19 June 1846

Birth of Edmond Petty-Fitzmaurice, 1st Baron Fitzmaurice, Liberal MP for Calne 1868-85 and Cricklade 1898-1906

A great-grandson and biographer of Whig Prime Minister the Earl of Shelburne, Fitzmaurice had two spells as Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign Office. To the surprise of some he was not appointed to the cabinet when the Liberals returned to power in 1905, although he would have been Foreign Secretary had Sir Edward Grey turned down the post. He eventually joined the cabinet in October 1908 as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster but ill health forced his retirement the following year and marked the end of his political career.