Background
Grant was born in Kidderpore, Bengal, India, the eldest son of Charles Grant, chairman of the directors of the British East India Company.
Grant was born in Kidderpore, Bengal, India, the eldest son of Charles Grant, chairman of the directors of the British East India Company.
He was educated at Magdalene College, Cambridge, and became a fellow in 1802.
He was called to the bar in 1807. He held that seat until 1818, when was returned for Inverness-shire. He was a Lord of the Treasury from December 1813 until August 1819, when he became Chief Secretary for Ireland and a Privy Counsellor.
In 1823 he was appointed Vice-President of the Board of Trade.
From September 1827 to June 1828 he was President of the Board of Trade and Treasurer of the Navy. Grant broke with the Tories over Reform and joined the Whigs (via the Canningite Tory splinter group).
He was President of the Board of Control under Lord Grey and Lord Melbourne from November 1830 to November 1834. At the Board of Control Grant was primarily responsible for the Acting of 1833 that altered the constitution of the Government of India.
In April 1835 he became Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, and was created Baron Glenelg, of Glenelg in the County of Inverness.
His term of office was a stormy one. His differences with Sir Benjamin d"Urban, Governor of Cape Colony, were serious. But more so were those with King William IV and others over the administration of Canada.
Lord Glenelg was still Secretary when the Canadian rebellion broke out in 1837.
His policy was fiercely attacked in Parliament. He became involved in disputes with Lord Durham, and the movement for his supersession found supporters even among his colleagues in the cabinet.
In February 1839 Lord Glenelg resigned. He has been called the last of the Canningites.
Lord Glenelg died in Cannes, France in April 1866, aged 87.
The barony became extinct on his death.
Royal Society; 4th United Kingdom Parliament. 5th United Kingdom Parliament. 6th United Kingdom Parliament.
7th United Kingdom Parliament.
8th United Kingdom Parliament. 9th United Kingdom Parliament.
10th United Kingdom Parliament. 11th United Kingdom Parliament]
In 1811 Grant was elected to the British House of Commons as Member of Parliament for Inverness Burghs.