- d.

Biography

Lord Grey’s father was a close friend of Lord Gower, whom he made a trustee of his will. Grey was returned unopposed for Staffordshire in 1761 as Gower’s candidate, and through him was sent Newcastle’s parliamentary whip. Yet in December 1762 he voted against the peace preliminaries. His marriage brought him close to the leaders of the Opposition. He wrote to his brother-in-law Portland, 9 Nov. 1763:1

Prayers and entreaties innumerable have been thundered into my ears to prevent me going up to the meeting of the Parliament. My disobedience I am certain would be the means of an open breach with all my family; I have therefore determined to lay aside all thoughts of it. The arguments you made use of to prevail upon me carried with them great weight, but when my dear friend considers that the peace of a family is at stake he will, I hope, think that I have acted the most prudent part. My sentiments I can with great truth assure him are not in the least altered, nor shall I on any account desert the good cause I have espoused.

Thus he does not appear in the list of the minority of 15 Nov. 1763. But in the three divisions over general warrants, 6, 15 and 18 Feb. 1764, he voted with the Opposition; was classed by Newcastle, 10 May 1764, as a ‘sure friend’; and belonged to Wildman’s Club. He supported the Rockingham Administration; and voted against the Chatham Administration on the land tax, 27 Feb. 1767, and the nullum tempus bill, 17 Feb. 1768.

He was again the Gower candidate for Staffordshire at the general election of 1768, in spite of their divergence in politics; and was returned unopposed. There is no record of his having spoken in the House of Commons.

In the Lords Stamford voted with the Rockinghams; and after Rockingham’s death with the Portland Whigs.  He died 23 May 1819.

Ref Volumes: 1754-1790

Author: John Brooke

Notes

  • 1. Portland mss.