William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Auckland
FRS PC (Ire)
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| President of the Board of Trade | |
| In office 5 February 1806 – 31 March 1807 |
|
| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | The Lord Grenville |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Montrose |
| Succeeded by | The Earl Bathurst |
| Chief Secretary for Ireland | |
| In office 1780–1782 |
|
| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | Lord North |
| Preceded by | Richard Heron |
| Succeeded by | Richard FitzPatrick |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 April 1745 |
| Died | 28 May 1814 (aged 69) Beckenham, Kent |
| Political party | Tory (Pittite) Whig (Grenvillite) |
| Spouses |
Eleanor Elliot
(m. 1776) |
| Relations | George Osborne, 8th Duke of Leeds (grandson) |
| Children | Eleanor Eden Catharine Isabella Eden Elizabeth Charlotte Eden Caroline Eden William Eden (MP) George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland Henry Eden Mary Louisa Eden Mary Dulcibella Eden Emily Eden Robert Eden, 3rd Baron Auckland Frances Eden |
| Education | Durham School Eton College |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland (born April 3, 1745 – died May 28, 1814) was an important British diplomat and politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like a parliament, from 1774 to 1793. He was also a member of the Irish Privy Council and a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Contents
Early Life and Education
William Eden came from the well-known Eden family. His father was Sir Robert Eden, 3rd Baronet. William had several brothers who also became important. His brother, Sir John Eden, was also a Member of Parliament. Another brother, Sir Robert Eden, was the last royal Governor of Maryland in America. His brother Morton Eden became a diplomat.
William went to Durham School and Eton College, which are famous schools. He then studied at Christ Church, Oxford University. In 1768, he became a lawyer, which means he could practice law.
A Career in Politics and Diplomacy
William Eden was very good at understanding business and money matters. In 1771, he wrote a book called Principles of Penal Law. This book was about how laws should be made and enforced.
Early Government Roles
From 1772 to 1778, William worked as an Under-Secretary of State. This was a high-level job in the government. In 1774, he became a Member of Parliament for Woodstock. He also served on the Board of Trade from 1776 to 1782. This board helped manage trade and business for the country.
Helping Prisoners and Peace Efforts
In 1778, William helped pass a law to make the treatment of prisoners better. That same year, he traveled to North America with the Earl of Carlisle. Their job was to try and end the American War of Independence. However, their mission was not successful.
During the war, William was in charge of British spies in Europe. He managed a large budget for this work. After returning in 1779, he wrote a popular book called Four Letters to the Earl of Carlisle.
Work in Ireland and Abroad
In 1780, William became the Chief Secretary for Ireland. He held this position until 1782. He also joined the Irish Privy Council. This group advised the King on Irish affairs. While in Ireland, he helped create the National Bank.
From 1781 to 1783, he was a Member of Parliament in the Irish House of Commons. He also worked as a Joint Vice-Treasurer of Ireland from 1783 to 1784.
Between 1784 and 1793, William was a Member of Parliament for Heytesbury. He also served as an ambassador in several countries:
- In France from 1785 to 1787, focusing on trade agreements.
- In Spain from 1787 to 1789.
- In the Netherlands from 1789 to 1793.
Becoming a Lord and Retirement
In 1789, William was given the title of Baron Auckland in Ireland. This meant he became a Lord. In 1793, he retired from his public jobs. He received a pension, which is like a retirement payment. He was also given another title, Baron Auckland, in Great Britain.
After retiring, he lived in the countryside at Beckenham. He remained friends with William Pitt the Younger, who was a Prime Minister. In 1795, William Eden published a book called Remarks on the Apparent Circumstances of the War. This book helped prepare people for the idea of peace.
Later, in 1798, he joined Pitt's government again as Joint Postmaster General. This job involved managing the postal service. He later served as President of the Board of Trade from 1806 to 1807.
William Eden's writings, especially his Journal and Correspondence, give us a lot of information about the politics of his time. The subantarctic Auckland Islands near New Zealand were named after him. Also, Eden Quay in Dublin is named in his honor.
Family Life
In 1776, Lord Auckland married Eleanor Elliot. She was the daughter of Sir Gilbert Elliot, 3rd Baronet. William and Eleanor had six sons and eight daughters.
His Children
- Eleanor Agnes Eden (1777–1851): There were rumors that she might marry Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger. However, Pitt denied it. She later married Robert Hobart in 1799.
- Catharine Isabella Eden (1778–1810): She married Nicholas Vansittart, who later became Baron Bexley.
- Elizabeth Charlotte Eden (1780–1847): She married Francis Osborne, who became Baron Godolphin.
- Caroline Eden (1781–1851): She married Arthur Vansittart.
- George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland (1784–1849): He became the next Lord Auckland after his father. He never married.
- Henry Eden (1787–1794): He died when he was young.
- Mary Louisa Eden (1788–1858): She married Andrew Colville. He helped Scottish people move to Canada.
- Mary Dulcibella Eden (1793–1862): She married Charles Drummond.
- Emily Eden (1797–1869): She was a writer and poet. Her letters were published later.
- Robert Eden, 3rd Baron Auckland (1799–1870): He became the 3rd Baron Auckland.
- Frances Eden (1801–1849)
Lord Auckland passed away in May 1814. His oldest living son, George, inherited his title. Lady Auckland died in May 1818.
Images for kids
-
Eleanor Agnes Eden, William Eden's daughter.
