Camden, John Jeffreys Pratt, 2nd Earl and 1st Marquis

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Camden, John Jeffreys Pratt, 2nd Earl and 1st Marquis (1759–1840). Statesman. Son of the famous lawyer, Pratt came into Parliament in 1780 and succeeded to the earldom in 1794. After a number of minor offices, he followed Fitzwilliam in 1795 as lord-lieutenant of Ireland, holding the post until 1798. The situation in Ireland was extremely tense: Lecky's opinion was that Camden was well intentioned but bewildered, and his lord-lieutenancy ended in the Irish rebellion. In 1799 he was given the Garter. He served in a number of Tory governments, as secretary for war 1804–5 and as lord president of the council 1805–6 and 1807–12. On his retirement he was promoted marquis. From 1780 to 1834 he held the lucrative sinecure of teller of the Exchequer. Canning's private opinion was that, by the end, Camden had become ‘useless lumber’ in cabinet.

J. A. Cannon

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Camden, John Jeffreys Pratt, 2nd Earl and 1st Marquis

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