Joseph Planta
Encyclopedia
Sir Joseph Planta GCH
(1787–1847) was a British diplomat
and politician
of Swiss
descent. He was the MP for Hastings
, England
.
Joseph Planta was the son of another Joseph Planta
(1744–1827), who moved from Switzerland
to England and who became the Principal Librarian of the British Museum
in London
. He was born at the British Museum and educated at Eton College
.
Planta became a clerk at the Foreign Office and was Private Secretary
to George Canning
. In 1813–14, he was Secretary to Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh
, during his mission to the allied sovereigns.
He was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from 25 July 1817 to 22 January 1822.
He was also the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from 1817.
He was the Junior Secretary to the Treasury
from 19 April 1827 and then the Senior Secretary to the Treasury from 4 September 1827, during the Canningite Government of 1827–1828 and the Tory Government of 1828–1830. He was made a member of the Privy council
in 1834. He was also made a Lord of the Treasury
on 21 November 1834 in the Conservative Provisional Government of 1834
.
He was elected Member of Parliament
for Hastings
in southern England, in 1827, 1830, 1837, and 1841, as a Conservative
. He was defeated in 1835. He lived at Fairlight Place, a stone-built house dating from around 1550 at the head of Fairlight Glen
near Hastings
.
He was knighted with the Grand Cross of the Hanoverian Guelphic Order
(GCH).
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
(1787–1847) was a British diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
of Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
descent. He was the MP for Hastings
Hastings (UK Parliament constituency)
Hastings was a parliamentary constituency in Sussex. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1885 general election, when its representation was reduced to one member....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Joseph Planta was the son of another Joseph Planta
Joseph Planta (librarian)
Joseph Planta FRS , aka Joseph von Planta, was a librarian of Swiss origin who moved to London and became the Principal Librarian of the British Museum....
(1744–1827), who moved from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
to England and who became the Principal Librarian of the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was born at the British Museum and educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
.
Planta became a clerk at the Foreign Office and was Private Secretary
Private Secretary
In the United Kingdom government, a Private Secretary is a civil servant in a Department or Ministry, responsible to the Secretary of State or Minister...
to George Canning
George Canning
George Canning PC, FRS was a British statesman and politician who served as Foreign Secretary and briefly Prime Minister.-Early life: 1770–1793:...
. In 1813–14, he was Secretary to Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh
Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh
Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry, KG, GCH, PC, PC , usually known as Lord CastlereaghThe name Castlereagh derives from the baronies of Castlereagh and Ards, in which the manors of Newtownards and Comber were located...
, during his mission to the allied sovereigns.
He was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from 25 July 1817 to 22 January 1822.
He was also the Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs from 1817.
He was the Junior Secretary to the Treasury
Secretary to the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are several Secretaries to the Treasury, who are junior Treasury ministers nominally acting as secretaries to HM Treasury. The origins of the office are unclear, although it probably originated during Lord Burghley's tenure as Lord Treasurer in the 16th century. The...
from 19 April 1827 and then the Senior Secretary to the Treasury from 4 September 1827, during the Canningite Government of 1827–1828 and the Tory Government of 1828–1830. He was made a member of the Privy council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
in 1834. He was also made a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
on 21 November 1834 in the Conservative Provisional Government of 1834
Conservative Provisional Government 1834
King William IV had dismissed the Whig government of Lord Melbourne on 14 November 1834 and asked Sir Robert Peel to form a government. Peel was in Italy at the time, so the Duke of Wellington formed a caretaker government which lasted until Peel was able to form his government on 10...
.
He was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Hastings
Hastings (UK Parliament constituency)
Hastings was a parliamentary constituency in Sussex. It returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1885 general election, when its representation was reduced to one member....
in southern England, in 1827, 1830, 1837, and 1841, as a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. He was defeated in 1835. He lived at Fairlight Place, a stone-built house dating from around 1550 at the head of Fairlight Glen
Fairlight Glen
Fairlight Glen lies about two miles east of the fishing port of Hastings and west of the small village of Fairlight Cove on the East Sussex coast. It is a wooded area forming part of the Hastings country park and leading down to Covehurst Bay. This is a nudist beach, but is shared by ordinary...
near Hastings
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
.
He was knighted with the Grand Cross of the Hanoverian Guelphic Order
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
(GCH).