Arthur Onslow
The fiercely impartial Speaker who transformed the role into a bastion of parliamentary dignity and independence during the turbulent 18th century.
1691–1768 (age 77)·English politician·Birthday: October 1
Biography
When Arthur Onslow first took the Speaker's chair in 1728, the position was often seen as a tool of the government. He left it, 33 years later, as a respected office of impartial authority. A Whig from a political family, Onslow possessed a booming voice and a formidable sense of dignity. He insisted on the independence of the Chair from crown influence, famously refusing a secret service pension offered by the Prime Minister, Robert Walpole. His rulings strengthened the procedures of the Commons, protecting the rights of backbenchers and ensuring orderly debate through the tumultuous eras of the Jacobite rebellions and the Seven Years' War. He cultivated an image of incorruptibility, dressing with old-fashioned formality and treating the traditions of the House with reverence. By the time he retired—the longest-serving Speaker in history—he had established the modern principle that the Speaker is the servant of Parliament, not the government, a legacy that defined British constitutional practice.
#1 When Arthur Was Born
The biggest hits of 1691
Arthur's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1691Born
1696Started school
1704Became a teenager
1707Could drive
1709Could vote
1712Turned 21
1721Turned 30
1731Turned 40
1741Turned 50
1751Turned 60
1761Turned 70
1768Died at 77
Key Achievements
- Served as Speaker of the House of Commons for over 33 years (1728–1761), the longest tenure in the role's history.
- Asserted the independence of the Speaker from the government, refusing a secret service pension to maintain impartiality.
- Strengthened parliamentary procedure and the authority of the Chair, setting precedents that guided future Speakers.
- Presided over the Commons during critical periods including the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years' War.
Did You Know?
His grandfather, father, and son all also served as Speakers of the House of Commons.
He was a passionate book collector, and his extensive library formed a major part of the founding collection of the British Museum.
The mace used in the House of Commons today was commissioned during his Speakership.
He was so respected that upon his retirement, the House voted him a grant of £20,000, a massive sum at the time.
“My conduct has been uniform in never departing from the line of my duty, to gain the favour of any man, or set of men, in or out of power.”
