Secretary of State for War and the Colonies

Summary

The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet-level position responsible for the army and the British colonies (other than India). The Secretary was supported by an Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies.

Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
StyleThe Right Honourable[Note 1]
Member ofCabinet · Privy Council · Parliament
AppointerMonarch of the United Kingdom
based on advice of the Prime Minister
Term lengthAt His Majesty's pleasure
Formation17 March 1801
First holderThe Lord Hobart
Final holderThe Duke of Newcastle
Abolished10 June 1854
SuccessionSecretary of State for War · Secretary of State for the Colonies
DeputyUnder-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies

History

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The Department was created in 1801. In 1854 it was split into the separate offices of Secretary of State for War and Secretary of State for the Colonies.

Principal political leaders of the English/British Armed Forces:
Royal Navy British Army Royal Air Force Co-ordination
1628 First Lord of the Admiralty
(1628–1964)
1794 Secretary of State for War
(1794–1801)
1801 Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
(1801–1854)
1854 Secretary of State for War
(1854–1964)
1919 Secretary of State for Air
(1919–1964)
1936 Minister for Co-ordination of Defence
(1936–1940)
1940 Minister of Defence (1940–1964)
1964 Secretary of State for Defence (1964–present)


List of secretaries of state (1801–1854)

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Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Secretary Term of office Party Ministry Monarch
(Reign)
  Robert Hobart
Baron Hobart
17 March
1801
12 May
1804
Tory Addington George III
 
(1760–1820)

[Note 2]
  John Pratt
2nd Earl Camden
14 May
1804
10 July
1805
Tory Pitt II
  Robert Stewart
Viscount Castlereagh

MP for Boroughbridge
10 July
1805
5 February
1806
Tory
  William Windham
MP for New Romney
5 February
1806
25 March
1807
Whig All the Talents
(WhigTory)
  Robert Stewart
Viscount Castlereagh

MP for Plympton Erle
25 March
1807
1 November
1809
Tory Portland II
  Robert Jenkinson
2nd Earl of Liverpool
1 November
1809
11 June
1812
Tory Perceval
  Henry Bathurst
3rd Earl Bathurst
11 June
1812
30 April
1827
Tory Liverpool
George IV
 
  F. J. Robinson
1st Viscount Goderich
30 April
1827
3 September
1827
Tory Canning
(CanningiteWhig)
  William Huskisson
MP for Liverpool
3 September
1827
30 May
1828
Tory Goderich
(CanningiteWhig)
  George Murray
MP for Perthshire
30 May
1828
22 November
1830
Tory Wellington–Peel
William IV
 
  F. J. Robinson
1st Viscount Goderich
22 November
1830
3 April
1833
Whig Grey
  Edward Smith-Stanley
MP for North Lancashire
3 April
1833
5 June
1834
Whig
  Thomas Spring Rice
MP for Cambridge
5 June
1834
14 November
1834
Whig Melbourne I
  Arthur Wellesley
1st Duke of Wellington
17 November
1834
9 December
1834
Tory Wellington Caretaker
  George Hamilton-Gordon
4th Earl of Aberdeen
20 December
1834
8 April
1835
Conservative Peel I
  Charles Grant
1st Baron Glenelg
18 April
1835
20 February
1839
Whig Melbourne II
Victoria
 
  Constantine Phipps
1st Marquess of Normanby
20 February
1839
30 August
1839
Whig
  John Russell
MP for Stroud
30 August
1839
30 August
1841
Whig
  Edward Smith-Stanley
Baron Stanley of Bickerstaffe

[Note 3]
3 September
1841
23 December
1845
Conservative Peel II
  William Ewart Gladstone
[Note 4]
23 December
1845
27 June
1846
Conservative
  Henry Grey
3rd Earl Grey
6 July
1846
21 February
1852
Whig Russell I
  John Pakington
MP for Droitwich
27 February
1852
17 December
1852
Conservative Who? Who?
  Henry Pelham-Clinton
5th Duke of Newcastle
28 December
1852
10 June
1854
Peelite Aberdeen
(PeeliteWhig)
Notes
  1. ^ Typical style for members of the Privy Council and peers ranked below Marquess. For peers of the rank Marquess The Most Honourable; for peers of the rank Duke His Grace.
  2. ^ The Prince of Wales served as prince regent from 5 February 1811.
  3. ^ MP for North Lancashire until 1844; thereafter summoned to Parliament through a writ in acceleration in respect of his father's title, Baron Stanley of Bickerstaffe.
  4. ^ On appointment to office a ministerial by-election was triggered in the Newark-upon-Trent constituency that Gladstone had represented since 1832. Gladstone did not contest the seat, and was not returned to Parliament until the 1847 general election.

UK History of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

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History of English and British government departments with responsibility for foreign affairs and those with responsibility for the colonies, dominions and the Commonwealth
Northern Department
1660–1782
Secretaries — Undersecretaries
Southern Department
1660–1768
Secretaries — Undersecretaries
Southern Department
1768–1782
Secretaries — Undersecretaries
1782: diplomatic responsibilities transferred to new Foreign Office
Colonial Office
1768–1782
SecretariesUndersecretaries
Foreign Office
1782–1968
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries
Home Office
1782–1794
SecretariesUndersecretaries
War Office
1794–1801
SecretariesUndersecretaries
War and Colonial Office
1801–1854
SecretariesUndersecretaries
Colonial Office
1854–1925
SecretariesUndersecretaries
India Office
1858–1937
SecretariesUndersecretaries
Colonial Office
1925–1966
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries
Dominions Office
1925–1947
SecretariesUndersecretaries
India Office and Burma Office
1937–1947
SecretariesUndersecretaries
Commonwealth Relations Office
1947–1966
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries
Commonwealth Office
1966–1968
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
1968–2020
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
Since 2020
SecretariesMinistersUndersecretaries

References

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