James Grenville facts for kids

James Grenville (born February 12, 1715 – died September 14, 1783) was a British politician. He came from a very important political family and held several key jobs in the government during his career.

Early Life and Family

James Grenville was born in 1715 at Wotton House in Buckinghamshire, England. He was part of the powerful Grenville family, and five of his brothers also became politicians. His father, Richard Grenville, was a well-known politician from Buckinghamshire.

His brothers included Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple, and George Grenville, who later became the Prime Minister of Britain. Another brother was Thomas Grenville. James went to Eton College from 1728 to 1732. After that, he studied law at the Inner Temple and became a lawyer in 1738. In the same year, he inherited a property called Butleigh Court in Somerset from his aunt.

Starting a Political Career

James Grenville became a Member of Parliament (MP) in 1741. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the country's parliament, which is like a big meeting where laws are made. He was chosen as part of Lord Cobham's group and was known as one of "Cobham's Cubs" early in his time in parliament. These "Cubs" were a group of young politicians who followed Lord Cobham's ideas.

Important Government Roles

James Grenville held many important jobs in the government. In 1746, he started working at the Board of Trade, which dealt with business and trade for the country.

Later, from 1756 to 1761, he was a junior Lord of the Treasury. This meant he helped manage the country's money. He also served as a Lord of the Treasury at other times. In 1761, he became the Cofferer of the Household, a role that managed the royal household's finances. He also became a Privy Counsellor in 1761, which is a senior advisor to the King. From 1766 to 1770, he was a Joint Vice-Treasurer of Ireland, helping to manage Ireland's finances.

Political Changes and Family Ties

In October 1761, James Grenville resigned from his government job. He did this because his brother-in-law, William Pitt, who was a very important leader, also resigned. James Grenville then joined the "opposition," which means he worked against the government in power.

He later played a key role in helping his brothers make up. His brother George Grenville had caused a disagreement by not resigning with Pitt. James helped George become friends again with their oldest brother, Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple, who was a close friend of Pitt.

Personal Life and Legacy

James Grenville married Mary Smyth. She was the daughter and only heir of James Smyth from Lincolnshire. They had twin sons together.

When James Grenville passed away in 1783, his son James inherited most of his property. This son later became known as Baron Glastonbury. His other twin son, General Richard Grenville, also received some property. Both of his sons served as MPs for Buckingham from 1774 to 1780.

James Grenville is buried at the Church of St Leonard, Butleigh.