Cavendish The Right Hon Spencer Compton

Cavendish, The Right Hon. Spencer Compton, Duke of Devonshire, Marquis of Hartington, was born in 1833, and educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating B.A. in 1852. He first entered parliament in 1857, representing North Lancashire in the Liberal interest, and first took office as a Lord of the Admiralty in 1863. From that year until 1866 he was Secretary for War, and in 1868, losing his seat for North Lancashire, he was soon after returned for the Radnor Burghs, when he was appointed Postmaster-General. He held that office until 1871, and then became Chief Secretary for Ireland until 1874. On Mr. Gladstone's temporary retirement from the leadership of the Liberal party, Lord Hartington was chosen in his place. At the general election of 1880 he was returned for the Radnor Burghs and for N.E. Lancashire, the latter of which he elected to sit for. In 1886 he dissented from Mr. Gladstone's Home Rule policy, and thenceforward became leader of the Liberal Unionists. He joined Lord Salisbury's Ministry in 1895 as President of the Council. He succeeded to the dukedom in 1891.