First Rockingham ministry | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| 1765–1766 | |
.png) Rockingham (after Joshua Reynolds) | |
| Date formed | 13 July 1765 |
| Date dissolved | 30 July 1766 |
| People and organisations | |
| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | Lord Rockingham |
| Total no. of members | 12 appointments |
| Member party | Rockingham Whigs |
| Status in legislature | Majority 446 / 558 |
| Opposition party | Grenvillites |
| History | |
| Legislature terms | 12th GB Parliament |
| Predecessor | Grenville ministry |
| Successor | Chatham ministry |
The first Rockingham ministry was a British ministry headed by the Marquess of Rockingham from 1765 to 1766 during the reign of King George III. The government was made up mainly of his followers known as the Rockingham Whigs. The most influential member of the government was the Duke of Newcastle, a former Prime Minister, who served as Lord Privy Seal. It is often referred to as the only government ever to have been made up almost entirely of members of the Jockey Club, with Rockingham himself being a prominent patron and follower of the turf. Rockingham was noted for his ignorance of foreign affairs, and his ministry failed to reverse the growing isolation of Britain within Europe (Simms 2008, p. 520).
The Rockingham ministry fell in 1766 and was replaced by one headed by William Pitt, later the Earl of Chatham.