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William Pitt the Elder, 1st Earl of Chatham


(b. Nov. 15, 1708, Golden Square, Westminster, London – d. May 11, 1778, Hayes, Bromley, London )

Gender: M

William Pitt (1708-1778) came from a wealthy family of politicians, and after a short military career, entered parliament as MP for the rotten borough of Old Sarum in 1735. He became one of the leaders of the faction opposed to Prime Minister Robert Walpole, and a member of the circle round Frederick, Prince of Wales. He contributed to the downfall of Walpole in 1742, but was not awarded a ministerial position in the incoming government. He was appointed Paymaster-General in 1746, and broke with tradition by making no personal gain out of the office other than his salary, which gave him a reputation for integrity. He was dismissed in 1755 and replaced by Henry Fox, Lord Holland, whose corruption was legendary. In 1757 he formed a coalition with the Duke of Newcastle in which Pitt was the senior member, and whose foreign policies were responsible for Britain’s victories and territorial gains during the Seven Years’ War. When George III came to the throne in 1761, he dismissed Pitt in favour of the Earl of Bute. Pitt was granted a pension and his wife, Lady Hester Grenville, was made Baroness Chatham, but Pitt refused to accept a title for himself. In 1766 he was appointed Prime Minister and raised to the peerage as the 1st Earl of Chatham, but suffered from bouts of both physical and mental illness (he suffered all his life from gout), and resigned two years later. He returned to the House of Lords in 1770 to oppose the war with the American colonies, and collapsed while speaking in the House on 7th April 1778; he died on 11th May. His eldest son John Pitt succeeded to the title, while his second son William Pitt was to be British Prime Minister for eighteen years.

Also known as:

  • 1st Earl of Chatham
  • William Sr Pitt

Authorities

Electronic Enlightenment DOIexternal link
Oxford DNB DOIexternal link
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Mentioned in 28 letters

Title EMCO ID
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Frances Boscawen 868
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Frances Boscawen 894
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Frances Boscawen 954
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Frances Boscawen 962
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Frances Boscawen 984
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to George Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton of Frankley 994
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1052
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1742
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 1750
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Mary Robinson 1781
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Mary Robinson 1801
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Mary Robinson 1805
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Mary Robinson 2129
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to James Beattie 2165
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to James Beattie 2192
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2499
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2501
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2588
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 2589
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 3101
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 3290
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 3297
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 3319
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 3320
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 3321
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 3322
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 3331
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter 3573

Recipient of 3 letters

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Please note that all dates and location information are provisional, initially taken from the library and archive catalogues. As our section editors continue to work through the material we will update our database and the changes will be reflected across the edition.

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