The Treasurer of the Navy was an office in the British

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

 government between the mid-16th and early 19th century. The office-holder was responsible for the financial maintenance of the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

. The office was a political appointment, and frequently was held by up-and-coming young politicians who would later go on to hold more important positions. The post was abolished in 1836 and its functions incorporated into those of the Paymaster-General

Paymaster-General

HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. The Paymaster General is in charge of the Office of HM Paymaster General , which held accounts at the Bank of England on behalf of Government departments and selected other public bodies...

.

Treasurers of the Navy: 1546–1835

Service	Name	Notes
25 Apr 1546–8 Jul 1549	Robert Legge
8 Jul 1549–18 Nov 1577	Benjamin Gonson
18 Nov 1577–26 Nov 1577	Benjamin Gonson and John Hawkins John Hawkins Admiral Sir John Hawkins was an English shipbuilder, naval administrator and commander, merchant, navigator, and slave trader. As treasurer and controller of the Royal Navy, he rebuilt older ships and helped design the faster ships that withstood the Spanish Armada in 1588...
26 Nov 1577–12 Nov 1595	John Hawkins John Hawkins Admiral Sir John Hawkins was an English shipbuilder, naval administrator and commander, merchant, navigator, and slave trader. As treasurer and controller of the Royal Navy, he rebuilt older ships and helped design the faster ships that withstood the Spanish Armada in 1588...	Knighted 26 July 1588
22 Dec 1598–26 Apr 1604	Fulk Greville
26 Apr 1604–11 May 1618	Sir Robert Mansell Robert Mansell (admiral) Sir Robert Mansel was an admiral of the English Royal Navy and a Member of Parliament , mostly for Welsh constituencies. His name was sometimes given as Sir Robert Mansfield and Sir Robert Maunsell....
11 May 1618–5 Apr 1627	Sir William Russell Sir William Russell, 1st Baronet, of Chippenham Sir William Russell, 1st Baronet, of Chippenham , was an English politician.He was one of the Russell Baronets and the Treasurer of the Navy 11 May 1618–5 April 1627. He was created a baronet in March 1627....	created baronet Baronet A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...  12 March 1627
5 Apr 1627–21 Jan 1630	Sackville Crowe Sackville Crowe Sir Sackville Crowe, 1st Baronet, was an English nobleman and politician.He was born in Brasted Kent, in around 1611, and later married one of the daughters of the Earl of Rutland; he had one son, also named Sackville, born around 1636 and who died in 1706...	created baronet 8 July 1627
1630–1639	Sir William Russell Sir William Russell, 1st Baronet, of Chippenham Sir William Russell, 1st Baronet, of Chippenham , was an English politician.He was one of the Russell Baronets and the Treasurer of the Navy 11 May 1618–5 April 1627. He was created a baronet in March 1627....
1639-1642	Sir William Russell Sir William Russell, 1st Baronet, of Chippenham Sir William Russell, 1st Baronet, of Chippenham , was an English politician.He was one of the Russell Baronets and the Treasurer of the Navy 11 May 1618–5 April 1627. He was created a baronet in March 1627....  and Henry Vane Henry Vane the Younger Sir Henry Vane , son of Henry Vane the Elder , was an English politician, statesman, and colonial governor...
1642-1646	Sir William Russell and Sir John Penington John Penington Sir John Penington was an English admiral who served under Charles I of England.-Biography:John Pennington was the second cousin of Sir Isaac Penington or Pennington, and the son of Robert Penington of Henham in Essex, described as a tanner...  (Royalist Cavalier Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration... )
1646-1654	Sir William Russell (Royalist)
1645-1650	Sir Henry Vane (Parliamentary)
1651-1660	Richard Hutchinson (Parliamentary)
1660-1667	Sir George Carteret George Carteret Vice Admiral Sir George Carteret, 1st Baronet , son of Elias de Carteret, was a royalist statesman in Jersey and England, who served in the Clarendon Ministry as Treasurer of the Navy...
1667-1668	Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey PC was an Anglo-Irish royalist statesman. After short periods as President of the Council of State and Treasurer of the Navy, he served as Lord Privy Seal between 1673 and 1682 for Charles II...
1668-1671	Sir Thomas Osborne Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, KG , English statesman , served in a variety of offices under Kings Charles II and William III of England.-Early life, 1632–1674:The son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart., of Kiveton, Yorkshire, Thomas Osborne...  and Sir Thomas de Littelton, Bt Sir Thomas Littleton, 3rd Baronet Sir Thomas Littleton, 3rd Baronet , often Thomas de Littleton, was a British statesman. He was the son of Sir Thomas Littleton, 2nd Baronet and his wife and cousin Anne Littleton....
1671-1673	Sir Thomas Osborne Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, KG , English statesman , served in a variety of offices under Kings Charles II and William III of England.-Early life, 1632–1674:The son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart., of Kiveton, Yorkshire, Thomas Osborne...
1673-1681	Edward Seymour Sir Edward Seymour, 4th Baronet Sir Edward Seymour, of Berry Pomeroy, 4th Baronet, MP was a British nobleman, and a Royalist and Tory politician.-Life:...
1681-1689	Anthony Carey, 5th Viscount Falkland
1689-1699	Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford Admiral of the Fleet Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford, PC was the First Lord of the Admiralty under King William III.-Naval career:...
1699-1710	Sir Thomas de Littleton Thomas de Littleton Sir Thomas de Littleton was an English judge and legal writer.-Early life:He was born, it is supposed, at Frankley Manor House, Worcestershire, England in about 1407. Littleton’s surname was that of his mother, who was the sole daughter and heiress of Thomas de Littleton, Lord of Frankley. She...
1710-1711	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....
1711-1714	Charles Caesar Charles Caesar (Treasurer of the Navy) Charles Caesar was a British Member of Parliament and a lawyer, a Tory and a Jacobite.-Life:Charles Caesar was the son of Sir Charles Caesar of Benington, Hertfordshire. He was educated at St Catharine's College, Cambridge and admitted at the Middle Templein 1690. He entered Parliament in 1701 as...
1714-1718	John Aislabie John Aislabie John Aislabie or Aslabie was a British politician, notable for his involvement in the South Sea Bubble and for creating the water garden at Studley Royal.-Background and education:...
1718-1720	Richard Hampden Richard Hampden (1674-1728) Richard Hampden PC was an English politician, the son of John Hampden.He sat for Wendover from 1701 to 1708, 1713 to 1714 and 1722 to 1728, and Buckinghamshire from 1708 to 1710, 1715 to 1722, and 1727 to 1728. In 1718, he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed Treasurer of the Navy, an...
1720-1724	George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington Admiral of the Fleet George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, KB PC was a British naval officer and statesman of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. His career included service as First Lord of the Admiralty during the reign of King George II.-Naval career:Byng was born at Wrotham, Kent, England...
1724-1734	Pattee Byng, 2nd Viscount Torrington Pattee Byng, 2nd Viscount Torrington Pattee Byng, 2nd Viscount Torrington, PC , was a British naval officer and statesman of the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
1734-1742	Arthur Onslow Arthur Onslow Arthur Onslow was an English politician. He set a record for length of service when repeatedly elected to serve as Speaker of the House of Commons, where he was known for his integrity.-Early life and education:...
1742	Thomas Clutterbuck
1742-1743	Sir Charles Wager Charles Wager Sir Charles Wager was a British Admiral and First Lord of the Admiralty between 1733 and 1742.Despite heroic active service and steadfast administration and diplomatic service, Wager's reputation has suffered from a profoundly mistaken idea that the navy was then at a low ebb...
1743-1744	Sir John Rushout, 4th Baronet Sir John Rushout, 4th Baronet Sir John Rushout, 4th Baronet was a British politician and long-serving Member of Parliament, eventually serving as Father of the House....
1744-1749	George Bubb Dodington
1749-1754	Henry Legge Henry Bilson Legge Henry Bilson-Legge PC was an English statesman. He notably served three times as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 1750s and 1760s.-Background and education:...
1754-1756	George Grenville George Grenville George Grenville was a British Whig statesman who rose to the position of Prime Minister of Great Britain. Grenville was born into an influential political family and first entered Parliament in 1741 as an MP for Buckingham...
1756	George Bubb Dodington
1756-1762	George Grenville George Grenville George Grenville was a British Whig statesman who rose to the position of Prime Minister of Great Britain. Grenville was born into an influential political family and first entered Parliament in 1741 as an MP for Buckingham...
1762-1765	William Wildman Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington
1765-1770	Richard Howe, 4th Viscount Howe Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe KG was a British naval officer, notable in particular for his service during the American War of Independence and French Revolutionary Wars. He was the brother of William Howe and George Howe.Howe joined the navy at the age of thirteen and served...
1770-1777	Sir Gilbert Elliot Sir Gilbert Elliot, 3rd Baronet The Rt. Hon. Sir Gilbert Elliot, 3rd Baronet of Minto was born at Minto, Roxburghshire, and was a Scottish statesman, philosopher and poet.-Early life and education:...
1777-1782	Welbore Ellis
1782	Isaac Barré Isaac Barré Isaac Barré was an Irish soldier and politician. He earned distinction serving with the British army during the Seven Years' War, and later became a prominent Member of Parliament where he became a vocal supporter of William Pitt. He is known for coining the term "Sons of Liberty" in reference to...
1782-1783	Henry Dundas
1783-1784	Charles Townshend Charles Townshend, 1st Baron Bayning Charles Townshend, 1st Baron Bayning PC was a British politician.-Background and education:Bayning was the only son of the Hon. William Townshend, third son of Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend. George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, Charles Townshend and Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount...
1784-1800	Henry Dundas
1800-1801	Dudley Ryder Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby Dudley Ryder, 1st Earl of Harrowby, PC, FSA was a prominent British politician of the Pittite faction and the Tory party.-Background and education:...
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	George Tierney George Tierney George Tierney PC was an English Whig politician.-Background and education:Born in Gibraltar, Tierney was the son of Thomas Tierney, a wealthy Irish merchant of London, who was living in Gibraltar as prize agent. He was sent to Eton and Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he took the degree of Law in 1784...
1804-1806	George Canning George Canning George Canning PC, FRS was a British statesman and politician who served as Foreign Secretary and briefly Prime Minister.-Early life: 1770–1793:...
1806-1807	Richard Brinsley Sheridan Richard Brinsley Sheridan Richard Brinsley Butler Sheridan was an Irish-born playwright and poet and long-term owner of the London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. For thirty-two years he was also a Whig Member of the British House of Commons for Stafford , Westminster and Ilchester...
1807-1818	George Rose George Rose The Right Honourable George Rose was a British politician.Born at Woodside near Brechin, Scotland, Rose was the son of the Reverend David Rose of Lethnot, by Margaret, daughter of Donald Rose of Wester Clune...
1818-1823	Frederick John Robinson Frederick John Robinson, 1st Viscount Goderich Frederick John Robinson, 1st Earl of Ripon PC , styled The Honourable F. J. Robinson until 1827 and known as The Viscount Goderich between 1827 and 1833, the name by which he is best known to history, was a British statesman...
1823-1827	William Huskisson William Huskisson William Huskisson PC was a British statesman, financier, and Member of Parliament for several constituencies, including Liverpool...
1827-1828	Charles Grant Charles Grant, 1st Baron Glenelg Charles Grant, 1st Baron Glenelg PC FRS was a Scottish politician and colonial administrator.-Background and education:...
1828-1830	William Vesey Fitzgerald
1830	Thomas Frankland Lewis
1830-1834	Charles Poulett Thomson Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham PC was a British politician and the first Governor of the united Province of Canada.-Background:...
1834-1835	William Lowther, Viscount Lowther William Lowther, 2nd Earl of Lonsdale William Lowther, 2nd Earl of Lonsdale PC, FRS , styled Viscount Lowther between 1807 and 1844, was a British Tory politician.-Background:...
1835-1836	Sir Henry Parnell