F. J. Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich

Frederick John Robinson, 1st Earl of Ripon, PC (1 November 1782 – 28 January 1859), styled The Honourable F. J. Robinson until 1827 and known between 1827 and 1833 as The Viscount Goderich (pronounced /ˈɡoʊdrɪtʃ/ GOH-dritch^[1]), the name by which he is best known to history, was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1827 to 1828.

Quick Facts The Right HonourableThe Earl of RiponPC, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ...

The Right Honourable The Earl of Ripon PC
Portrait of Frederick Robinson by Thomas Lawrence, c. 1824
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 31 August 1827 – 21 January 1828
Monarch	George IV
Preceded by	George Canning
Succeeded by	The Duke of Wellington
Ministerial offices President of the Board of Control In office 17 May 1843 – 30 June 1846 Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel Preceded by The Lord FitzGerald and Vesey Succeeded by Sir John Hobhouse President of the Board of Trade In office 3 September 1841 – 15 May 1843 Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel Preceded by Henry Labouchere Succeeded by William Ewart Gladstone In office 24 January 1818 – 21 February 1823 Prime Minister The Earl of Liverpool Preceded by The Earl of Clancarty Succeeded by William Huskisson Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal In office 3 April 1833 – 5 June 1834 Prime Minister The Earl Grey Preceded by The Lord Durham Succeeded by The Earl of Carlisle Secretary of State for War and the Colonies In office 22 November 1830 – 3 April 1833 Prime Minister The Earl Grey Preceded by Sir George Murray Succeeded by Edward Stanley In office 30 April 1827 – 3 September 1827 Prime Minister George Canning Preceded by The Earl Bathurst Succeeded by William Huskisson Chancellor of the Exchequer In office 31 January 1823 – 20 April 1827 Prime Minister The Earl of Liverpool Preceded by Nicholas Vansittart Succeeded by George Canning Treasurer of the Navy In office 12 February 1818 – 8 February 1823 Prime Minister The Earl of Liverpool Preceded by George Rose Succeeded by William Huskisson Paymaster of the Forces In office 26 November 1813 – 9 August 1817 Prime Minister The Earl of Liverpool Preceded by Lord Charles Somerset Succeeded by The Lord Farnborough Vice-President of the Board of Trade In office 29 September 1812 – 24 January 1818 Prime Minister The Earl of Liverpool Preceded by George Rose Succeeded by Thomas Wallace
Personal details
Born	Frederick John Robinson (1782-11-01)1 November 1782 Skelton-on-Ure, Yorkshire, England
Died	28 January 1859(1859-01-28) (aged 76) Putney Heath, Surrey, England
Resting place	All Saints' Church, Nocton
Political party	Pittite Tory (1806–1834) Conservative (1834–1846)
Spouse	Sarah Hobart ​ (m. 1814)​
Parent	2nd Baron Grantham (father)
Alma mater	St John's College, Cambridge
Signature

Close

A member of the rural landowning aristocracy, Robinson entered politics through family connections. In the House of Commons, he rose through junior ministerial ranks, achieving cabinet office in 1818 as President of the Board of Trade. In 1823, he was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, a post he held for four years. In 1827, he was raised to the peerage, and in the House of Lords was Leader of the House and Secretary of State for War and the Colonies.

In 1827, Prime Minister George Canning died after only 119 days in office, and Goderich succeeded him. However, he was unable to hold together Canning's fragile coalition of moderate Tories and Whigs, and he himself resigned after only 144 days. Canning and Goderich were the two shortest-ruling Prime Ministers in British history, until Liz Truss in 2022.

After leaving the premiership Goderich served in the cabinets of two of his successors, the Earl Grey and Sir Robert Peel.