William Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow

For other people named William Onslow, see William Onslow (disambiguation).

The Right Honourable The Earl of Onslow GCMG PC DL
The Earl of Onslow as a freemason

11th Governor of New Zealand
In office 2 May 1889 – February 1892
Monarch	Victoria
Preceded by	Sir William Jervois
Succeeded by	The Earl of Glasgow
President of the Board of Agriculture
In office 19 May 1903 – 12 March 1905
Monarch	Edward VII
Prime Minister	Arthur Balfour
Preceded by	Robert William Hanbury
Succeeded by	Hon. Ailwyn Fellowes
Personal details
Born	7 March 1853 (1853-03-07) Old Alresford, Hampshire
Died	23 October 1911 (1911-10-24) (aged 58) Hendon, Middlesex
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Hon. Florence Gardner (d. 1934)
Alma mater	Exeter College, Oxford

William Hillier Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow in front of a map of New Zealand

William Hillier Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow GCMG PC DL (7 March 1853 – 23 October 1911) was a British Conservative politician. He held several governmental positions between 1880 and 1905 and was also Governor of New Zealand between 1889 and 1892.

Background and education

Born at Old Alresford, Hampshire, Onslow was the only son of George Augustus Cranley Onslow, son of the Hon. Thomas Cranley Onslow, second son of Thomas Onslow, 2nd Earl of Onslow. His mother was Mary Harriet Anne Loftus. In 1870, at the age of 17, he succeeded his great-uncle in the earldom of Onslow. He was educated at Eton and Exeter College, Oxford.^[1]

Political career, 1880–1889

Onslow briefly served as a Lord-in-Waiting (government whip in the House of Lords) under the Earl of Beaconsfield between February and April 1880 and held the same position under Lord Salisbury between 1886 and 1887, and later served under Salisbury as Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies between 1887 and 1888 (in which post he was vice president of the first Colonial Conference in April 1887) and as Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade between 1888 and 1889.^[2]

Governor of New Zealand, 1889–1892

In November 1888 Onslow was appointed Governor of New Zealand,.^[3] As a result of the economic downturn in the late 1880s, he had sought a salaried position as a colonial governor. At 35, he was the youngest governor of New Zealand since George Grey was appointed in 1845 and the first since Robert FitzRoy in 1843 to have no previous experience in a vice-regal position. The New Zealand government had recently cut allowances for the governor, and Onslow was able to obtain the position mainly as it was no longer attractive to more senior colonial administrators.^[2]

He assumed the office on 2 May 1889. Shortly after his arrival in Wellington, there was an outbreak of typhoid fever in the town. Onslow's twelve-year-old son and heir, Viscount Cranley, caught the disease and was at one time seen to be in danger of his life. After this Onslow and his family avoided the capital as much as they could - which did not endear them to the New Zealand people. According to the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, Onslow did not "have the flair or flamboyance which helped some later governors win popular support".^[2]

In 1890 Onslow became embroiled in controversy over appointments to the Legislative Council (the upper house of the New Zealand parliament), which were made by the governor on the advice of his ministers. Up until then Prime Minister Harry Atkinson had not made any recommendations on appointements. However, this year Atkinson's conservative supporters became more and more concerned that the Liberals under John Ballance would gain power. Atkinson was put under pressure to assure that there was a conservative majority in the Council. Onslow, as a Conservative, is considered to have been sympathetic to the idea, especially as he was used to the system in Britain, where it was acceptable practice for an outgoing British government to nominate new members of the House of Lords. He informed Atkinson that a "little list" of nominations for the Legislative Council could be agreed upon and used "if things go wrong with you in the House or Country".^[2]

Atkinson lost ground in the election of December 1890, although it was unclear if the Liberals under Ballance would get enough support to form an administration. Rumours of the "little list" began to spread and Onslow was made aware that, even if it was common practice for an outgoing government in Britain to nominate members for the House of Lords, this was not the case in New Zealand. However, despite public opposition Onslow followed Atkinson's recommendations and nominated six people to the council (although the number was reduced from eleven). He justified his decision to the Colonial Office in London on the basis that he could find no Royal instruction or colonial precedent for refusing Atkinson's nomination and referred to "the constant practice in England". Onslow's actions even further damaged the reputation of the council. Several independent members were pressurised into supporting Ballance, who was able to form an administration.^[2]

In 1891 Ballance asked Onslow to nominate 18 representatives to the council in order to counterbalance Atkinson's nominations of the previous year. Onslow said he was unwilling to alter the composition of the council and replace the conservative majority with a liberal one, stating that in his view an upper house of parliament should always be conservative in its nature. He agreed to nominate eight representatives, a compromise Ballance declined. The matter was finally deferred to Onslow's successor, the Earl of Glasgow. Onslow resigned in February 1892 and returned to England.^[2]

Political career, 1892–1911

When the Conservatives returned to power in 1895 under Lord Salisbury, Onslow was made Under-Secretary of State for India, a post he retained until 1900, and was then once again Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies between 1900 and 1903 (from 1902 to 1903 under the premiership of Arthur Balfour).^[1] In 1903 he entered Balfour's cabinet as President of the Board of Agriculture and was sworn of the Privy Council the same year.^[4] He remained at the Board of Agriculture until the government fell in 1905. From 1905 to 1911 he was Lord Chairman of Committees of the House of Lords. He was also President of the Royal Statistical Society from 1905 to 1906.^[5]

Family

Lord Onslow married the Hon Florence Coulston Gardner, daughter of Alan Gardner, 3rd Baron Gardner, in 1875. They had two sons and two daughters:^[6]

Lady Dorothy Evelyn Augusta Onslow, married E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax on 21 September 1909.
Richard William Alan Onslow, 5th Earl of Onslow (born 23 August 1876, died 9 June 1945)
Lady Gwendolen Florence Mary Onslow (born 22 July 1881, died 16 February 1966), married Rupert Guinness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh
Hon Victor Alexander Herbert Huia Onslow (born 13 November 1890, died 27 June 1922), married Muriel Wheldale

Lord Onslow died at Hendon, Middlesex, in October 1911, aged 58. He was succeeded in the earldom by his elder son, Richard. The Countess of Onslow died in August 1934.^[1]

References

1 2 3 thepeerage.com William Hillier Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow
1 2 3 4 5 6 Galbreath, Ross. "Onslow, William Hillier 1853–1911". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 7 April 2011.
↑ The London Gazette: no. 25878. p. 6740. 27 November 1888.
↑ The London Gazette: no. 27555. p. 3239. 22 May 1903.
↑ "Royal Statistical Society Presidents". Royal Statistical Society. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
↑ The Peerage, entry for 4th Earl of Onslow

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to William Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow.

Political offices
Preceded by The Earl of Dunmore The Earl of Roden The Viscount Hawarden The Lord Bagot The Lord de Ros The Lord Elphinstone The Lord Henniker	Lord-in-Waiting with The Earl of Dunmore The Viscount Hawarden The Lord Bagot The Lord de Ros The Lord Elphinstone The Lord Henniker 1880	Succeeded by The Lord Methuen The Earl of Zetland The Earl of Listowel The Lord Ribblesdale The Lord Sudeley The Lord Wrottesley Viscount Enfield
Preceded by The Lord Methuen The Lord Thurlow The Lord Camoys The Lord Houghton The Lord Kensington The Lord Hothfield	Lord-in-Waiting with The Earl of Limerick The Lord Henniker The Earl of Hopetoun The Lord Elphinstone The Lord de Ros The Earl Waldegrave 1886–1887	Succeeded by The Earl of Limerick The Lord Henniker The Earl of Hopetoun The Lord Elphinstone The Lord de Ros The Earl Waldegrave The Lord Balfour of Burleigh
Preceded by The Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl	Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies 1887–1888	Succeeded by Baron Henry de Worms
Preceded by Baron Henry de Worms	Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade 1888–1889	Succeeded by The Lord Balfour of Burleigh
Preceded by The Lord Reay	Under-Secretary of State for India 1895–1900	Succeeded by The Earl of Hardwicke
Preceded by The Earl of Selborne	Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies 1900–1903	Succeeded by The Duke of Marlborough
Preceded by Robert William Hanbury	President of the Board of Agriculture 1903–1905	Succeeded by Hon. Ailwyn Fellowes
Preceded by The Earl of Morley	Lord Chairman of Committees of the House of Lords 1905–1911	Succeeded by The Earl of Donoughmore
Government offices
Preceded by Sir William Jervois	Governor of New Zealand 1889–1892	Succeeded by The Earl of Glasgow
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Arthur Onslow	Earl of Onslow 1870–1911	Succeeded by Richard William Alan Onslow

Governors and governors-general of New Zealand

	William Hobson* Robert FitzRoy* George Grey* Thomas Gore Browne* George Bowen* Sir James Fergusson, Bt* The Marquess of Normanby* Hercules Robinson* Arthur Hamilton-Gordon* William Jervois* The Earl of Onslow* The Earl of Glasgow* The Earl of Ranfurly* The Lord Plunket* The Lord Islington* The Earl of Liverpool* The Viscount Jellicoe Sir Charles Fergusson, Bt The Viscount Bledisloe The Viscount Galway Sir Cyril Newall The Lord Freyberg The Lord Norrie The Viscount Cobham Bernard Fergusson Arthur Porritt Denis Blundell Keith Holyoake David Beattie Paul Reeves Catherine Tizard Michael Hardie Boys Silvia Cartwright Anand Satyanand Jerry Mateparae Patsy Reddy

	* Held office of Governor of New Zealand.

Presidents of the Royal Statistical Society

19th century	1834–1836 The Marquess of Lansdowne 1836–1838 Sir Charles Lemon, Bt 1838–1840 The Earl FitzWilliam 1840–1842 Viscount Sandon 1842–1843 The Marquess of Lansdowne 1843–1845 Lord Ashley 1845–1847 The Lord Monteagle of Brandon 1847–1849 The Earl FitzWilliam 1849–1851 The Earl of Harrowby 1851–1853 The Lord Overstone 1853–1855 The Earl FitzWilliam 1855–1857 The Earl of Harrowby 1857–1859 Lord Stanley 1859–1861 Lord John Russell 1861–1863 Sir John Pakington, Bt 1863–1865 William Henry Sykes 1865–1867 The Lord Houghton 1867–1869 William Ewart Gladstone 1869–1871 William Newmarch 1871–1873 William Farr 1873–1875 William Guy 1875–1877 James Heywood 1877–1879 George Shaw-Lefevre 1879–1880 Thomas Brassey 1880–1882 James Caird 1882–1884 Robert Giffen 1884–1886 Rawson W. Rawson 1886–1888 George Goschen 1888–1890 Thomas Graham Balfour 1890–1892 Frederic J. Mouat 1892–1894 Charles Booth 1894–1896 The Lord Farrer 1896–1897 John Biddulph Martin 1897 Alfred Edmund Bateman 1897–1899 Leonard Courtney 1899–1900 Henry Fowler 1900–1902 The Lord Avebury

20th century	1902–1904 Patrick George Craigie 1904–1905 Sir Francis Powell, Bt 1905–1906 The Earl of Onslow 1906–1907 Richard Martin 1907–1909 Sir Charles Dilke, Bt 1909–1910 Jervoise Athelstane Baines 1910–1912 Lord George Hamilton 1912–1914 Francis Ysidro Edgeworth 1914–1915 The Lord Welby 1915–1916 Lord George Hamilton 1916–1918 Bernard Mallet, Registrar General 1918–1920 Herbert Samuel 1920–1922 R. Henry Rew 1922–1924 The Lord Emmott 1924–1926 Udny Yule 1926–1928 The Viscount D'Abernon 1928–1930 A. William Flux 1930–1932 Sir Josiah Stamp 1932–1934 The Lord Meston 1934–1936 Major Greenwood 1936–1938 The Lord Kennet 1938–1940 Arthur Lyon Bowley 1940–1941 Henry William Macrosty 1941 Hector Leak 1941–1943 William Beveridge 1943–1945 Charles Ernest Snow 1945–1947 The Lord Woolton 1947–1949 David Heron 1949–1950 Sir Geoffrey Heyworth 1950–1952 Austin Bradford Hill 1952–1954 Ronald Fisher 1954–1955 The Lord Piercy 1955–1957 Egon Pearson 1957–1959 Harry Campion 1959–1960 Hugh Beaver 1960–1962 Maurice Kendall 1962–1964 Joseph Oscar Irwin 1964–1965 Sir Paul Chambers 1965–1966 L. H. C. Tippett 1966–1967 M. S. Bartlett 1967–1968 Frank Yates 1968–1969 Arthur Cockfield 1969–1970 R. G. D. Allen 1970–1971 Bernard Benjamin 1971–1972 George Alfred Barnard 1972–1973 Harold Wilson 1973–1974 D. J. Finney 1974–1975 Henry Daniels 1975–1977 Stella Cunliffe 1977–1978 Henry Wynn 1978–1980 Sir Claus Moser 1980–1982 David Cox 1982–1984 Peter Armitage 1984–1985 Walter Bodmer 1985–1986 John Nelder 1986–1987 James Durbin 1987–1989 John Kingman 1989–1991 Peter G. Moore 1991–1993 T. M. F. Smith 1993–1995 D. J. Bartholomew 1995–1997 Adrian Smith 1997–1999 R. N. Curnow 1999–2001 Denise Lievesley

21st century	2001–2003 Peter Green 2003–2005 Andy Grieve 2005–2007 Tim Holt 2008–2009 David Hand 2010–2010 Bernard Silverman (resigned Feb 2010; replaced pro tem by David Hand) 2011–2012 Valerie Isham 2013–John Pullinger

Category List

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 19554259 LCCN: nr93031987 ISNI: 0000 0000 5424 7253 NLA: 47408781

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