biography
| name: |
Cavendish, Spencer Compton, 8th Duke of Devonshire
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known (1858–91) as the Marquess of Hartington
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1833–1908)
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| biography:
| British statesman, born in Lower Holker, Lancashire, NW England, UK. He studied at Cambridge, entered parliament (1857), and between 1863 and 1874 was a Lord of the Admiralty, under-secretary for war, war secretary, postmaster-general, and chief secretary for Ireland. In 1875 he became Leader of the Liberal Opposition during Gladstone's temporary abdication, later serving under him as secretary of state for India (1880–2) and as war secretary (1882–5). He disapproved of Irish Home Rule, and having led the breakaway from the Liberal Party became head of the Liberal Unionists from 1886, serving in the Unionist government as Lord President of the Council (1895–1903). His younger brother, Lord Frederick Cavendish (1836–82), also a Liberal MP from 1865, was appointed chief secretary for Ireland, but immediately after his arrival in Dublin was murdered by ‘Irish Invincibles’ in Phoenix Park. |
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