Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland

Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland

Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, PC (28 September 1705 – 1 July 1774 in Holland House) was an English statesman.

He was the second son of Sir Stephen Fox and his second wife the former Christiana Hope, and inherited a large share of his father's wealth. He squandered it soon after attaining his majority, and went to the Continent to escape from his creditors. There he made the acquaintance of a woman of fortune, who became his patroness and was so generous to him that, after several years’ absence, he was in a position to return home and, in 1735, to enter Parliament as Member for Hindon in Wiltshire. He became the favourite pupil and devoted supporter of Sir Robert Walpole, achieving unequalled and unenviable proficiency in the worst political arts of his master and model.

A skilled speaker, he was able to hold his own against Pitt himself. This helped him progress in the House of Commons, becoming an indispensable member of several administrations. He was Surveyor-General of Works from 1737 to 1742, was Member for Windsor from 1741 to 1761; a Lord of the Treasury in 1743, Secretary at War and member of the Privy Council in 1746, and in 1755 became Leader of the House of Commons, Secretary of State for the Southern Department and a member of the Cabinet under the Duke of Newcastle.

In 1757, in the rearrangements of the government, Fox was ultimately excluded from the Cabinet, and given the post of Paymaster of the Forces. During the war, Fox devoted himself mainly to accumulating a vast fortune. In 1762 he again accepted the leadership of the House, with a seat in the Cabinet, under Lord Bute, and managed to induce the House of Commons to approve of the Treaty of Paris (1763); as a reward, he was raised to the House of Lords as Baron Holland, of Foxley in the County of Wilts, on 16 April 1763.

He had eloped with and married the much younger Lady Caroline Lennox, daughter of the Duke of Richmond, in 1744. She was later created Baroness Holland, of Holland in the County of Lincoln. The noted Whig politicians Charles James Fox and the 3rd Baron Holland were his son and grandson, respectively.

In 1765 Fox was forced to resign the Paymaster Generalship, and four years later a petition of the Livery of the City of London against the Ministers referred to him as "the public defaulter of unaccounted millions". The proceedings brought against him in the Court of Exchequer were delayed by a Royal Warrant; and he proved that in the delays in making up the accounts of his office he had not broken the law. From the interest on the outstanding balances he had nonetheless amassed a fortune. He tried in vain to obtain promotion to an earldom, a title on which he had set his heart, and he died at Holland House, Kensington, a sorely disappointed man, with a reputation for cunning and unscrupulousness, the most unpopular politician of his day.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Holland, Henry Fox, 1st Baron — ▪ British politician born September 28, 1705 died July 1, 1774, Kensington, near London       English politician, notable chiefly for the success with which he exploited public office for private gain.       The second son of Sir Stephen Fox, he… …   Universalium

  • Baron Holland — Baron Holland, of Holland in the County of Lincoln, and Baron Holland, of Foxley in the County of Wiltshire, were two titles in the Peerage of Great Britain. The first barony was created on 7 March 1762 for Lady Caroline Fox, the daughter of… …   Wikipedia

  • Henry Digby, 1st Earl Digby — (21 July 1731 – 25 September 1793), was a British peer and Member of Parliament.Digby was the younger son of Hon. Edward Digby, son of William Digby, 5th Baron Digby. His mother was Charlotte Fox, daughter of Sir Stephen Fox. Henry Fox, 1st Baron …   Wikipedia

  • Henry Fox-Strangways, 2nd Earl of Ilchester — Henry Thomas Fox Strangways, 2nd Earl of Ilchester (10 August 1747 ndash; 5 September 1802), known as Lord Stavordale from 1756 to 1776, was a British peer and Member of Parliament.Ilchester was the eldest son of Stephen Fox Strangways, 1st Earl… …   Wikipedia

  • Caroline Fox, 1st Baroness Holland — Georgiana Caroline Fox, 1st Baroness Holland of Holland (27 March 1723 ndash;24 July 1774), born as Lady Georgiana Caroline Lennox and known as Lady Caroline Lennox before 1744 and Lady Caroline Fox from 1744 1762. was the eldest of the Lennox… …   Wikipedia

  • Stephen Fox, 2nd Baron Holland — Stephen Fox, 2nd and 2nd Baron Holland (20 February 1745 ndash;26 December 1774) was briefly a British peer.Fox was the eldest son of the 1st Baron Holland and the former Lady Caroline Lennox. Stephen and his younger brother, Charles James, were… …   Wikipedia

  • Holland House — Holland House, built in 1605 for Sir Walter Cope and originally known as Cope Castle, was one of the first great houses built in Kensington, England. The 500 acre (2.0 km²) estate stretched from Holland Park Avenue to the current site of Earl s… …   Wikipedia

  • Holland House, London — Coordinates: 51°30′9″N 0°12′9″W / 51.5025°N 0.2025°W / 51.5025; 0.2025 …   Wikipedia

  • Fox (disambiguation) — The fox is a carnivorous animal.Fox may also refer to: Animals * The fox terrier, a dog breed Sport * Cruzeiro Esporte Clube, a Brazilian football team who carry the nickname The Foxes (Portuguese: A Raposa ) * Leicester City FC, an English… …   Wikipedia

  • Charles James Fox — The Right Honourable Charles James Fox Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs In office 27 March 1782 – 5 July …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”