07 May 1847

Birth of Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl Rosebery, Liberal Prime Minister 1894-95

Rosebery scored an early political success when he masterminded Gladstone’s Midlothian Campaign of 1879-80. He served as Foreign Secretary in Gladstone’s last two governments and succeeded him as prime minister in March 1894. Rosebery’s government was not a happy one and he and Sir William Harcourt, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader in the House of Commons, were often at loggerheads. He resigned with alacrity when the government suffered a surprise defeat in June 1895. Rosebery resigned as party leader in October 1896 and, although nominally leader of the Liberal Imperialist faction, he became increasingly estranged from the party. In later life, Rosebery turned to writing, including biographies of Lord Chatham, Napoleon and the Younger Pitt. Rosebery was a keen horseman and, while Prime Minister, his horses twice won the Epsom Derby.