The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies was a junior Ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, subordinate to the Secretary of State for the Colonies

Secretary of State for the Colonies

The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....

 and, from 1948, also to a Minister of State.

Under-Secretaries of State for the Colonies, 1768-1782

Name	Entered office	Left office
R. Phelps	1768	1768
John Pownall	1768	1770
John Pownall and William Knox	1770	1776
William Knox and C. D'Oyly	1776	1778
William Knox and T. De Grey	1778	1780
William Knox and Benjamin Thompson Benjamin Thompson Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford , FRS was an American-born British physicist and inventor whose challenges to established physical theory were part of the 19th century revolution in thermodynamics. He also served as a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Loyalist forces in America during the American...	1780	1781
William Knox and J. Fisher	1781	1782

In 1782, following the loss of the American colonies, the office was abolished, and its duties given to the Home Secretary

Home Secretary

The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...

. From there it passed to 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...

, which was later renamed the War and Colonial Office. In 1854 this office was split, and the Colonial Office reestablished.

Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for the Colonies, 1854-1966

For earlier office-holders see Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies

Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies

The Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a junior Ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, subordinate to the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies....

.

Name	Entered office	Left office
Frederick Peel Frederick Peel Sir Frederick Peel was a British Liberal Party politician.The second son of Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel, and was educated at Harrow and at Trinity College, Cambridge, becoming a barrister in 1849....	1854	1855
John Ball John Ball (naturalist) John Ball was an Irish politician, naturalist and Alpine traveller.-Background and education:Ball was born in Dublin, the eldest son of Nicholas Ball and his wife Jane Sherlock...	1855	1857
Chichester Fortescue Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford Chichester Samuel Parkinson-Fortescue, 2nd Baron Clermont and 1st Baron Carlingford KP, PC , known as Chichester Fortescue until 1863 and as Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue between 1863 and 1874, Lord Carlingford from 1874 to 1887 and Lord Clermont after 1887, was a British statesman and Liberal...	1857	1858
The Earl of Carnarvon Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon, PC, DL, FSA, FRS , known as Lord Porchester from 1833 to 1849, was a British politician and a leading member of the Conservative Party...	1858	1859
Chichester Fortescue Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue, 1st Baron Carlingford Chichester Samuel Parkinson-Fortescue, 2nd Baron Clermont and 1st Baron Carlingford KP, PC , known as Chichester Fortescue until 1863 and as Chichester Parkinson-Fortescue between 1863 and 1874, Lord Carlingford from 1874 to 1887 and Lord Clermont after 1887, was a British statesman and Liberal...	1859	1865
William Edward Forster William Edward Forster William Edward Forster PC, FRS was an English industrialist, philanthropist and Liberal Party statesman.-Early life:...	1865	1866
Charles Adderley	1866	1868
William Monsell William Monsell, 1st Baron Emly William Monsell, 1st Baron Emly PC was an Anglo-Irish landowner and Liberal politician. He held a number of ministerial positions between 1852 and 1873, notably as President of the Board of Health in 1857 and as Postmaster General between 1871 and 1873.-Background and education:Monsell was born to...	1868	1871
Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen Edward Knatchbull-Hugessen, 1st Baron Brabourne Edward Hugessen Knatchbull-Hugessen, 1st Baron Brabourne PC , was a British Liberal politician. He served as Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department under Lord Russell in 1866 and under William Ewart Gladstone from 1868 to 1871 and was also Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies under...	1871	1874
James Lowther	1874	1878
The Earl Cadogan George Cadogan, 5th Earl Cadogan George Henry Cadogan, 5th Earl Cadogan KG, PC, JP was a British Conservative politician.-Background and education:...	1878	1880
M. E. Grant Duff	1880	1881
Leonard Courtney Leonard Courtney, 1st Baron Courtney of Penwith Leonard Henry Courtney, 1st Baron Courtney of Penwith PC was a British politician, academic and man of letters...	1881	1882
Hon. Evelyn Ashley Evelyn Ashley Evelyn Melbourne Ashley PC , was British barrister and Liberal politician. He was private secretary to Lord Palmerston and later published a biography of him...	1882	1885
The Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl Windham Wyndham-Quin, 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin, 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl KP PC , styled Viscount Adare between 1850 and 1871, was an Irish journalist, landowner, entrepreneur, sportsman and Conservative politician. He served as Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies under Lord Salisbury from 1885 to...	1885	1886
George Osborne Morgan	1886	1886
The Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl Windham Wyndham-Quin, 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl Windham Thomas Wyndham-Quin, 4th Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl KP PC , styled Viscount Adare between 1850 and 1871, was an Irish journalist, landowner, entrepreneur, sportsman and Conservative politician. He served as Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies under Lord Salisbury from 1885 to...	1886	1887
The Earl of Onslow William Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow William Hillier Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow GCMG, PC was a British Conservative politician. He held several governmental positions between 1880 and 1905 and was also Governor of New Zealand between 1889 and 1892....	1887	1888
Baron Henry de Worms Henry de Worms, 1st Baron Pirbright Henry de Worms, 1st Baron Pirbright PC, DL, JP, FRS , known before his elevation to the peerage in 1895 as Baron Henry de Worms, was a British Conservative politician.-Background and education:...	1888	1892
Sydney Buxton Sydney Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton Sydney Charles Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton GCMG, PC was a British Liberal politician of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.-Background and education:...	1892	1895
The Earl of Selborne William Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne William Waldegrave Palmer, 2nd Earl of Selborne KG, GCMG, PC , styled Viscount Wolmer between 1882 and 1895, was a British politician and colonial administrator.-Background and education:...	1895	1900
The Earl of Onslow William Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow William Hillier Onslow, 4th Earl of Onslow GCMG, PC was a British Conservative politician. He held several governmental positions between 1880 and 1905 and was also Governor of New Zealand between 1889 and 1892....	1900	1903
The Duke of Marlborough Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough KG, PC , styled Earl of Sunderland until 1883 and Marquess of Blandford between 1883 and 1892, was a British soldier and Conservative politician...	1903	1905
Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...	1905	1908
J. E. B. Seely J. E. B. Seely, 1st Baron Mottistone John Edward Bernard Seely, 1st Baron Mottistone CB, CMG, DSO, PC, TD was a British soldier and politician. He was a Conservative Member of Parliament from 1900 to 1904 and a Liberal MP from 1904 to 1922 and from 1923 to 1924...	1908	1911
The Lord Lucas of Crudwell	1911	1911
The Lord Emmott Alfred Emmott, 1st Baron Emmott Alfred Emmott, 1st Baron Emmott GCMG, GBE, PC was a British businessman and Liberal Party politician.-Background and education:...	1911	1914
The Lord Islington John Poynder Dickson, 1st Baron Islington John Poynder Dickson-Poynder, 1st Baron Islington GCMG, GBE, DSO, PC , born John Poynder Dickson and known as Sir John Poynder Dickson from 1884 to 1910, was a British politician...	1914	1915
Arthur Steel-Maitland	1915	1917
William Hewins William Hewins William Alfred Samuel Hewins was a British economist and Conservative politician.Hewins was the son of Samuel Hewins, an iron merchant, and was educated at Wolverhampton Grammar School and Pembroke College, Oxford. He graduated with a degree in mathematics and later worked as a university...	1917	1919
Leo Amery	1919	1921
Hon. E. F. L. Wood E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax, , known as The Lord Irwin from 1925 until 1934 and as The Viscount Halifax from 1934 until 1944, was one of the most senior British Conservative politicians of the 1930s, during which he held several senior ministerial posts, most notably as...	1921	1922
Hon. William Ormsby-Gore William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech William George Arthur Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech KG, GCMG, PC , known as William Ormsby-Gore until 1938, was a British Conservative politician and banker.-Background:...	1922	1924
The Lord Arnold Sydney Arnold, 1st Baron Arnold Sydney Arnold, 1st Baron Arnold was a British Liberal Party politician who later joined the Labour Party and served as a government minister....	1924	1924
Hon. William Ormsby-Gore William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech William George Arthur Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech KG, GCMG, PC , known as William Ormsby-Gore until 1938, was a British Conservative politician and banker.-Background:...	1924	1929
William Lunn William Lunn William Lunn was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom.He was elected at the 1918 general election as Member of Parliament for the newly-created Rothwell constituency in West Yorkshire, and held the seat until he died in office in 1942, aged 69.In 1924, Lunn served in Ramsay...	1929	1929
Drummond Shiels Drummond Shiels Sir Drummond Shiels MC was a Scottish Labour politician.The son of James Drummond Shiels and Agnes Campbell of Edinburgh, he was educated at Edinburgh University where he graduated MB ChB....	1929	1931
Robert William Hamilton Robert William Hamilton Sir Robert William Hamilton was a Scottish Liberal Party politician.Hamilton was Principal Judge and Chief Justice of the East Africa Protectorate from 1905 to 1920 and was Chairman of the Civil Service Commission in 1918....	1931	1932
The Earl of Plymouth Ivor Windsor-Clive, 2nd Earl of Plymouth Ivor Miles Windsor-Clive, 2nd Earl of Plymouth PC was an English nobleman and Conservative politician....	1932	1936
The Earl De La Warr Herbrand Sackville, 9th Earl De La Warr Herbrand Edward Dundonald Brassey Sackville, 9th Earl De La Warr, GBE, PC, DL, JP , styled Lord Buckhurst until 1915 , was a British politician. He was the first hereditary peer to join the Labour Party and became a government minister at the age of 23...	1936	1937
The Marquess of Dufferin and Ava Basil Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 4th Marquess of Dufferin and Ava Basil Sheridan Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood, 4th Marquess of Dufferin and Ava DL , styled Earl of Ava until 1918, was a Conservative politician and soldier.-Early life and family:...	1937	1940
George Hall	1940	1942
Harold Macmillan Harold Macmillan Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC was Conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 10 January 1957 to 18 October 1963....	1942	1943
The Duke of Devonshire Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire Edward William Spencer Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, KG, MBE, TD , known as Marquess of Hartington , was the head of the Devonshire branch of the Cavendish family...	1943	1945
Arthur Creech Jones Arthur Creech Jones Arthur Creech Jones was a British trade union official and politician. Originally a civil servant, his imprisonment as a conscientious objector during the First World War forced him to change careers. A protégé of Ernest Bevin, he was elected to Parliament in 1935 and served in the Colonial Office...	1945	1946
Ivor Thomas Ivor Bulmer-Thomas Ivor Bulmer-Thomas CBE FSA, originally Ivor Thomas was a British journalist and author who served eight years as a Member of Parliament...	1946	1947
David Rees-Williams David Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore David Rees Rees-Williams, 1st Baron Ogmore, PC, TD was a Welsh politician.Rees-Williams was born in Bridgend, Wales. He qualified as a solicitor in 1929 and married and had three children...	1947	1950
Thomas Fotheringham-Cook	1950	1951
The Earl of Munster Geoffrey FitzClarence, 5th Earl of Munster Sir Geoffrey William Richard Hugh FitzClarence, 5th Earl of Munster KBE PC , was a British peer and Conservative politician....	1951	1951
The Lord Lloyd Alexander Lloyd, 2nd Baron Lloyd Alexander David Frederick Lloyd, 2nd Baron Lloyd , was a British Conservative politician.Lloyd was the only son of George Lloyd, 1st Baron Lloyd, and his wife the Hon. Blanche Isabella . He succeeded his father in the barony in 1941 and took his seat on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords...	1951	1957
John Profumo John Profumo Brigadier John Dennis Profumo, 5th Baron Profumo CBE , informally known as Jack Profumo , was a British politician. His title, 5th Baron, which he did not use, was Italian. Although Profumo held an increasingly responsible series of political posts in the 1950s, he is best known today for his...	1957	1958
Julian Amery Julian Amery, Baron Amery of Lustleigh Harold Julian Amery, Baron Amery of Lustleigh, PC was a British politician of the Conservative Party, who served as a Member of Parliament for 39 of the 42 years between 1950 and 1992. He was appointed to the Privy Council in 1960. He was created a life peer upon his retirement from the House of...	1958	1960
Hon. Hugh Fraser Hugh Fraser (politician) Major Sir Hugh Charles Patrick Joseph Fraser MBE was a British Conservative politician and first husband of the author Lady Antonia Fraser.-Youth and military career:...	1960	1962
Nigel Fisher Nigel Fisher Sir Nigel Thomas Loveridge Fisher MC was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.Fisher was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was in the Welsh Guards of the British Army during World War II, serving as a major in north west Europe. He was awarded the...	16 July 1962	24 October 1963
Nigel Fisher Nigel Fisher Sir Nigel Thomas Loveridge Fisher MC was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom.Fisher was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was in the Welsh Guards of the British Army during World War II, serving as a major in north west Europe. He was awarded the...   and Richard Hornby Richard Hornby Richard Phipps Hornby was a British Conservative Party politician and businessman. He was Member of Parliament for Tonbridge for over 17½ years, from June 1956 to February 1974, holding a junior ministerial position for a year in the mid-1960s. He worked for the J...	24 October 1963	16 October 1964
Eirene White  and The Lord Taylor Stephen Taylor, Baron Taylor Stephen James Lake Taylor, Baron Taylor was a British physician, civil servant, politician and educator....	20 October 1964	11 October 1965
The Lord Taylor Stephen Taylor, Baron Taylor Stephen James Lake Taylor, Baron Taylor was a British physician, civil servant, politician and educator....   and The Lord Beswick Frank Beswick, Baron Beswick Frank Beswick, Baron Beswick was a British Labour Co-operative politician.Born in 1911 in Nottingham, Beswick's father was a coal miner. He was educated in Nottingham and then at the Working Men's College in London. He became a journalist and was elected to the London County Council...	11 October 1965	11 April 1966
The Lord Beswick Frank Beswick, Baron Beswick Frank Beswick, Baron Beswick was a British Labour Co-operative politician.Born in 1911 in Nottingham, Beswick's father was a coal miner. He was educated in Nottingham and then at the Working Men's College in London. He became a journalist and was elected to the London County Council...	11 April 1966	1 August 1966

Abolished 1966. Thereafter, see Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs

Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs

The position of Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs was created in 1966 by the merger of the old positions of Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies. The position dealt with British relations with members of the Commonwealth...

.

Minister of State for the Colonies (1948-1964)

Name	Entered office	Left office
The Earl of Listowel William Hare, 5th Earl of Listowel William Francis Hare, 5th Earl of Listowel GCMG, PC , styled Viscount Ennismore between 1924 and 1931, was a British peer and Labour politician...	1948	1950
John Dugdale John Dugdale (Labour politician) John Dugdale was a British newspaper journalist and politician. Well-connected with the Labour Party establishment, he worked as Private Secretary to Clement Attlee and was appointed a Minister in his post-war government....	1950	1951
Alan Lennox-Boyd Alan Lennox-Boyd, 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton Alan Tindal Lennox-Boyd, 1st Viscount Boyd of Merton, CH, PC, DL was a British Conservative politician.-Background, education and military service:...	1951	1952
Henry Hopkinson Henry Hopkinson, 1st Baron Colyton Henry Lennox D'Aubigne Hopkinson, 1st Baron Colyton PC , was a British diplomat and Conservative politician.Colyton was educated at Eton and Trinity College, Cambridge, and then joined the Diplomatic Service...	1952	1955
Hon. John Hare John Hare, 1st Viscount Blakenham John Hugh Hare, 1st Viscount Blakenham OBE, PC, DL , was a British Conservative politician.-Background and education:...	1955	1956
Hon. John Maclay John Maclay, 1st Viscount Muirshiel John Scott Maclay, 1st Viscount Muirshiel KT, CH, CMG, PC, DL was a British politician, sitting as a National Liberal and Conservative Member of Parliament before the party was fully assimilated into the Unionist Party in Scotland in the early 1960s.Lord Muirshiel served as Secretary of State for...	1956	1957
The Earl of Perth	1957	1962
The Marquess of Lansdowne George Petty-FitzMaurice, 8th Marquess of Lansdowne George John Charles Mercer Nairne Petty-Fitzmaurice, 8th Marquess of Lansdowne DL , known as George Petty-Fitzmaurice until 1944, was a British peer and Conservative politician.-Background:...	1962	1964

Abolished 1964. Thereafter, see Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs

Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs

The position of Minister of State for Commonwealth Affairs was created in 1966 by the merger of the old positions of Minister of State for Commonwealth Relations and Minister of State for the Colonies. The position dealt with British relations with members of the Commonwealth of Nations...

.

Permanent Under-Secretaries of State for the Colonies, 1825 and 1854-1966

Name	Entered office	Left office
Robert William Hay	1825	1854
Herman Merivale Herman Merivale Herman Merivale CB was an English civil servant and historian. He was the elder brother of Charles Merivale, and father of the poet Herman Charles Merivale....	1854	1859
Sir Frederic Rogers Frederic Rogers, 1st Baron Blachford Frederic Rogers, 1st Baron Blachford , British civil servant, eldest son of Sir Frederick Leman Rogers, 7th Baronet , was born in London....	1859	1871
Robert Herbert Robert Herbert Sir Robert George Wyndham Herbert, GCB , was the first Premier of Queensland, Australia.-Early years:Born in Brighton, England, Herbert was the only son of the Hon. Algernon Herbert, a younger son of the first Earl of Carnarvon. He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford...	1871	1892
Sir Robert Henry Meade Robert Henry Meade Sir Robert Henry Meade GCB was a British civil servant and the Head of the Colonial Office between 1892 and 1897.Meade was the second son of the 3rd Earl of Clanwilliam and Lady Elizabeth Herbert...	1892	1897
Edward Wingfield	1897	1900
Montagu Ommanney	1900	1907
Sir Francis Hopwood Francis Hopwood, 1st Baron Southborough Francis John Stephens Hopwood, 1st Baron Southborough GCB GCMG GCVO KCSI PC was a British civil servant and solicitor....	1907	1911
Sir John Anderson	1911	1916
Sir George Fiddes George Vandeleur Fiddes Sir George Vandeleur Fiddes , GCMG, CB was the former British Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies.-Early life:George Vandeleur Fiddes was born in Great Yarmouth, the son of George Richard Fiddes and Ellen Greening...	1916	1921
Sir James Masterton-Smith James Masterton-Smith Sir James Edward Masterton-Smith KCB, 1919; CB 1915 was a British civil servant.He was the son of Edward Smith, formerly a member of the Stock Exchange....	1921	1925
Sir S. Wilson	1925	1933
Sir John Maffey John Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby John Loader Maffey, 1st Baron Rugby, GCMG, KCB, KCVO, CSI, CIE was a British civil servant.Maffey was the younger son of Thomas Maffey, a commercial traveller of Rugby, Warwickshire, and his wife Mary Penelope, daughter of John Loader...	1933	1937
Sir Cosmo Parkinson	1937	1940
Sir George Henry Gater	1940	1940
Sir Cosmo Parkinson	1940	1942
Sir George Henry Gater	1942	1947
Sir Thomas Ingram Lloyd	1947	1956
Sir John Macpherson	1956	1959
Sir Hilton Poynton	1959	1966