The Origin of the Leadership of the House of Lords Revisited

From 1717 the 'leadership' of the house of lords was seen to be attached to the office of Secretary of State for the north (at that time occupied by the 3rd earl of Sunderland), for from then evidence exists in the form of lists of lords invited to or attending pre-sessional meetings, held in the Secretary's office. However, the leadership did not suddenly emerge from nowhere. There is evidence, examined here, to show that aspects of the job were initiated by Sunderland in the last whig ministry of Anne's reign, which were then developed by Robert Harley, 1st earl of Oxford, between 1711 and 1714, and again by Sunderland after 1714

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