Duke of Wellington (1828-1830) - Prime Minister - Parliament

Arthur Wellesley was born in Dublin in 1769. He initially entered the House of Commons as the MP for Sussex, but continued to work for the military too. It was in 1814 that Wellesley was given the title of Duke of Wellington and placed in command of those forces that defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.

By 1818 he had returned to politics and joined the Tory administration. And he grew through the ranks to eventually become the Prime Minister in 1828. However in 1830 Wellington’s government was defeated in a vote in the House of Commons and he was replaced by Earl Grey.

Letters from the Duke of Wellington to Mrs Arbuthnot (April-May, 1831):
(28th April) “I learn from John that the mob attacked my House and broke about thirty windows. He fired two blunderbusses in the air from the top of the house, and they went off.”

(29th April) “I think that my servant John saved my house, or the lives of many of the mob - possibly both - by firing as he did. They certainly intended to destroy the house, and did not care one pin for the poor Duchess being dead in the house.”

(1st May) “Matters appear to be going as badly as possible. It may be relied upon that we shall have a revolution. I have never doubted the inclination and disposition of the lower orders of the people. I told you years ago that they are rotten to the core. They are not bloodthirsty, but they are desirous of plunder.

They will plunder, annihilate all property in the country. The majority of them will starve; and we shall witness scenes such as have never yet occurred in any part of the world.”
Duke of Wellington to Mr Gleig – 11th April, 1831:
“The conduct of government would be impossible, if the House of Commons should be brought to a greater degree under popular influence. That is the ground on which I stand in respect to the question in general of Reform in Parliament.

I confess that I see in thirty members for rotten boroughs, thirty men, I don't care of what party, who would preserve the state of property as it is; who would maintain by their votes the Church of England, its possessions, its churches and universities. I don't think that we could spare thirty or forty of these representatives, or with advantage exchange them for thirty or forty members elected for the great towns by any new system.”