George Alexander Hamilton (29 August 1802 – 17 September 1871) was a minor British Conservative Party politician and later a prominent civil servant. He was an extremely zealous and active Protestant and a supporter of the Orange Order.
Political career
Hamilton was seated as a member of parliament (MP) for Dublin City on 13 April 1835, after a successful election petition. He represented this constituency until he was defeated in the general election of 1837. Hamilton was subsequently elected one of the MPs for Dublin University at a by-election on 10 February 1843 and continued to represent the seat until he resigned in January 1859.
He occupied the political post of Financial Secretary to the Treasury in the first (from 2 March 1852 until 17 December 1852) and second ministries of the Earl of Derby (2 March 1858 to January 1859). Hamilton was appointed Assistant Secretary to the Treasury in 1859 and Permanent Secretary to the Treasury in 1867. These were the most senior civil service posts in the Treasury at that time, and Hamilton continued to serve until 1870. He was made a member of the Privy Council of Ireland on 7 August 1869.
Background
Hamilton was born at Tyrella, Downpatrick, County Down, on 29 August 1802. He was the elder son of the Rev. George Hamilton of Hampton Hall, Balbriggan, County Dublin, who died in March 1833 (first cousin of George Hamilton, the Canadian lumber baron), by Anna, daughter of Thomas Pepper of Ballygarth Castle, County Meath. His grandfather, George Hamilton (d. 1793), who was a Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland) from 1776 to 1793, was a younger brother of Hugh Hamilton, Bishop of Ossory. Hugh's descendants included C.S. Lewis.
He was sent to Rugby School in 1814, and matriculated from Trinity College, Oxford, on 15 December 1818, took his B.A. degree in 1821, and was created D.C.L. on 9 June 1853.