# Secretary of State for War and the Colonies

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.

## History

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.

## List of secretaries of state (1801–1854)

Secretary of State for War and the Colonies :
| Secretary | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Ministry | Monarch (Reign) |
| Robert Hobart Baron Hobart | 17 March 1801 | 12 May 1804 | Tory | Addington | George III (1760–1820) |
| John Pratt 2nd Earl Camden | 14 May 1804 | 10 July 1805 | Tory | Pitt II | George III (1760–1820) |
| Robert Stewart Viscount Castlereagh MP for Boroughbridge | 10 July 1805 | 5 February 1806 | Tory | Pitt II | George III (1760–1820) |
| William Windham MP for New Romney | 5 February 1806 | 25 March 1807 | Whig | All the Talents (Whig–Tory) | George III (1760–1820) |
| Robert Stewart Viscount Castlereagh MP for Plympton Erle | 25 March 1807 | 1 November 1809 | Tory | Portland II | George III (1760–1820) |
| Robert Jenkinson 2nd Earl of Liverpool | 1 November 1809 | 11 June 1812 | Tory | Perceval | George III (1760–1820) |
| Henry Bathurst 3rd Earl Bathurst | 11 June 1812 | 30 April 1827 | Tory | Liverpool | George III (1760–1820) |
| 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 (Canningite–Whig) | George IV |
| William Huskisson MP for Liverpool | 3 September 1827 | 30 May 1828 | Tory | Goderich (Canningite–Whig) | George IV |
| George Murray MP for Perthshire | 30 May 1828 | 22 November 1830 | Tory | Wellington–Peel | George IV |
| 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 | William IV |
| Edward Smith-Stanley MP for North Lancashire | 3 April 1833 | 5 June 1834 | Whig | Grey | William IV |
| Thomas Spring Rice MP for Cambridge | 5 June 1834 | 14 November 1834 | Whig | Melbourne I | William IV |
| Arthur Wellesley 1st Duke of Wellington | 17 November 1834 | 9 December 1834 | Tory | Wellington Caretaker | William IV |
| George Hamilton-Gordon 4th Earl of Aberdeen | 20 December 1834 | 8 April 1835 | Conservative | Peel I | William IV |
| Charles Grant 1st Baron Glenelg | 18 April 1835 | 20 February 1839 | Whig | Melbourne II | William IV |
| 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 | Melbourne II | Victoria |
| John Russell MP for Stroud | 30 August 1839 | 30 August 1841 | Whig | Melbourne II | Victoria |
| Edward Smith-Stanley Baron Stanley of Bickerstaffe | 3 September 1841 | 23 December 1845 | Conservative | Peel II | Victoria |
| William Ewart Gladstone | 23 December 1845 | 27 June 1846 | Conservative | Peel II | Victoria |
| Henry Grey 3rd Earl Grey | 6 July 1846 | 21 February 1852 | Whig | Russell I | Victoria |
| John Pakington MP for Droitwich | 27 February 1852 | 17 December 1852 | Conservative | Who? Who? | Victoria |
| Henry Pelham-Clinton 5th Duke of Newcastle | 28 December 1852 | 10 June 1854 | Peelite | Aberdeen (Peelite–Whig) | Victoria |

### Notes

* ↑ 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.
* ↑ The Prince of Wales served as prince regent from 5 February 1811.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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

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 1660–1768 Secretaries — Undersecretaries | — |
| Northern Department 1660–1782 Secretaries — Undersecretaries | Southern Department 1768–1782 Secretaries — Undersecretaries 1782: diplomatic responsibilities transferred to new Foreign Office | Colonial Office 1768–1782 Secretaries — Undersecretaries | — |
| Foreign Office 1782–1968 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries | Home Office 1782–1794 Secretaries — Undersecretaries | Home Office 1782–1794 Secretaries — Undersecretaries | | — |
| Foreign Office 1782–1968 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries | Colonial Office 1854–1925 Secretaries — Undersecretaries | Colonial Office 1854–1925 Secretaries — Undersecretaries | India Office 1858–1937 Secretaries — Undersecretaries |
| Foreign Office 1782–1968 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries | Colonial Office 1925–1966 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries | Dominions Office 1925–1947 Secretaries — Undersecretaries | India Office 1858–1937 Secretaries — Undersecretaries |
| Foreign Office 1782–1968 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries | Colonial Office 1925–1966 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries | Dominions Office 1925–1947 Secretaries — Undersecretaries | India Office and Burma Office 1937–1947 Secretaries — Undersecretaries |
| Commonwealth Relations Office 1947–1966 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries ||
| Commonwealth Office 1966–1968 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries |||
| Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1968–2020 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries ||||
| Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Since 2020 Secretaries — Ministers — Undersecretaries ||||