Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (October 1, 1735 - March 14, 1811), was a British politician of the Georgian era. He was one of a handful of dukes that served as Prime Minister.

The grandson of the 2nd Duke, he was educated at the Westminster School and at Peterhouse, Cambridge. In 1756, FitzRoy entered Parliament as MP for Boroughbridge, a pocket borough; several months later, he switched constituencies to Bury St. Edmunds, which was controlled by his family. However, one year later, his grandfather died, and he inherited a peerage, Duke of Grafton, elevating him to the House of Lords.

He first became known in politics as an opponent of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, a favourite of King George III. Grafton allied with the Duke of Newcastle against Lord Bute, whose term as Prime Minister was short-lived. In 1765, Grafton was appointed a Privy Counsellor, then following discussions with William Pitt the Elder, he was appointed Secretary of State for the Northern Department in Lord Rockingham's first government. However, he retired the following year, and Pitt (by then created Earl of Chatham) formed a ministry in which Grafton was First Lord of the Treasury but not Prime Minister.

Chatham's illness at the end of 1767 resulted in Grafton becoming the government's effective leader (he is credited with entering the office of Prime Minister in 1768), but political differences and the attacks of "Junius" led to his resignation in January 1770. He became Lord Privy Seal in Lord North's ministry (1771) but resigned in 1775, being in favour of conciliatory action towards the American colonists. In the second Rockingham ministry of 1782 he was again Lord Privy Seal. In later years he was a prominent Unitarian.

Besides his successor, the 4th Duke (1760–1844) and numerous other children, Grafton was the father of General Lord Charles Fitzroy (1764–1829), whose sons Sir Charles FitzRoy (1798–1858), governor of New South Wales, and Robert Fitzroy, the hydrographer, were notable for their achievements.

Grafton County, New Hampshire in the United States is named in his honour.

The Duke of Grafton's Government

• Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, and Leader of the House of Lords: The Duke of Grafton
• Lord Chancellor: Lord Camden
• Lord President of the Council: Lord Gower
• Lord Privy Seal: Lord Bristol
• Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons: Lord North
• Secretary of State for the Northern Department: Henry Seymour Conway (1766–1768), Lord Weymouth (1768), Lord Rochford (1768–1770)
• Secretary of State for the Southern Department: Lord Shelburne (1766–1768), Lord Weymouth (1768–1770)
• Secretary of State for the Colonies: Lord Hillsborough
• Master-General of the Ordnance: Lord Granby
• First Lord of the Admiralty: Sir Edward Hawke

External links

• The Third Duke of Grafton (http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/terrace/adw03/pms/grafton.htm)

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclop dia Britannica.