George Grenville
Whig 1763 to 1765
“A wise government knows how to enforce with temper, or to conciliate with dignity.”
Born
14 October 1712, Wotton, Buckinghamshire
Died
13 November 1770, Bolton Street, Piccadilly, London
Dates in office
1763 to 1765
Political party
Whig
Major acts
The Navy Act 1758: to speed up the payment of seamen’s wages and enable them to send a portion home to their families. The Stamp Act 1765: required all legal documents, licenses, commercial contracts, newspapers, pamphlets, and playing cards to carry a tax stamp. The Parliamentary Elections Act 1770 - aka The Grenville Act: transferred the power of trying election petitions from the House of Commons to a small committee of MPs selected by lot.
Biography
George Grenville came from a family of politicians. He became First Lord of the Treasury during a period of considerable political turbulence in the 1760s.
His imposition of new duties on the American colonies helped provoke the outbreak of the American War of Independence.
Read more about George Grenville on the History of government blog.