Secretary of State for War

Edward Cardwell, later Viscount Cardwell, Secretary of State for War from 1868 to 1874; architect of the Cardwell Reforms

The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas (appointed in 1794). In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854.

In 1964, with the creation of a cabinet-level Minister of Defence separate from the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for War ceased to be a cabinet position.

On 1 April 1964, with the creation of the Secretary of State for Defence position, in charge of a new united Ministry of Defence, the Secretary of State for War position was abolished (along with that of First Lord of the Admiralty and Secretary of State for Air).

The Secretary of State headed the War Office and was assisted by a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for War, a Parliamentary Private Secretary who was also a Member of Parliament, and a Military Secretary, who was a general.

Secretaries of State for War, 1794–1801

Name Portrait Term of office Political party Prime Minister
Henry Dundas
(also President of the Board of Control)		 11 July 1794 17 March 1801 Tory William Pitt the Younger

For 1801–1854 see Secretary of State for War and the Colonies.

Secretaries of State for War, 1854–1964

Name Portrait Term of office Political party Prime Minister
The Duke of Newcastle 12 June 1854 30 January 1855 Peelite Earl of Aberdeen
(Coalition)
The Lord Panmure 8 February 1855 21 February 1858 Whig Earl of Derby
Jonathan Peel 26 February 1858 11 June 1859 Conservative
Sidney Herbert 18 June 1859 22 July 1861 Liberal Viscount Palmerston
Sir George Cornewall Lewis, Bt 23 July 1861 13 April 1863 Liberal
The Earl de Grey and Ripon 28 April 1863 16 February 1866 Liberal
Earl Russell
Marquess of Hartington 16 February 1866 26 June 1866 Liberal
Jonathan Peel 6 July 1866 8 March 1867 Conservative 14th Earl of Derby
Sir John Pakington, Bt 8 March 1867 1 December 1868 Conservative
Benjamin Disraeli
Edward Cardwell 9 December 1868 17 February 1874 Liberal William Ewart Gladstone
Gathorne Hardy 21 February 1874 2 April 1878 Conservative Benjamin Disraeli
Frederick Stanley 2 April 1878 21 April 1880 Conservative
Hugh Childers 28 April 1880 16 December 1882 Liberal William Ewart Gladstone
Marquess of Hartington 16 December 1882 9 June 1885 Liberal
W. H. Smith 24 June 1885 21 January 1886 Conservative Marquess of Salisbury
The Viscount Cranbrook 21 January 1886 6 February 1886 Conservative
Henry Campbell-Bannerman 6 February 1886 20 July 1886 Liberal William Ewart Gladstone
W. H. Smith 3 August 1886 14 January 1887 Conservative Marquess of Salisbury
Edward Stanhope 14 January 1887 11 August 1892 Conservative
Henry Campbell-Bannerman 18 August 1892 21 June 1895 Liberal William Ewart Gladstone
Earl of Rosebery
The Marquess of Lansdowne 4 July 1895 12 November 1900 Liberal Unionist Marquess of Salisbury
(Unionist Coalition)
St John Brodrick 12 November 1900 6 October 1903 Conservative
Arthur Balfour
(Unionist Coalition)
H. O. Arnold-Forster 6 October 1903 4 December 1905 Liberal Unionist
Richard Haldane
(Viscount Haldane from 1911)		 10 December 1905 12 June 1912 Liberal Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
H. H. Asquith
J. E. B. Seely 12 June 1912 30 March 1914 Liberal
H. H. Asquith
(while Prime Minister)		 30 March 1914 5 August 1914 Liberal
The Earl Kitchener 5 August 1914 5 June 1916 none
H. H. Asquith
(Coalition)
David Lloyd George 6 July[1] 1916 5 December 1916 Liberal
The Earl of Derby 10 December 1916 18 April 1918 Conservative David Lloyd George
(Coalition)
The Viscount Milner 18 April 1918 10 January 1919 Conservative
Winston Churchill 10 January 1919 13 February 1921 Liberal
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans, Bt 13 February 1921 19 October 1922 Conservative
The Earl of Derby 24 October 1922 22 January 1924 Conservative Bonar Law
Stanley Baldwin
Stephen Walsh 22 January 1924 3 November 1924 Labour Ramsay MacDonald
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans, Bt 6 November 1924 4 June 1929 Conservative Stanley Baldwin
Thomas Shaw 7 June 1929 24 August 1931 Labour Ramsay MacDonald
The Marquess of Crewe 25 August 1931 5 November 1931 Liberal Ramsay MacDonald
(1st National Min.)
The Viscount Hailsham 5 November 1931 7 June 1935 Conservative Ramsay MacDonald
(2nd National Min.)
The Viscount Halifax 7 June 1935 22 November 1935 Conservative Stanley Baldwin
(3rd National Min.)
Duff Cooper 22 November 1935 28 May 1937 Conservative
Leslie Hore-Belisha 28 May 1937 5 January 1940 National Liberal Neville Chamberlain
(4th National Min.;
War Coalition)
Oliver Stanley 5 January 1940 11 May 1940 Conservative
Anthony Eden 11 May 1940 22 December 1940 Conservative P.M. Min.Defence
Winston Churchill
(War Coalition)
David Margesson 22 December 1940 22 February 1942 Conservative
Sir P. J. Grigg 22 February 1942 26 July 1945 National
Jack Lawson 3 August 1945 4 October 1946 Labour Attlee Attlee
Frederick Bellenger 4 October 1946 7 October 1947 Labour A.V. Alexander
Emanuel Shinwell 7 October 1947 28 February 1950 Labour
John Strachey 28 February 1950 26 October 1951 Labour Shinwell
Antony Head 31 October 1951 18 October 1956 Conservative Churchill Churchill
H. Alexander
Macmillan
Eden Lloyd
Monckton
John Hare 18 October 1956 6 January 1958 Conservative Head
Macmillan Sandys
Christopher Soames 6 January 1958 27 July 1960 Conservative
Watkinson
John Profumo 27 July 1960 5 June 1963 Conservative
Thorneycroft
Joseph Godber 27 June 1963 21 October 1963 Conservative
James Ramsden 21 October 1963 1 April 1964 Conservative Douglas-Home

See also

References

  1. ↑ Times, 7 July 1916
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