Spencer Horatio Walpole

The Right Honourable Spencer Horatio Walpole QC LLD
Home Secretary
In office 27 February 1852 – 19 December 1852
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Derby
Preceded by	Sir George Grey, Bt
Succeeded by	The Viscount Palmerston
In office 26 February 1858 – 3 March 1859
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Derby
Preceded by	Sir George Grey, Bt
Succeeded by	Thomas H. Sotheron-Estcourt
In office 6 July 1866 – 17 May 1867
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Derby
Preceded by	Sir George Grey, Bt
Succeeded by	Gathorne Hardy
Personal details
Born	11 September 1806 (2024-04-19UTC19:51:49)
Died
Nationality	British
Political party	Whig Conservative
Spouse(s)	Isabella Perceval (d. 1886)
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge

Spencer Horatio Walpole, QC, LLD (11 September 1806–22 May 1898) was a British Conservative politician who served three times as Home Secretary in the administrations of Lord Derby.

Background and education

Walpole was the second son of Thomas Walpole and Lady Margaret Perceval, youngest daughter of the 2nd Earl of Egmont and sister of Prime Minister Spencer Perceval. His grandfather was Thomas Walpole, son of the diplomat the 1st Baron Walpole, younger brother of Prime Minister the 1st Earl of Orford. Walpole was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge. He chose law as his profession, and was called to the Bar, Lincoln's Inn, in 1831. He built up a successful practice and was made a Queen's Counsel in 1846.

Political career

Walpole then turned to politics, and in 1846 he was elected to Parliament for Midhurst as a Tory, a seat he would hold until 1856. He quickly gained a reputation in the House of Commons, and when the Tories came to power in early 1852 under Lord Derby, Walpole was appointed Home Secretary in the so-called "Who? Who? Ministry". He was admitted to the Privy Council at the same time. However, the government fell in December 1852.

In 1856 Walpole was elected to Parliament for Cambridge University. Two years later the Tories (or the Conservatives as they became known during the 1850s) returned to office under Lord Derby. Walpole was again appointed Home Secretary, but resigned in January 1859 after disagreements over electoral reforms. The government was dismissed in July the same year. The Conservatives remained out of office for seven years, but in 1866 they again came to power under Derby, who made Walpole Home Secretary for the third time. However, he was severely criticized for his handling of the movement for parliamentary reform, and resigned in May 1867. He nonetheless continued to serve in the cabinet as Minister without Portfolio until February 1868, when Benjamin Disraeli became Prime Minister. Walpole never held office again, but remained a Member of Parliament for Cambridge University until 1882.

Family

Walpole married his first cousin, Isabella Perceval, daughter of Spencer Perceval, in 1835. They had four children, two sons and two daughters. Their elder son Sir Spencer Walpole was a well-known historian. Walpole died in May 1898, aged 91.

See also

• Baron Walpole and Walpole of Wolterton

References

•  
• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Spencer Horatio Walpole

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Sir Horace Seymour	Member of Parliament for Midhurst 1846–1856	Succeeded by Samuel Warren
Preceded by Henry Goulburn Loftus Tottenham Wigram	Member of Parliament for Cambridge University 1856–1882 With: Loftus Tottenham Wigram 1856–1859 Charles Jasper Selwyn 1859–1868 Alexander Beresford Hope 1868–1882	Succeeded by Alexander Beresford Hope Henry Cecil Raikes
Political offices
Preceded by Sir George Grey, Bt	Home Secretary 1852	Succeeded by The Viscount Palmerston
Preceded by Sir George Grey, Bt	Home Secretary 1858–1859	Succeeded by Thomas Sotheron-Estcourt
Preceded by Sir George Grey, Bt	Home Secretary 1866–1867	Succeeded by Gathorne Hardy
Preceded by None	Minister without Portfolio 1867–1868	Succeeded by None
Honorary titles
Preceded by William Ewart Gladstone	Senior Privy Counsellor 1898 With: The Duke of Rutland	Succeeded by The Duke of Rutland