Background
George Nugent-Temple-Grenville was born on 17 June 1753, the second son of George Grenville and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Wyndham.
George Nugent-Temple-Grenville was born on 17 June 1753, the second son of George Grenville and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Wyndham.
He was educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford, but did not obtain a degree.
In October 1774 he was elected as one of the M.P.s for Buckinghamshire.
Lord Temples political career began to rise with the downfall of the ministry of Lord North № 1782. Temple became lord lieutenant of Buckinghamshire in March 1782, and on 31 July 1782 was made both lord lieutenant of Ireland and a member of the Privy Council. This was in the short-lived government of the Earl of Shelburne, who had been appointed prime minister by the king, having been chosen over Lord Portland, the new leader of the Rockinghamite section of the Whigs. He left his Irish office in 1783, with the end of Shelburne’s ministry, but returned to government as secretary of state for the Home Department in the ministry of William Pitt, the Younger. He accepted this post on 19 December 1783 and resigned it on the 22 December—allegedly because he had used the king’s name to influence legislation, but possibly because he was denied a dukedom.
He became lord lieutenant of Ireland again in November 1787, but lost that position in 1789 under accusations of financial mismanagement. In the meantime, he had succeeded to the Irish earldom of NugenIn October 1774 he was elected as one of the M.P.s for Buckinghamshire. He was initially a supporter of Lord Norths government, and in 1776 backed North’s German treaties to hire troops to coerce the American colonies, having no doubt of the right of Parliament to tax America”. Later, he did moderate some measures taken against the American colonies.
Lord Temples political career began to rise with the downfall of the ministry of Lord North № 1782. Temple became lord lieutenant of Buckinghamshire in March 1782, and on 31 July 1782 was made both lord lieutenant of Ireland and a member of the Privy Council. This was in the short-lived government of the Earl of Shelburne, who had been appointed prime minister by the king, having been chosen over Lord Portland, the new leader of the Rockinghamite section of the Whigs. Temple found the Irish situation ominous, and he helped to introduce a new constitution for Ireland in 1782. He left his Irish office in 1783, with the end of Shelburne’s ministry, but returned to government as secretary of state for the Home Department in the ministry of William Pitt, the Younger. He accepted this post on 19 December 1783 and resigned it on the 22 December—allegedly because he had used the king’s name to influence legislation, but possibly because he was denied a dukedom. The latter explanation is supported by a later statement made by Horace Walpole, who wrote that Temple had “many disgusting qualities, as pride, obstinacy, and want of truth, with natural propensity to avarice”.
On 4 December 1784, Temple was created the Marquess of Buckingham. He became lord lieutenant of Ireland again in November 1787, but lost that position in 1789 under accusations of financial mismanagement. In the meantime, he had succeeded to the Irish earldom of Nugent in October 1788. Thereafter, he gradually retired from politics, but maintained his interest and involvement in Irish affairs. He was colonel of the Buckinghamshire militia in Ireland at the time of the Irish insurrection of 1798, and remained a strong supporter of Britain’s union with Ireland. He died on 11 February 1813.
He was initially a supporter of Lord Norths government, and in 1776 backed North’s German treaties to hire troops to coerce the American colonies, having no doubt of the right of Parliament to tax America”. Later, he did moderate some measures taken against the American colonies.
Quotes from others about the person
There was a statement made by Horace Walpole, who wrote that Temple had “many disgusting qualities, as pride, obstinacy, and want of truth, with natural propensity to avarice”.