King William IV had dismissed the Whig government of Lord Melbourne on 14 November 1834 and asked Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, to form a government but he declined, instead recommending Sir Robert Peel. Peel was in Sardinia at the time, so the Duke of Wellington took control of the government in a caretaker capacityA Cabinet Council by John Doyle, depicting Wellington sitting alone at the Cabinet table (Metropolitan Museum of Art) until Peel returned and was able to form his government on 10 December.
List of ministers During the caretaker government there was no Cabinet.Venning, T. (2005). Compendium of British Office Holders. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, p.106.
+MinistersCook, C; Keith, B. (1975). British Historical Facts 1830–1900. London and Basingstoke: Macmillan, p.4. Office Name Date Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington17 November 18349 December 1834 Lord Chancellor John Copley, 1st Baron Lyndhurst21 November 1834 Chancellor of the Exchequer (interim) Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman15 November 1834 Lords Commissioners of the Treasury Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington21 November 1834 James St Clair-Erskine, 2nd Earl of Rosslyn Edward Law, 2nd Baron Ellenborough William Wellesley-Pole, 1st Baron Maryborough Sir John Beckett, 2nd Baronet Joseph Planta
Notes Wellington was the only Secretary of State. As no separate Chancellor of the Exchequer had been appointed, Denman held the post pro tempore by virtue of being Lord Chief Justice. Most offices were in commission.
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