TheKingdom of Great Britain was governed by acaretaker government in April–June 1757, afterGeorge II's dismissal ofWilliam Pitt led to the collapse of thePitt–Devonshire ministry amid theSeven Years' War.William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire, continued as the nominal head of government.
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In 1756, King George II was reluctantly compelled to accept a ministry dominated by William Pitt asSecretary of State. The nominal head of this ministry, asFirst Lord of the Treasury, was the Duke of Devonshire.
On 6 April 1757,[1] following Pitt's opposition to the execution of AdmiralJohn Byng, the King (who distrusted Pitt) dismissed him and his brother-in-lawLord Temple, who had beenFirst Lord of the Admiralty. The result of these events was to demonstrate beyond doubt that the "Great Commoner" (as Pitt was familiarly known) was indispensable to the formation of a ministry strong enough to prosecute a major war.
Devonshire was left to lead a ministry that was manifestly far too weak to survive long—particularly in wartime. One of the major problems was that it included no figure capable of taking the lead in theHouse of Commons. The ministry also lacked the support of the most significant factions in the Commons.
Devonshire recognised that it was necessary to reconcile Pitt and his old political foeThomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle, who led the strongestWhig faction inParliament, but whose exclusion Pitt had insisted from the 1756–57 ministry.
The King (after discussions with Devonshire and Newcastle in May) authorisedPhilip Yorke, 1st Earl of Hardwicke, to be his emissary to negotiate for a new ministry. Hardwick pleaded with Pitt to work with Newcastle in heading "a complete, strong, and well-cemented" government, as opposed to "amutilated, enfeebled, half-formed system".[2]
The needs of the country and the lack of an obvious alternative led to the reappointment of Pitt as Secretary of State (with Newcastle asFirst Lord of the Treasury) on 27 June,[3] forming thePitt–Newcastle ministry. Devonshire resigned the office of First Lord to take up the less demanding responsibilities ofLord Chamberlain.
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|
| (head of ministry) | 1756 (1756) | June 1757 (1757-06) | |
| Lord Chancellor[5] | In commission | 1757 (1757) | 1757 (1757) |
| Lord President of the Council[5] | 1751 (1751) | 1763 (1763) | |
| Lord Privy Seal[6] | 1755 (1755) | 1757 (1757) | |
| Leader of the House of Commons | Vacated byWilliam Pitt | April 1757 (1757-04) | June 1757 (1757-06) |
| First Lord of the Admiralty[7] | 1757 (1757) | 1757 (1757) | |
| Secretary of State for the Northern Department[8] | 1754 (1754) | 1761 (1761) | |
| Secretary of State for the Southern Department[8] | Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness[a] | 1757 (1757) | 1757 (1757) |
| Chancellor of the Exchequer[7] | 1757 (1757) | 1757 (1757) |
{{citation}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)| Preceded by | Government of Great Britain 6 April – 27 June 1757 (1757-04-06 –1757-06-27) | Succeeded by |
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