Secretary at War
Encyclopedia
The Secretary at War was a political position in the English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...

 and later British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...

 government, with some responsibility over the administration and organization of the Army, but not over military policy. The Secretary at War ran the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...

. It was occasionally a cabinet level position, although it was considered of subordinate rank to the Secretaries of State
Secretary of State (England)
In the Kingdom of England, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary....

. The position was combined with that of Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...

 in 1854 and abolished in 1863.

Notable holders of the position include Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....

, the Hon. Henry Pelham
Henry Pelham
Henry Pelham was a British Whig statesman, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 27 August 1743 until his death in 1754...

, Henry Fox
Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland
Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, of Foxley, MP, PC was a leading British politician of the 18th century. He identified primarily with the Whig faction...

, Lord Palmerston and Lord Macaulay
Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay
Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay PC was a British poet, historian and Whig politician. He wrote extensively as an essayist and reviewer, and on British history...

.

Secretaries at War, 1661-1854

Name Entered office Left office
Sir William Clarke
William Clarke (English politician)
Sir William Clarke was an English politician. Born about 1623 in London of obscure parentage, he was admitted as a student to Inner Temple in 1645 and called to the bar in 1653. On 28 Jan. 1661 he was appointed Secretary at War, after having served for at least the previous twelve years as...

 
1661 1666
Matthew Locke  1666 1683
William Blathwayt
William Blathwayt
William Blathwayt was a civil servant and politician who established the War Office as a department of the British Government and played an important part in administering the Thirteen Colonies of North America....

 
1683 1692
George Clarke
George Clarke
George Clarke , the son of Sir William Clarke, enrolled at Brasenose College, Oxford in 1676. He was elected a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford in 1680. He became Judge Advocate to the Army and was William III of England's Secretary at War from 1690 to 1704...

 
1692 1704
Henry St John
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke
Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke was an English politician, government official and political philosopher. He was a leader of the Tories, and supported the Church of England politically despite his atheism. In 1715 he supported the Jacobite rebellion of 1715 which sought to overthrow the...

 
1704 1708
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....

 
1708 1710
George Granville
George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne
George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne PC was an English poet, playwright, and politician who served as a Privy Counsellor from 1712.-Early life:...

 
1710 1712
Sir William Wyndham, Bt
Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet
Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet , English politician, was the only son of Sir Edward Wyndham, Bart., a grandson of Sir William Wyndham and a great-great-grandson of Sir John Wyndham of Orchard Wyndham, Somerset, who was created a baronet in 1661.Educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford, he...

 
1712 1713
Francis Gwyn
Francis Gwyn
Francis Gwyn PC , was a Welsh politician and official.-Background:Gwyn was the son and heir of Edward Gwyn of Llansannor, Glamorganshire, who married Eleanor, youngest daughter of Sir Francis Popham of Littlecott, Wiltshire; he was born at Combe Florey in Somerset about 1648...

 
1713 1714
William Pulteney
William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath
William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath, PC was an English politician, a Whig, created the first Earl of Bath in 1742 by King George II; he is sometimes stated to have been Prime Minister, for the shortest term ever , though most modern sources reckon that he cannot be considered to have held the...

 
1714 1717
James Craggs the Younger
James Craggs the Younger
James Craggs the Younger , son of James Craggs the Elder, was born at Westminster. Part of his early life was spent abroad, where he made the acquaintance of George Louis, Elector of Hanover, afterwards King George I...

 
1717 1718
The Viscount Castlecomer
Christopher Wandesford, 2nd Viscount Castlecomer
Christopher Wandesford, 2nd Viscount Castlecomer was a British politician.He was a Member of Parliament for Morpeth from 1710 to 1713.He died aged 35....

 
1718 1718
Robert Pringle  1718 1718
George Treby  1718 1720
Thomas Trevor
Thomas Trevor, 1st Baron Trevor
Thomas Trevor, 1st Baron Trevor PC was knighted in 1692 as Solicitor General and in 1695 became Attorney-General....

 
1720 1724
Hon. Henry Pelham
Henry Pelham
Henry Pelham was a British Whig statesman, who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain from 27 August 1743 until his death in 1754...

 
1724 1730
Sir William Strickland, Bt
Sir William Strickland, 4th Baronet
Sir William Strickland was an English Member of Parliament and Government Minister in Sir Robert Walpole's administration....

 
1730 1735
Sir William Yonge, Bt  1735 1741
Thomas Winnington
Thomas Winnington
Thomas Winnington , of Stanford Court, was an English politician.Winnington was the son of Salwey Winnington of Stanford Court, Member of Parliament for Bewdley, and grandson of Sir Francis Winnington, who had been Solicitor General in the 1670s...

 
1741 1746
Henry Fox
Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland
Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, of Foxley, MP, PC was a leading British politician of the 18th century. He identified primarily with the Whig faction...

 
1746 1755
The Viscount Barrington
William Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington
William Wildman Shute Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington PC was a British politician best known for his two periods as Secretary at War during Britain's involvement in the Seven Years War and American War of Independence....

 
1755 1761
Hon. Charles Townshend
Charles Townshend
Charles Townshend was a British politician. He was born at his family's seat of Raynham Hall in Norfolk, England, the second son of Charles Townshend, 3rd Viscount Townshend, and Audrey , daughter and heiress of Edward Harrison of Ball's Park, near Hertford, a lady who rivalled her son in...

 
1761 1762
Welbore Ellis
Welbore Ellis, 1st Baron Mendip
Welbore Ellis, 1st Baron Mendip PC FRS was a British statesman. He held a number of political offices, including briefly serving as Secretary for the Colonies in 1782 during the American War of Independence.-Background:...

 
1762 1765
The Viscount Barrington
William Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington
William Wildman Shute Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington PC was a British politician best known for his two periods as Secretary at War during Britain's involvement in the Seven Years War and American War of Independence....

 
1765 1778
Charles Jenkinson
Charles Jenkinson, 1st Earl of Liverpool
Charles Jenkinson, 1st Earl of Liverpool PC , known as the Lord Hawkesbury between 1786 and 1796, was a British statesman. He was the father of Prime Minister Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool....

 
1778 1782
Thomas Townshend
Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney
Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney PC , was a British politician who held several important Cabinet posts in the second half of the 18th century...

 
1782 1782
Sir George Yonge, Bt  1782 1783
Richard Fitzpatrick
Richard FitzPatrick
General Richard FitzPatrick , styled The Honourable from birth, was an Anglo-Irish soldier, wit, poet, Whig politician and ‘sworn brother’ of the illustrious statesman of Charles James Fox...

 
1783 1783
Sir George Yonge, Bt  1783 1794
William Windham
William Windham
William Windham PC, PC was a British Whig statesman.-Early life:Windham was a member of an ancient Norfolk family and a great-great-grandson of Sir John Wyndham. He was the son of William Windham, Sr. of Felbrigg Hall and his second wife, Sarah Lukin...

 
1794 1801
Charles Philip Yorke
Charles Philip Yorke
Charles Philip Yorke PC, FRS, FSA , was a British politician. He notably served as Home Secretary from 1803 to 1804.-Background:...

 
1801 1803
Charles Bragge
Charles Bathurst
Charles Bathurst PC , known as Charles Bragge from 1754 to 1804, was a British politician of the early 19th century.-Background and education:...

 
1803 1804
William Dundas
William Dundas
William Dundas was a Scottish politician.The son of Robert Dundas, Lord Arniston, the younger, he became a barrister at Lincoln's Inn in 1788...

 
1804 1806
Richard Fitzpatrick
Richard FitzPatrick
General Richard FitzPatrick , styled The Honourable from birth, was an Anglo-Irish soldier, wit, poet, Whig politician and ‘sworn brother’ of the illustrious statesman of Charles James Fox...

 
1806 1807
Sir James Murray-Pulteney, Bt
Sir James Murray-Pulteney, 7th Baronet
General Sir James Murray Pulteney, 7th Baronet PC was a Scottish soldier and British politician.-Background and education:...

 
1807 1809
Lord Granville Leveson-Gower
Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville
Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Granville GCB PC , known as Lord Granville Leveson-Gower from 1786 to 1814 and as the Viscount Granville from 1814 to 1833, was a British Whig statesman and diplomat....

 
1809 1809
The Viscount Palmerston  1809 1828
Sir Henry Hardinge
Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge
Field Marshal Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge, GCB, PC was a British field marshal and Governor-general of India.-Army career:...

 
1828 1830
Lord Francis Leveson-Gower
Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere
Francis Egerton, 1st Earl of Ellesmere KG, PC , known as Lord Francis Leveson-Gower until 1833, was a British politician, writer, traveller and patron of the arts...

 
1830 1830
Charles Watkin Williams-Wynn  1830 1831
Sir Henry Parnell, Bt  1831 1832
Sir John Hobhouse, Bt
John Hobhouse, 1st Baron Broughton
John Cam Hobhouse, 1st Baron Broughton GCB, PC, FRS , known as Sir John Hobhouse, Bt, from 1831 to 1851, was a British politician and memoirist.-Background and education:...

 
1832 1833
Edward Ellice  1833 1834
John Charles Herries
John Charles Herries
John Charles Herries PC , known as J. C. Herries, was a British politician and financier and a frequent member of Tory and Conservative cabinets in the early to mid 19th century.-Background and education:...

 
1834 1835
Viscount Howick
Henry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey
Henry George Grey, 3rd Earl Grey , known as Viscount Howick from 1807 until 1845, was an English statesman.-Background:Grey was the eldest son of Prime Minister Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, by his wife the Hon...

 
1835 1839
Thomas Babington Macaulay
Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay
Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay PC was a British poet, historian and Whig politician. He wrote extensively as an essayist and reviewer, and on British history...

 
1839 1841
Sir Henry Hardinge
Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge
Field Marshal Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge, GCB, PC was a British field marshal and Governor-general of India.-Army career:...

 
1841 1844
Sir Thomas Fremantle, Bt
Thomas Fremantle, 1st Baron Cottesloe
Thomas Francis Fremantle, 1st Baron Cottesloe PC, PC , JP , known as Sir Thomas Fremantle, Bt, between 1821 and 1874, was a British Tory politician.-Early life:...

 
1844 1845
Hon. Sidney Herbert
Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea
Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea PC was an English statesman and a close ally and confidante of Florence Nightingale.-Early life:...

 
1845 1846
Hon. Fox Maule
Fox Maule-Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie
Fox Maule-Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie KT, GCB, PC , known as Fox Maule before 1852, as The Lord Panmure between 1852 and 1860 and as Earl of Dalhousie after 1860, was a British politician.-Background:...

 
1846 1852
Robert Vernon Smith  1852 1852
William Beresford
William Beresford
William Beresford was a British Conservative politician.-Background:He was the only son of Marcus Beresford and his wife Frances Arabella, daughter of Joseph Leeson, 1st Earl of Milltown. Beresford was educated at St Mary Hall, Oxford, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1819 and a...

 
1852 1852
Hon. Sidney Herbert
Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea
Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea PC was an English statesman and a close ally and confidante of Florence Nightingale.-Early life:...

 
1852 1854

Secretaries of State for War and Secretaries at War, 1854-1863

Name Entered office Left office
The Duke of Newcastle
Henry Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne
Henry Pelham Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne KG, PC , styled Earl of Lincoln before 1851, was a British politician.-Background:...

 
1854 1855
The Lord Panmure
Fox Maule-Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie
Fox Maule-Ramsay, 11th Earl of Dalhousie KT, GCB, PC , known as Fox Maule before 1852, as The Lord Panmure between 1852 and 1860 and as Earl of Dalhousie after 1860, was a British politician.-Background:...

 
1855 1858
Jonathan Peel
Jonathan Peel
Jonathan Peel was a British soldier, Conservative politician and racehorse owner.-Background and education:...

 
1858 1859
The Lord Herbert of Lea
Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea
Sidney Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Lea PC was an English statesman and a close ally and confidante of Florence Nightingale.-Early life:...

 
1859 1861
Sir George Cornewall Lewis, Bt 1861 1863
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