Grafton, Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3d duke of, British And Irish History, Biographies

Related Category: British And Irish History, Biographies

Grafton, Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3d duke of 1735–1811, British statesman. After serving as a secretary of state (1765–66), he became first lord of the treasury in Lord Chatham's administration (1766–68) and, because of Chatham's illness, effective chief minister. He officially became chief minister in 1768. His handling of the John Wilkes affair and the growing crisis in the American colonies led to the break-up of his ministry, and he resigned in 1770. He was lord privy seal under Lord North (1771–75) and under lords Rockingham (1782) and Shelburne (1782–83).

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