George Rice (politician)

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George Rice (painting by William Hoare, around 1750)

George Rice (* 1724 - † August 2, 1779 ) was a British politician.

Origin and youth

George Rice came from the old Welsh family Rhys , who in the 18th century among the leading families of the gentry of Carmarthenshire belonged. He was the only son of Edward Rice and Lucy, a daughter of John Morley Trevor of Glynde , Sussex . His father died as early as 1727, and after the death of his grandfather Griffith Rice in 1729, George Rice inherited the family's estates. He studied at Christ Church College , Oxford in 1742 , but left college without a degree and went on a grand tour around 1747 .

Political career

Member of the House of Commons

Rice, like his father and grandfather, was a Whigs . Since 1738, a conflict over political supremacy in Carmarthen smoldered between the Whigs of Carmarthenshire under the leadership of Griffith Philipps of Cwmgwili and the West Welsh Tories under the leadership of Sir John Philipps of Picton , which was partly violent and only ended in 1764. After an expensive campaign, Rice was elected Knight of the Shire for Carmarthenshire in the 1754 general election. He had received a secret donation of £ 173 from the Duke of Newcastle , the Prime Minister to whom he was related through his mother, to fund the campaign in South Wales . Consequently, he supported the government of the Duke of Newcastle in the House of Commons . In the general election in 1761 he was able to win his mandate again. In addition, he was from 1755 Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire.

Member of the Board of Trade and Treasurer of the Chamber

Rice married Cecil Talbot, daughter and heiress of William Talbot, 2nd Baron Talbot , on August 16, 1756 . Through his father-in-law, Rice came into contact with the Earl of Bute , the then favorite of King George III. and leaders of the Tories. With the approval of the Earls of Bute, Rice became a member of the Board of Trade in the spring of 1761 , earning an annual salary of £ 1,000. He held this office until 1770, after which he was given the lucrative office of Treasurer of the Chamber . Through this office he also became a member of the Privy Council .

Government spokesman for the North American colonies

In the general elections of 1768 and 1774, Rice was re-elected unchallenged as Knight of the Shire and supported the Whig governments of the Duke of Grafton and Lord North . In the House of Commons he was Whigs spokesman for the North American colonies. Although he recognized that taxing the colonists without granting parliamentary representation would lead to conflict, he called for the introduction of taxation and refused concessions to the colonists after the Boston Tea Party . After the start of the American Revolutionary War , he spoke up less often.

Family and offspring

From 1775 Rice had the park of his country estate Newton House in Carmarthenshire redesigned by Capability Brown .

With his wife Cecil he had three sons and three daughters:

  • Henrietta Cecilia Rice (1758–1849) ⚭ Magens Dorrien Magens († 1849)
  • Lucy Rice
  • George Talbot Rice, 3rd Baron Dynevor 1765-1852
  • William Rice (1769–1780) ⚭ Charlotte Lascelles († 1832),
  • Maria Rice (1773-1810) ⚭ John Markham
  • Edward Rice 1779-1862

His heir became his eldest son, George . Since his father-in-law, who was raised to Earl Talbot, had no male descendants, the title Baron Dynevor was created for him with special consideration for his descendants in 1780 , which his daughter Cecil inherited after his death in 1782 and finally her son George after her death.

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personal data
SURNAME Rice, George
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British politician
DATE OF BIRTH 1724
DATE OF DEATH August 2, 1779