300 years ago today, on 15 November 1708, the politician William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, as born. Known as Pitt the Elder he was mainly responsible for British success in the Seven Years' War when he served as Secretary of State for the Southern Department 1756-61 under the nominal Premiership of the Duke of Newcastle. He was eventually appointed Prime Minister himself in 1766, but was less successful in that role and resigned after two years. Pitt the Younger, his more illustrious son, served as Prime Minister for 19 years.