George Canning was born in London in 1770.
Entering into politics he became Foreign secretary in the government of William Pitt the Younger in 1796 serving during the period of the French Revolution. In 1799 he became commissioner for India and the following year Paymaster to the Forces. He resigned from the cabinet when Pitt was replaced as Prime Minister in 1801. In 1804 Pitt was reinstated as PM and Canning joined him as Treasurer of the Navy, but when Pitt died in 1806 he was not given a post by the new PM.
“George Canning by Richard Evans – detail” by Richard Evans (died 1871) – File:George Canning by Richard Evans.jpgNational Portrait Gallery: NPG 1338 Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons – http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Canning_by_Richard_Evans_-_detail.jpg#mediaviewer/File:George_Canning_by_Richard_Evans_-_detail.jpg
He returned as Foreign Secretary in 1807 at the time when Napoleon was trying to arrange a grand alliance of European powers against Britain and Canning was influential in ensuring this failed. In 1809, he was wounded in a duel with fellow cabinet member Viscount Castlereagh and he resigned later that year with a change of PM. He was Ambassador to Lisbon from 1814-16 and returned to government for a third term as Foreign Secretary in 1822-27 during which time he supported the abolition of slavery. In 1827 when the PM had a stroke Canning was appointed to be his successor. Unfortunately he too became ill and died just 119 days after taking office. This stands as the shortest tenure of a PM in British history. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Despite the Roman robes, this statue dates from 1832. It is by Richard Westmacott and was the first in Parliament Square. The robes no doubt are a reflection on his reputation as a fine orator.
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