On This Day

March 22, 1684

Birth of William Pulteney, supporter then opponent of Walpole

William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, was Whig MP for Hedon 1705-34 and Middlesex 1734-42. Along with Walpole, he played a prominent part in the struggles with the Tories during the reign of Queen Anne. When Walpole was sent to the Tower in 1712 Pulteney championed his cause in the House of Commons. With the Tories out of office following the accession of George I, Pulteney served as Secretary of State at War from 1714 to 17. When Walpole became Prime Minister Pulteney expected high office from his friend but no offers came, other than a peerage. Snubbed, Pulteney went into opposition forming the Patriot Whigs and in 1726 joined with Tory Lord Bolingbroke to publish a periodical The Craftsman which ran constant denunciations of Walpole. When Walpole’s ministry collapsed Pulteney was charged with forming a ministry but offered the premiership to the Earl of Wilmington. Pulteney agreed to go to the House of Lords following which his influence rapidly declined and when Wilmington died a little over a year later, Pulteney found himself passed over for Henry Pelham. After this Pulteney’s political activity dwindled and he died in July 1764.