Birthday quote 26th August

Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC, known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as the de facto first Prime Minister of Great Britain. Although the exact dates of his dominance are a matter of scholarly debate, the period of 1721-42 is often used. He dominated the Walpole-Townshend ministry and the Whig government of 1730-42 and holds the record as the longest-serving Prime Minister in British history. Speck says that Walpole's uninterrupted run of 20 years as Prime Minister "...is rightly regarded as one of the major feats of British political history... Explanations are usually offered in terms of his expert handling of the political system after 1720, and his unique blending of the surviving powers of the crown with the increasing influence of the Commons."

One of 19 children, he was the third son and fifth child of Robert Walpole, a member of the local gentry and a Whig politician who represented the borough of Castle Rising in the House of Commons. As a child, Walpole attended a private school in Norfolk. Walpole entered Eton College in 1690 where he was considered "an excellent scholar". He left Eton on 2 April 1696 and matriculated at King's College, Cambridge on the same day.

He was a Whig from the gentry class, who was first elected to Parliament in 1701, and held many senior positions. He was a country squire and looked to country gentlemen for his political base. Historian Frank O'Gorman says his leadership in Parliament reflected his "reasonable and persuasive oratory, his ability to move both the emotions as well as the minds of men, and, above all, his extraordinary self-confidence." Hoppit says Walpole's policies sought moderation: he worked for peace, lower taxes, growing exports, and allowed a little more tolerance for Protestant Dissenters. He avoided controversy and high-intensity disputes, as his middle way attracted moderates from both the Whig and Tory camps. Dickinson sums up his historical role by saying, "Walpole was one of the greatest politicians in British history. He played a significant role in sustaining the Whig party, safeguarding the Hanoverian succession, and defending the principles of the Glorious Revolution ... He established a stable political supremacy for the Whig party and taught succeeding ministers how best to establish an effective working relationship between Crown and Parliament."

Born 26th August 1676 in Houghton, Norfolk, England
Died 18th March 1745 in St James's, Middlesex, Great Britain

Let sleeping dogs lie.

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