William Elliot (MP)
Encyclopedia
William Elliot was an Irish politician who sat in the Irish House of Commons
before its abolition. After the Act of Union
he sat as a Whig in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
.
Elliot was elected to the Irish House of Commons
in 1796 as a Member of Parliament
St Canice
. At the 1798 election he was returned for both Carlow Borough
and for St Canice, but chose to continue to sit for St Canice. He held that seat until the Parliament of Ireland
was abolished at the end of 1800 by the Act of Union, when he did not initially have a seat in the new Parliament of the United Kingdom
.
However, he was elected at a unopposed by-election
in March 1801 as MP for Portarlington
, and held that seat until the 1802 general election
, when he was returned for Peterborough
. He held that seat until his death in October 1818, aged 52.
He was sworn as a Privy Councillor
in March 1806, in Dublin Castle
,
and appointed on 28 March as Chief Secretary for Ireland
in the Ministry of All the Talents
. He held that post until 1807.
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
before its abolition. After the Act of Union
Act of Union 1800
The Acts of Union 1800 describe two complementary Acts, namely:* the Union with Ireland Act 1800 , an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain, and...
he sat as a Whig in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
.
Elliot was elected to the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
in 1796 as a 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,...
St Canice
St Canice (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
St Canice, also called Irishtown, was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons until 1800.-1692–1801:...
. At the 1798 election he was returned for both Carlow Borough
Carlow Borough (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Carlow Borough was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons.-Boundaries and Boundary Changes:This constituency was the borough of Carlow in County Carlow. It returned two members to the Parliament of Ireland from 1613 to 1800.-History:...
and for St Canice, but chose to continue to sit for St Canice. He held that seat until the Parliament of Ireland
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
was abolished at the end of 1800 by the Act of Union, when he did not initially have a seat in the new Parliament of the United Kingdom
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
.
However, he was elected at a unopposed by-election
in March 1801 as MP for Portarlington
Portarlington (UK Parliament constituency)
Portarlington was a rotten borough and is a former United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland, returning one MP. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801....
, and held that seat until the 1802 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1802
The United Kingdom general election, 1802 was the election to the 2nd Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was the first to be held after the formation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, when he was returned for Peterborough
Peterborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Peterborough is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, formally styled The Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past...
. He held that seat until his death in October 1818, aged 52.
He was sworn as a Privy Councillor
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
in March 1806, in Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
,
and appointed on 28 March as Chief Secretary for Ireland
Chief Secretary for Ireland
The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, from the late 18th century until the end of British rule he was effectively the government minister with responsibility for governing Ireland; usually...
in the Ministry of All the Talents
Ministry of All the Talents
The Ministry of All the Talents was a national unity government formed by William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville on his appointment as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on 11 February 1806 after the death of William Pitt the Younger...
. He held that post until 1807.