Townshend ministry facts for kids

Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend, was appointed Secretary of State for the Northern Department by George I of Great Britain in September 1714. Until 1717, he held the position of Northern Secretary and was the de facto leader of the Whig administration. However, he was later demoted to Lord Lieutenant of Ireland when he was outmanoeuvred by his rival Whigs, who formed the first Stanhope-Sunderland ministry. This led to a split within the Whig party that lasted until 1720.

The Cabinet

Office	Name	Term
Northern Secretary	The Viscount Townshend	1714–1716
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland	The Viscount Townshend	1717
Lord Chancellor	The Lord Cowper	1714–1717
First Lord of the Treasury	The Earl of Halifax	1714–1715
	The Earl of Carlisle	1715
	Robert Walpole	1715–1717
Lord Privy Seal	The Marquess of Wharton	1714–1715
	In commission	1715
	The Earl of Sunderland	1715–1716
	The Duke of Kingston	1716–1717
Lord President of the Council	The Earl of Nottingham	1714–1716
Lord President of the Council	The Duke of Devonshire	1716–1717
Southern Secretary	James Stanhope	1714–1716
Southern Secretary	Paul Methuen	1716–1717
Northern Secretary	James Stanhope	1716–1717
First Lord of the Admiralty	The Earl of Orford	1714–1717
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Sir Richard Onslow	1714–1715
Chancellor of the Exchequer	Robert Walpole	1715–1717
Master-General of the Ordnance	The Duke of Marlborough	1714–1717
Paymaster of the Forces	Robert Walpole	1714–1715
Paymaster of the Forces	The Earl of Lincoln	1715–1717
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland	The Earl of Sunderland	1714–1717
Lord Steward	The Duke of Devonshire	1714–1716
Lord Steward	The Duke of Kent	1716–1717
Secretary of State for Scotland	The Earl of Mar	1714
	The Duke of Montrose	1714–1715
	The Duke of Roxburghe	1716–1717
Lord Chamberlain	The Duke of Shrewsbury	1714–1715
Lord Chamberlain	The Duke of Bolton	1715–1717
Master of the Horse	The Duke of Somerset	1714–1715
Minister without Portfolio	The Lord Somers	1714–1716

Robert Walpole served as both First Lord of the Treasury and Chancellor of the Exchequer between 1715 and 1717.
While serving as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (1714–1717), Lord Sunderland additionally served as Lord Privy Seal between 1715 and 1716.