Liberal government, 1892–1895


In the 1892 general election, the Conservative Party, led by Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, won the most seats but not an overall majority. As a result, William Ewart Gladstone's Liberal Party formed a minority government that relied upon Irish Nationalist support. On 3 March 1894, Gladstone resigned over the rejection of his Home Rule Bill and Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery succeeded him.

Cabinets

Fourth Gladstone ministry

Rosebery ministry

Changes

Cabinet members are listed in bold face.
OfficeNameDate
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
William Ewart Gladstone15 August 18922 March 1894
Prime Minister
First Lord of the Treasury
Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery5 March 189421 June 1895
Chancellor of the ExchequerSir William Vernon Harcourt18 August 1892
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryEdward Marjoribanks18 August 1892
Parliamentary Secretary to the TreasuryT. E. Ellis10 March 1894
Financial Secretary to the TreasurySir John Tomlinson Hibbert18 August 1892
Junior Lords of the TreasuryT. E. Ellis22 August 189221 June 1895
Junior Lords of the TreasuryRichard Causton22 August 189221 June 1895
Junior Lords of the TreasuryWilliam Alexander McArthur22 August 189221 June 1895
Lord ChancellorFarrer Herschell, 1st Baron Herschell18 August 1892
Lord President of the CouncilJohn Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley18 August 1892
Lord President of the CouncilArchibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery10 March 1894
Lord Privy SealWilliam Ewart Gladstone20 August 1892
Lord Privy SealEdward Marjoribanks, 2nd Baron Tweedmouth10 March 1894
Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentH. H. Asquith18 August 1892
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentHerbert Gladstone19 August 1892
Under-Secretary of State for the Home DepartmentGeorge W. E. Russell12 March 1894
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsArchibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery18 August 1892
Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsJohn Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley11 March 1894
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign AffairsSir Edward Grey, 3rd Baronet19 August 1892
Secretary of State for WarHenry Campbell-Bannerman18 August 1892
Under-Secretary of State for WarWilliam Mansfield, 2nd Baron Sandhurst22 August 1892
Under-Secretary of State for WarRobert Collier, 2nd Baron Monkswell5 January 1895
Financial Secretary to the War OfficeWilliam Woodall22 August 1892
Secretary of State for the ColoniesGeorge Robinson, 1st Marquess of Ripon18 August 1892
Under-Secretary of State for the ColoniesSydney Buxton18 August 1892
Secretary of State for IndiaJohn Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley18 August 1892
Secretary of State for IndiaHenry Fowler10 March 1894
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaGeorge W. E. Russell19 August 1892
Under-Secretary of State for IndiaDonald Mackay, 11th Lord Reay11 March 1894
First Lord of the AdmiraltyJohn Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer19 August 1892
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the AdmiraltySir Ughtred Kay-Shuttleworth19 August 1892
Civil Lord of the AdmiraltyEdmund Robertson25 August 1892
Vice-President of the Committee on EducationArthur Dyke Acland25 August 1892
Chief Secretary for IrelandJohn Morley22 August 1892
Lord Lieutenant of IrelandRobert Offley Ashburton Milnes, 2nd Baron Houghton18 August 1892
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterJames Bryce18 August 1892
Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterThe Lord Tweedmouth28 May 1894
President of the Local Government BoardHenry Fowler18 August 1892
President of the Local Government BoardGeorge Shaw-Lefevre1894
Postmaster-GeneralArnold Morley18 August 1892
Secretary for ScotlandSir George Trevelyan, 2nd Baronet18 August 1892
President of the Board of TradeA. J. Mundella18 August 1892
President of the Board of TradeJames Bryce28 May 1894
Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of TradeThomas Burt18 August 1892
First Commissioner of WorksGeorge Shaw-Lefevre18 August 1892
First Commissioner of WorksHerbert Gladstone10 March 1894
President of the Board of AgricultureHerbert Gardner25 August 1892
Paymaster GeneralCharles Seale-Hayne18 August 1892
Attorney GeneralSir Charles Russell20 August 1892
Attorney GeneralSir John Rigby3 May 1894
Attorney GeneralSir Robert Threshie Reid24 October 1894
Solicitor GeneralSir John Rigby20 August 1892
Solicitor GeneralSir Robert Threshie Reid3 May 1894
Solicitor GeneralSir Frank Lockwood28 October 1894
Judge Advocate GeneralSir Francis Jeune31 December 1892
Lord AdvocateJohn Balfour20 August 1892
Solicitor General for ScotlandAlexander Asher20 August 1892
Solicitor General for ScotlandThomas Shaw22 March 1894
Attorney-General for IrelandHugh Hyacinth O'Rorke MacDermotAugust 1892
Solicitor-General for IrelandCharles HemphillAugust 1892
Lord Steward of the HouseholdGavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane25 August 1892
Lord Chamberlain of the HouseholdCharles Wynn-Carrington, 3rd Baron Carrington25 August 1892
Vice-Chamberlain of the HouseholdCharles Spencer25 August 1892
Master of the HorseWilliam Monson, 1st Viscount Oxenbridge25 August 1892
Master of the HorseRichard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork19 March 1894
Treasurer of the HouseholdEdwyn Scudamore-Stanhope, 10th Earl of Chesterfield25 August 1892
Treasurer of the HouseholdArthur Brand13 March 1894
Comptroller of the HouseholdGeorge Leveson-Gower25 August 1892
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-ArmsGeorge Venables-Vernon, 7th Baron Vernon25 August 1892
Captain of the Gentlemen-at-ArmsEdwyn Scudamore-Stanhope, 10th Earl of Chesterfield13 March 1894
Captain of the Yeomen of the GuardWilliam Edwardes, 4th Baron Kensington25 August 1892
Master of the BuckhoundsThomas Lister, 4th Baron Ribblesdale25 August 1892
Mistress of the RobesVacant
Lords-in-WaitingJohn Dalberg-Acton, 1st Baron Acton19 September 189221 June 1895
Lords-in-WaitingFrancis Stonor, 4th Baron Camoys19 September 189221 June 1895
Lords-in-WaitingJohn Hamilton, 1st Baron Hamilton of Dalzell19 September 18921 May 1894
Lords-in-WaitingRobert Collier, 2nd Baron Monkswell19 September 18924 February 1895
Lords-in-WaitingFrederick Glyn, 4th Baron Wolverton19 September 189214 June 1893
Lords-in-WaitingLyon Playfair, 1st Baron Playfair26 November 189221 June 1895
Lords-in-WaitingThomas Brassey, 1st Baron Brassey14 June 189321 June 1895
Lords-in-WaitingFrancis Douglas, Viscount Drumlanrig1 July 189318 October 1894
Lords-in-WaitingCecil Foljambe, 1st Baron Hawkesbury1 May 189421 June 1895
Lords-in-WaitingSidney Hobart-Hampden-Mercer-Henderson, 7th Earl of Buckinghamshire17 January 189521 June 1895
Lords-in-WaitingGranville Leveson-Gower, 3rd Earl Granville4 February 189521 June 1895

;Notes