Rosebery

Rosebery, Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of (b. 1847), was born in London. Educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, he entered the House of Lords in 1868, succeeding his grandfather, the fourth earl. He made his first speech in 1871. and, taking a great interest in social subjects, sat on several committees formed to investigate the condition of the people. In 1874 he was president at the Glasgow meeting of the Social Science Congress. In 1878 he became Lord Rector of Aberdeen University, and two years later of Edinburgh University. He married the daughter of Baron Rothschild in 1878, and in 1881 entered the Liberal Ministry as Under Secretary of the Home Department. In 1884 he became First Commissioner of Works, and in 1886 was made Secretary for Foreign Affairs, a post he has held for the second time since the last change of Ministry. He resigned this in March, 1894, on succeeding Mr. Gladstone as Prime Minister. When the London County Council was established in 1888, he was elected a member, and became its first chairman. In 1894, on the retirement of Mr. Gladstone, Lord Rosebery was made Premier. The Liberal Party was defeated at the General Election of 1395, and in 1896 Lord Rosebery, finding himself in disagreement with a large section of the party on the Eastern question, and more particularly with Mr. Gladstone, resigned the leadership and retired, for a time at least, from political life. As an author, Lord Rosebery is chiefly known by his Life of William Pitt. He is a popular sportsman, having won the Derby twice.