British Colonial Office
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British Colonial Office was a department of the British government in charge of the affairs of British colonies.
[edit] Pre-Colonial Office
Prior to 1854, various departments of the British government were responsible for the affairs of the colonies:
- 1660s-1768 Secretary of State for the Southern Department and the Board of Trade and Plantations (committee under the British Privy Council)
- 1768 (American) Colonial Department created to deal with colonial affairs in British North America
- 1782 (American) Colonial Department abolished
- 1801 Secretary of State for War and the Colonies created
- 1825 Permanent undersecretary for the Colonies created
[edit] Colonial Office
An official Colonial Office was created in 1854 to deal specifically with the needs of the colonies and assigned to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. In 1907 Dominon Division of the Colonial Office was created and in 1925 the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs was created. This Dominion division was later renamed as the Commonwealth Relations Office. In 1966 Dominon Affairs re-merged with Colonial Office and finally in 1968 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was created.
