Melbourne, William Lamb, 2nd Viscount 1779-1848
English statesman

Born in London and educated at Eton, Trinity College, Cambridge, and Glasgow, he became Whig MP for Leominster in 1805, but in 1827 accepted the chief-secretaryship of Ireland in George Canning's government, and retained it under Viscount Goderich (the Earl of Ripon) and Wellington. Succeeding as second viscount (1828), he returned to the Whigs, became Home Secretary in 1830, for a few months of 1834, and in 1835, was premier. He was still in office at the accession of Queen Victoria (1837). In 1841 he passed the seals of office to Peel, and after that took little part in public affairs. His wife (1785-1828), a daughter of the Earl of Bessborough, wrote novels as Lady Caroline Lamb, and was notorious for her nine month's devotion (1812-13) to Lord Byron.

Bibliography: Bertram Newman, Lord Melbourne (1930)