Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench in Ireland and then in England. On 31st December 1624, James I created him Baron Ley, of Ley in the County of Devon, and on 5 February 1626, Charles I created him Earl of Marlborough. From July 1628 until December 1628 he was Lord President of the Council. Both titles became extinct upon the death of the 4th Earl of Marlborough in 1679.
Richard Weston, 1st Earl of Portland
(1st March 1577 – 13th March 1635)
Lord High Treasurer
15th July 1628 - 15th March 1635
Prime Minister in all but name
Chancellor of the Exchequer under James I and Charles I, being one of the most influential figures in the early years of Charles I's Personal Rule and the architect of many of the policies that enabled him to rule without raising taxes through Parliament.
Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer
(5th December 1661 – 21st May 1724)
Lord High Treasurer
(30th May 1711 - 30th July 1714)
Prime Minister in all but name
Harley was a British politician and statesman of the late Stuart and early Georgian periods. He began his career as a Whig, before defecting to a new Tory Ministry. Between 1711 and 1714 he served as First Lord of the Treasury, effectively Queen Anne's Chief Minister. His government agreed the Treaty of Utrecht with France, bringing an end to British involvment in the War of the Spanish Succession. He later fell from favour following the Hanoverian Succession and was for a time imprisoned in the Tower of London by his political enemies.
James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope
Viscount Stanhope of Mahon
(c1673 – 5th February 1721)
The 4thFirst Lord of the Treasury
(12th April 1717 - 21st March 1718)
Prime Minister in all but name.
Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin
(baptised at Breage on 15th June 1645 - 15th September 1712)
Four term Lord High Treasurer
9th September 1684 - 16th February 1685
15th November 1690 - 1st May 1697
9th December 1700 - 30th December 1701
8th May 1702 - 11th August 1710
Prime Minister in all but name
Godolphin was Lord High Treasurer during the first great 18th-century war against France and successfully financed the most costly military and naval operations undertaken by England to that time. This is his signature from 1704, the year he was Knighted. Another example is from Monday 26th June 1679.
Stafford Henry Northcote, 1st Earl of Iddesleigh
(27th October 1818 – 12th January 1887)
The 48th First Lord of the Treasury
(29th June 1885 - 1st February 1886)
known as Sir Stafford Northcote, Bt, from 1851 to 1885 British Conservative politician. He notably served as Chancellor of the Exchequer between 1874 and 1880 and as Foreign Secretary between 1885 and 1886. When Lord Salisbury became prime minister he took the titles of Earl of Iddesleigh and Viscount St Cyres and was included in the cabinet as First Lord of the Treasury. In Salisbury's 1886 ministry he became Foreign Secretary, but the arrangement was not a comfortable one, and his resignation had just been decided upon when on 12 January 1887 he died very suddenly at Lord Salisbury's official residence in 10 Downing Street.
William Henry Smith ll("Old Morality" and "Pinafore Smith")
(24th June 1825 – 6th October 1891)
Son of W.H Smith (1792-1865).
the 51st First Lord of the Treasury
(14th January 1887 - 6th October 1891)
Smith was also Financial Secretary to the Treasury, First Lord of the Admiralty, twice Secretary of State for War, Chief Secretary for Ireland and Leader of the House of Commons.
In his clashes over War Office estimates with Lord Randolph Churchill at the Treasury‚ he was clear‚ adamant‚ and equable where Churchill was excitable and offensive. In the restructuring of the cabinet‚ following Churchill's resignation‚ Smith became First Lord of the Treasury and leader of the House of Commons in January 1887. Married to Emily Danvers Smith. See also W.H Smith (known colloquially as Smith's) a major British retailer.This is a letter addressed to the British Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Alfred Phillips Ryder (1820-1888) dated 10th January1887. (See also Ryder biography and obituary).The congratulatory reference would have been with regard to his promotion and enhanced political status.
Essex was one of the ablest statesmen under Charles II. Fearing the prospect of a Catholic monarch, he became involved with attempts to exclude James, Duke of York from the succession and, more dangerously, with the schemes of the Duke of Monmouth. Betrayed and imprisoned in the Tower, he was found with his throat cut. Although his death was recorded as suicide, he was probably murdered. This is his signature from Monday 26th June 1679
Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester
(March 1641 – 2nd May 1711)
Two term Lord HighTreasurer
(21st November 1679 -9th September 1684, 16th February 1685 - 9th April 1689)
A similar yet inferiour item was recently sold at auction for just under $2000 (right)
Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton, Lord Wriothesley before 1624
(10th March 1607 – 16th May 1667)
Lord High Treasurer
(8th September 1660 - 16h May 1667)
Prime Minister in all but name
A 17th century English statesman, a staunch supporter of Charles II.who would rise to the position of Lord High Treasurer after the English Restoration. His term as treasurer began concurrently with the assumption of power by the Clarendon Ministry, but his death would precede Lord Clarendon's impeachment from the House of Commons, after which the Cabal Ministry took over government.
