George Robert Dawson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Robert Dawson
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|---|---|
| Financial Secretary to the Treasury | |
| In office 28 January 1830 – 24 November 1830 |
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| Monarch | George IV William IV |
| Prime Minister | The Duke of Wellington |
| Preceded by | Thomas Frankland Lewis |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Spring Rice |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 December 1790 Castledawson, County Londonderry |
| Died | 3 April 1856 (aged 65) |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Tory |
| Spouse | Mary Peel |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
George Robert Dawson (born December 24, 1790 – died April 3, 1856) was an important Anglo-Irish politician. He was a member of the Tory party, which was a major political group in Britain during his time. Dawson served in several important government roles throughout his career.
Contents
Early Life and Education
George Robert Dawson was born in Castledawson, a town in County Londonderry, Ireland. His father, Arthur Dawson, was also a politician who served in the Irish Parliament.
Young George went to Harrow, a famous school, and then studied at Christ Church, Oxford, a well-known university. While at Oxford, he became good friends with Robert Peel, who would later become a very important Prime Minister. George Dawson later married Robert Peel's sister. In 1811, he became a lawyer after studying at Lincoln's Inn.
Political Career Highlights
Dawson began his political journey in 1812, working as a private secretary for Robert Peel. At that time, Peel was the Chief Secretary for Ireland, a key government role.
In 1815, Dawson was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) for County Londonderry. An MP is someone elected to represent their area in the British Parliament, helping to make laws.
He held several important positions in the government:
- From 1822 to 1827, he was the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department. This role involved helping to manage affairs within the country.
- From 1828 to 1830, he served as the Financial Secretary to the Treasury. This meant he helped manage the country's money.
In 1830, Dawson became an MP for Harwich and was also sworn into the Privy Council. Being a member of the Privy Council meant he could advise the King or Queen.
He worked with Robert Peel again from 1834 to 1835 as the First Secretary of the Admiralty, a role connected to the navy. Later, from 1841 to 1850, he worked as a Commissioner and Deputy Chairman of Customs, dealing with taxes on goods entering the country.
Supporting Catholic Emancipation
One of Dawson's most notable actions was a speech he gave in Derry in 1828. In this speech, he strongly supported Catholic emancipation. This was a movement to give Roman Catholics the same rights as Protestants in Britain and Ireland, including the right to sit in Parliament. The very next year, in 1829, the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 was passed into law, which granted these rights. This was a big change for the time.
Family Life
George Robert Dawson married Mary Peel on January 9, 1816. Mary was the daughter of Sir Robert Peel, 1st Baronet, who was also a very important figure. George and Mary had five children. One of their children, Robert Peel Dawson, also became a Member of Parliament, following in his father's footsteps. George Robert Dawson passed away in 1856.
