Secretary of State for the Colonies

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The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet official in charge of managing the various British colonies. The position was first created in 1768 to deal with the increasingly troublesome North American colonies. Previously those responsibilities had fallen to the Secretary of State for the Southern Department, who was responsible for Southern England, Wales, Ireland, the American colonies, and relations with the Catholic and Muslim states of Europe.

The men who held office were:

In 1782, following the loss of the American colonies, the office was abolished, and its duties given to the Home Secretary, then Lord Sydney. In 1794 a new office was created for Henry Dundas — the Secretary of State for War, which now took responsibility for the Colonies, and was renamed the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies in 1801. In 1854, military reforms led to the Colonial and Military responsibilities of this secretary of state being split into two separate offices, with Sir George Grey becoming the first Secretary of State for the Colonies under the new arrangement.

Until 1925, when the office of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs was created, the Colonial Office had responsibility for all British colonies and dominions besides India, which had its own Secretary of State. In 1966, with most of the colonies gone, the office was merged with that of the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations to create the new office of Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs.

In 1968 the Commonwealth Office was subsumed into the Foreign Office, which became known as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

From 1768 until 1966 the Secretary of State was supported by an Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies (at times an Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies), and latterly by a Minister of State.


History of UK Government Departments with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs
Colonial Office
1768 – 1782
Secretaries
Undersecretaries		 Home Office
1782 – 1794
Secretaries
Undersecretaries		 War Office
1794 – 1801
Secretaries
Undersecretaries		 War and Colonial Office
1801 – 1854
Secretaries
Undersecretaries		 Colonial Office
1854 – 1925
Secretaries
Undersecretaries		 Colonial Office
1925 – 1966
Secretaries
Ministers
Undersecretaries		 Commonwealth Office
1966 – 1968
Secretaries
Ministers
Undersecretaries		 Foreign and Commonwealth Office
1968 – Present
Secretaries
Ministers
Undersecretaries
Dominions Office
1925 – 1947
Secretaries
Undersecretaries		 Commonwealth Relations Office
1947 – 1966
Secretaries
Ministers
Undersecretaries
. India Office
1858 – 1937
Secretaries
Undersecretaries		 India and Burma Office
1937 – 1947
Secretaries
Undersecretaries
Foreign Office
1782 – 1968
Secretaries
Ministers
Undersecretaries