Thomas Pelham-Holles duke of Newcastle

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Newcastle, Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st duke of (1693-1768). Newcastle held important offices of state for over 40 years. The attention devoted to his personal idiosyncrasies, such as his incessant chattering, can lead to the more successful aspects of his career being overlooked.

Created a duke in 1715, Newcastle rose quickly to high office, becoming lord chamberlain in 1717 and secretary of state for the southern department in 1724. He was subordinate to fellow-secretary Townshend, but his prominence increased when Walpole edged Townshend out in 1730. As Walpole's own grip on power loosened, Newcastle's loyalty loosened with it. Walpole's fall in 1742 led to Carteret, George II's favourite, being promoted secretary for the northern department. Newcastle and his brother Henry Pelham used parliamentary support to overwhelm Carteret's purely personal power and forced George II to dismiss him in 1744. In 1746 the Pelhams won control over the government, after resigning and obliging the king to invite them back.

Though Henry Pelham as 1st lord of the Treasury quickly became the ‘prime’ minister, Newcastle retained very wide powers over foreign affairs and patronage, particularly in the Church of England. The death of Henry Pelham in 1754 dealt Newcastle a heavy blow. Newcastle took the post of 1st lord, but would not give a minister in the Commons real power and Pitt and Henry Fox subjected the government to heavy attack. War with France commenced with a string of disasters, forcing Newcastle to resign in 1756. In an astonishingly short time, however, he returned as 1st lord in a most successful ministry, the Pitt-Newcastle coalition, 1757-61. Pitt directed the war effort whilst Newcastle dealt with patronage and financial matters. The accession of George III in 1760 changed the political situation dramatically, and Newcastle soon followed Pitt out of office as the Seven Years War drew to a close in 1762.

Although Newcastle returned as lord privy seal in the Rockingham government 1765-6, he was increasingly marginalized. Throughout his career, Newcastle was most effective as deputy to a man of greater ability, be this Walpole, Pelham, or Pitt.