Secretary of State 1782-1870

Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 8, Foreign Office Officials 1782-1870. Originally published by University of London, London, 1979.

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'Secretary of State 1782-1870 ', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 8, Foreign Office Officials 1782-1870, ed. J M Collinge( London, 1979), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol8/p10 [accessed 16 November 2024].

'Secretary of State 1782-1870 ', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 8, Foreign Office Officials 1782-1870. Edited by J M Collinge( London, 1979), British History Online, accessed November 16, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol8/p10.

"Secretary of State 1782-1870 ". Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 8, Foreign Office Officials 1782-1870. Ed. J M Collinge(London, 1979), , British History Online. Web. 16 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol8/p10.

In this section

LISTS OF APPOINTMENTS

Secretary of State 1782-1870

The Secretary of State entered office on receiving the seals from the Sovereign, and took the oath at a meeting of the Privy Council usually held on the same day. (fn. 1) His authority lasted until he delivered the seals back to the Sovereign. Originally appointments were formally embodied in letters patent under the great seal granting the office during pleasure. After the appointment of Malmesbury in 1852 this practice was not regularly adopted.

From 1782 to 1795 the Secretary of State received fixed allowances amounting to £5,680 a year together with office fees and other minor perquisites, the total of which varied from year to year. (fn. 2) In 1795 a consolidated salary of £6,000 was substituted. (fn. 3) In 1831 the salary was reduced to £5,000. (fn. 4)

1782 27 March Fox, Hon. C. J.
1782 10 July Grantham, Lord
1783 2 April Fox, Hon. C. J.
1783 19 Dec. Temple, Earl (fn. 5)
1783 23 Dec. Carmarthen, Marquess of
1791 29 April Grenville, Lord
1801 20 Feb. Hawkesbury, Lord
1804 12 May Harrowby, Lord
1805 11 Jan. Mulgrave, Lord
1806 7 Feb. Fox, Hon. C. J.
1806 24 Sept. Howick, Viscount
1807 25 March Canning, G.
1809 11 Oct. Bathurst, Earl
1809 6 Dec. Wellesley, Marquess
1812 28 Feb. Castlereagh, Viscount
1822 16 Sept. Canning, G.
1827 30 April Dudley and Ward, Viscount
1828 30 May Aberdeen, Earl of
1830 22 Nov. Palmerston, Viscount
1834 17 Nov. Wellington, Duke of
1835 18 April Palmerston, Viscount
1841 3 Sept. Aberdeen, Earl of
1846 6 July Palmerston, Viscount
1851 26 Dec. Granville, Earl
1852 27 Feb. Malmesbury, Earl of
1852 28 Dec. Russell, Lord J.
1853 21 Feb. Clarendon, Earl of
1858 26 Feb. Malmesbury, Earl of
1859 18 June Russell, Lord J.
1865 3 Nov. Clarendon, Earl of
1866 6 July Stanley, Lord
1868 9 Dec. Clarendon, Earl of
1870 6 July Granville, Earl

Footnotes

  • 1. In the cases of Grenville (1791) and Granville (1870), where the Foreign Secretary was transferred from another department of state, no fresh oath was taken.
  • 2. 1st Rept. on Fees, 5-6, 40-1.
  • 3. Order in council 27 Feb. 1795 (16th Rept. on Finance, 309-11). Following his appointment as Auditor of the Exchequer in 1794 Grenville declined to draw more than £3,200 as Secretary of State so that his total emoluments from office would not exceed £6,000 (Add. MS 59229 f. 143).
  • 4. TM 15 April 1831 (HC 375 p. 2 (1830-1) vii, 494).
  • 5. Temporarily held the seals of the Home and Foreign Departments.
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