Imperial Dictionary of Universal Biography/Volume 2/Granville, Granville George Leveson-Gower
GRANVILLE, Granville George Leveson-Gower, second earl, eldest son of the first earl by the second daughter of the fifth duke of Devonshire, was born in 1815, and was educated at Eton and at Christ church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1834. He was for a few months attaché to the British embassy in Paris under his father. In 1836 he was returned to parliament as member for Morpeth, and was re-elected in 1837. But, on being shortly after appointed undersecretary for foreign affairs, he retired from parliament. In 1840 he was for a short time attached to the Russian embassy. At the general election in 1841 he was returned for Lichfield, and retained his seat until 1846, when he succeeded to the peerage on the death of his father. He seldom took part in the debates in the lower house; but he was known and respected as an able and consistent advocate of a liberal policy. He held the offices of master of the buckhounds and vice-president of the board of trade under Lord John Russell, and, by diligent application to the business of his department, soon became distinguished for practical knowledge, no less than for his courtesy and kindness. On the dismissal of Lord Palmerston in December, 1851, Lord Granville became his successor in the foreign office; but he held the seals only for a brief space, as the Russell ministry was soon after broken up. His lordship acted as vice-president of the royal commission for the Great Exhibition of 1851, and was also chairman of the executive committee. He accompanied the commissioners in their subsequent visit to Paris. Lord Granville was subsequently president of the board of trade under Lord Aberdeen in 1852, and president of the council and leader of the house of lords, when Lord Palmerston became prime minister in 1855. On the termination of the Russian war his lordship was sent upon an extraordinary mission to St. Petersburg, to attend the coronation of the young czar. Besides the offices mentioned, Lord Granville has held that of paymaster of the forces, chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, and treasurer of the navy. He is also chancellor of the university of London, and a knight of the garter. He was again appointed, in 1859, to the office of president of the council, with which he combines that of leading the house of lords a task for which he is well fitted by his graceful manners, as well as by his excellent business habits.—J. T.