Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Lloyd, Charles (1735-1773)
LLOYD, CHARLES (1735–1773), secretary to George Grenville, born in 1735, was son of Philip Lloyd of Greenwich, afterwards of St. Martin's, Westminster. An elder brother, Philip Lloyd, born in 1729, who graduated B.A. from Christ Church, Oxford, in 1750, M.A. in 1752, and B.D. and D.D. in 1763, was tutor to the sons of George Grenville [q. v.], was prebendary of Westminster 1763–5, became vicar of Piddletown, Dorset, in 1765, and was dean of Norwich from 1765 till his death, 31 May 1790 (Gent. Mag. 1790, pt. i. p. 575; Foster, Alumni Oxon.) Charles obtained a king's scholarship at Westminster in 1749, and matriculated from Christ Church, Oxford, 18 June 1754. He graduated B.A. in 1758 and M.A. in 1761. He secured a clerkship in the treasury, and seems to have been appointed receiver-general and paymaster of the band of gentlemen-pensioners 7 March 1761. Through the influence of his brother Philip he became secretary to George Grenville when prime minister (1763–5). While in office Grenville appointed him receiver of Gibraltar, but Lord Rockingham, on succeeding to the premiership, removed him from the office. He became, however, deputy-teller of the exchequer in 1767.
Lloyd distinguished himself as a political pamphleteer in Grenville's interest, and he was absurdly suspected by Lord North of being the author of the ‘Letters of Junius.’ As the editor of ‘Junius's Correspondence’ (3 vols. 1812) points out, ‘Lloyd was on his deathbed at the date of the last of Junius's private letters.’ He died, after a long illness, 22 Jan. 1773. He was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries 17 Nov. 1763.
Lloyd's chief pamphlets were: 1. ‘The Anatomy of a late Negotiation,’ severely commenting on the negotiations between George III and Mr. Pitt in 1763. 2. ‘A Vindication of the Conduct of the Ministry in the case of Mr. Wilkes.’ 3. ‘A Defence of the Majority in the House of Commons on the question relating to General Warrants,’ 1764. 4. ‘An Honest Man's Reasons for Declining to take a part in the New Administration,’ 1765 (i.e. Lord Rockingham's, which succeeded Grenville's in 1765). 5. ‘A Critical Review of the New Administration,’ in opposition to Sir Grey Cooper, who had praised in print Rockingham's ministry. 6. ‘A True History of a late Short Administration,’ 1766, being an answer to a pamphlet of Burke's written in praise of the Rockingham ministry, and entitled ‘A Short Account of a Short Administration.’ 7. ‘An Examination of the Principles and Boasted Disinterestedness of a late Right Honourable Gentleman; in a Letter from an Old Man of Business to a Noble Lord’ (i.e. Lord North). This was written upon the accession of the Grafton ministry in 1766. Pitt is much blamed for accepting the offers of the court. 8. ‘The Conduct of the late Administration examined relative to the Repeal of the Stamp Act,’ 1767. Much of this pamphlet, which runs to two hundred pages, was dictated by Grenville himself. It is the best existing collection of arguments on behalf of the Stamp Act. The latter part is devoted to an attempt to show that the Rockingham ministry, by refusing to check the American resistance to the English customs duties, were opening a way for the loss of the American colonies. 9. ‘A Word at Parting to his Grace the Duke of Bedford,’ occasioned by the duke's friends joining the Grafton ministry in 1767 while Grenville still remained out of office.
[Grenville Correspondence, index sub nom.; Almon's Biographical Anecdotes, vol. ii. ch. xx.; Gent. Mag. 1773; Alumni Westmonasterienses, pp. 362, 573; Foster's Alumni Oxon.; Albemarle's Memoirs of Rockingham; Letters of Junius.]