Grenville, William (1759-1834), served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from February 1806 to March 1807. Grenville’s administration is known for abolishing the slave trade in the British Empire in 1807. Slavery itself was not outlawed in the British Empire until 1833. Grenville’s ministry failed to accomplish two other goals—peace with France and the granting of political and civil freedoms to Roman Catholics in the United Kingdom. Grenville’s coalition government contained so many leading politicians that it was called the Ministry of All the Talents.
William Grenville was born in Wotton House, Buckinghamshire, on Oct. 25, 1759. He was the youngest son of George Grenville, who served as British prime minister from 1763 to 1765. Young William was educated at Eton and Christ Church College, Oxford. He entered Parliament in 1782 as representative for Buckingham in the House of Commons. The next year, he joined the government of his cousin William Pitt the Younger. In 1790, while home secretary, he became First Baron Grenville and took his seat in the House of Lords. Grenville became prime minister after the death of Pitt in 1806. He resigned in 1807.
Grenville married Anne Pitt in 1792. They had no children. Grenville died in Burnham, Buckinghamshire, on Jan. 12, 1834.
