Lord Palmerston Trivia Quiz

Answer: Broadlands near Romsey

Palmerston was born on the 20th October 1784. His father, Henry the 2nd Viscount died in 1802 and his mother, Mary Mee of Bath, died in 1805. He spent five years on a tour of Europe with an Italian tutor called Ravizzotti, before going on to Harrow school. He was also educated in Edinburgh and Cambridge University.

Answer: Newport, Isle of Wight

His first attempt was at Cambridge University (1806), after the death of Pitt, but lost to Lord Henry Petty. His second attempt he paid for a seat of Horsham, but due to the seat having double return, he failed to get in. His third attempt was again for Cambridge University, and he lost by four votes in May 1807.

He was only given this pocket-borough on the Isle of Wight by Sir Leonard Holmes, on the condition that he never went there. In 1811 became MP for Cambridge University, and after supporting Parliamentary Reform, for Bletchley, and after the 1832 Reform Act for South Hampshire.

He was voted out of this seat in 1834 and got elected for Tiverton on 1st June 1835 which he held until his death.

Answer: Tory

He changed parties to Whig when he joined Lord Grey's government in 1830, although still served under Peel in his Tory government. He was always too Whig-ish for the Tories and too Tory for the Whigs.

Answer: The expedition against Copenhagen

On 3rd February 1908 Palmerston spoke in defense of the government for not laying the full details of this before the house, as secrecy was necessary to complete successful negotiations. Palmerston thought the action was justified because of known designs of Napoleon on the Danish court. Lord Cathcart had bombarded the city, destroying many buildings, including the University and the principal church.

Answer: Secretary at War

Actually he was offered a junior lordship of the Exchequer on the understanding he would later succeed as the Chancellor. He was also offered Secretary for War which he also rejected. As Secretary at War he was charged with the financial business of the Military, without a seat in the cabinet.

He remained in this post for nearly 20 years. He resigned with other more Liberal members, led by William Huskisson, over the the disenfranchisement of East Retford in May 1828.

Answer: True

Mad Lieutenant Davis tried on 8th April 1818 on the steps of the war office.

Answer: Home Secretary

As Home Secretary he made various improvements to the Factory Acts, carried out prison reform, established the ticket-of-leave system, indroduced reformatory schools and put a stop to intramural burials.

Answer: Crimean War

John Roebuck put forward a motion in the house to set up a select committee to inquire about the Crimean war on 28th of January 1855. After two nights debating the issue, the government was defeated and resigned. At first Palmerston did not want to become Prime Minister because none of the old cabinet was prepared to join him.

Then Queen Victoria summoned Palmerston and asked him to form a government. Palmerston pressed for the occupation of Crimea in the first place and he used his experience as Secretary at War (which he amalgamated with Secretary for War under Lord Panmure) to solve the crisis.

As the French seemed to have lost heart, he personally remonstrated to Louis Napoleon and got him involved again along with the Austrians. The troops, buoyed up by Palmerstons efforts and French help, took Sevastopol.

The Treaty of Paris was signed on 20th of March 1856.

Answer: False

Palmerston married in 1839 the widow of the 5th Earl Cowper, although they had no children.

Answer: Hertfordshire

Palmerston died on his wife's estate at Brocket Hall on 18th October 1865, after catching a chill. He was buried on 27th October at Westminster Abbey.