Secretary of State for Air
Encyclopedia
The Secretary of State for Air was a cabinet level British position. The person holding this position was in charge of the Air Ministry
. It was created on 10 January 1919 to manage the Royal Air Force
. On 1 April 1964, the Air Ministry was incorporated into the Ministry of Defence
and the position of Secretary of State for Air was abolished.
Air Ministry
The Air Ministry was a department of the British Government with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force, that existed from 1918 to 1964...
. It was created on 10 January 1919 to manage the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. On 1 April 1964, the Air Ministry was incorporated into the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
and the position of Secretary of State for Air was abolished.
Chairmen of the Joint War Air Committee, 1916
| Name | Entered office | Left office |
|---|---|---|
| The Earl of Derby Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby KG, GCB, GCVO, TD, PC, KGStJ, JP , known as Lord Stanley from 1893 to 1908, was a British soldier, Conservative politician, diplomat and racehorse owner. He was twice Secretary of State for War and also served as British Ambassador to... |
February 1916 | February 1916 |
Presidents of the Air Board, 1916-1917
| Name | Entered office | Left office |
|---|---|---|
| The Earl Curzon of Kedleston George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, KG, GCSI, GCIE, PC , known as The Lord Curzon of Kedleston between 1898 and 1911 and as The Earl Curzon of Kedleston between 1911 and 1921, was a British Conservative statesman who was Viceroy of India and Foreign Secretary... |
15 May 1916 | 3 January 1917 |
| The Viscount Cowdray Weetman Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray Weetman Dickinson Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray GCVO, PC , known as Sir Weetman Pearson, Bt, between 1894 and 1910 and as The Lord Cowdray between 1910 and 1917, was a British engineer, oil industrialist, benefactor and Liberal politician... |
3 January 1917 | 26 November 1917 |
Presidents of the Air Council, 1917-1919
| Name | Entered office | Left office |
|---|---|---|
| The Lord Rothermere Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Viscount Rothermere was a highly successful British newspaper proprietor, owner of Associated Newspapers Ltd. He is known in particular, with his brother Alfred Harmsworth, the later Viscount Northcliffe, for the development of the London Daily Mail and Daily Mirror.... |
26 November 1917 | 26 April 1918 |
| The Lord Weir | 26 April 1918 | 10 January 1919 |
| 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... |
January 1919 | November 1919 |
Secretaries of State for Air, 1919-1964
| Name | Entered office | Left office |
|---|---|---|
| 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... |
10 January 1919 | 1 April 1921 |
| Hon. Frederick Guest Frederick Edward Guest Frederick Edward Guest CBE DSO PC , often known as Freddie Guest, was a British politician best known for being Chief Whip of Prime Minister David Lloyd George's Coalition Liberal Party between 1917 and 1921. He was also Secretary of State for Air between 1921 and 1922... |
1 April 1921 | 19 October 1922 |
| Sir Samuel Hoare, Bt | 31 October 1922 | 22 January 1924 |
| The Lord Thomson | 22 January 1924 | 3 November 1924 |
| Sir Samuel Hoare, Bt. | 6 November 1924 | 4 June 1929 |
| The Lord Thomson | 7 June 1929 | 5 October 1930 |
| The Lord Amulree | 14 October 1930 | 5 November 1931 |
| The Marquess of Londonderry Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry Charles Stewart Henry Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry, KG, MVO, PC, PC , styled Lord Stewart until 1884 and Viscount Castlereagh between 1884 and 1915, was an Anglo-Irish peer and had careers in both Irish and British politics... |
5 November 1931 | 7 June 1935 |
| The Viscount Swinton Philip Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Earl of Swinton Philip Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Earl of Swinton GBE, CH, MC, PC , known as Philip Lloyd-Greame until 1924 and as The Viscount Swinton from 1935 until 1955, was a prominent British Conservative politician from the 1920s until the 1950s.-Background and early life:Born as Philip Lloyd-Graeme, he was the... |
7 June 1935 | 16 May 1938 |
| Sir Kingsley Wood Kingsley Wood Sir Howard Kingsley Wood was an English Conservative politician. The son of a Wesleyan Methodist minister, he qualified as a solicitor, and successfully specialised in industrial insurance... |
16 May 1938 | 3 April 1940 |
| Sir Samuel Hoare, Bt | 3 April 1940 | 11 May 1940 |
| Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso Archibald Henry Macdonald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso KT, CMG, PC , known as Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt between 1912 and 1952, and often as Archie Sinclair, was a British politician and leader of the Liberal Party.... |
11 May 1940 | 23 May 1945 |
| 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.... |
25 May 1945 | 26 July 1945 |
| The Viscount Stansgate William Wedgwood Benn, 1st Viscount Stansgate Air Commodore William Wedgwood Benn, 1st Viscount Stansgate PC, DSO, DFC was a British Liberal politician who later joined the Labour Party. He was Secretary of State for India between 1929 and 1931 and Secretary of State for Air between 1945 and 1946... |
3 August 1945 | 4 October 1946 |
| Philip Noel-Baker Philip Noel-Baker, Baron Noel-Baker by Philip Noel-Baker with other authorsby others* Lloyd, Lorna: Philip Noel-Baker and the Peace Through Law in -External links:... |
4 October 1946 | 7 October 1947 |
| Arthur Henderson Arthur Henderson, Baron Rowley Arthur Henderson, Baron Rowley, PC was a British Labour Party politician.Arthur Henderson was the son of Arthur Henderson, who was Leader of the Labour Party between 1908-1910, 1914-17 and 1931-1932.-Parliament:... |
7 October 1947 | 26 October 1951 |
| The Lord De L'Isle and Dudley William Sidney, 1st Viscount De L'Isle William Philip Sidney, 1st Viscount De L'Isle and 6th Baron De L'Isle and Dudley VC KG GCMG GCVO KStJ PC , was the 15th Governor-General of Australia and the final non-Australian to hold the office... |
31 October 1951 | 20 December 1955 |
| Nigel Birch Nigel Birch, Baron Rhyl Evelyn Nigel Chetwode Birch, Baron Rhyl, PC, OBE was a British Conservative politician.The son of General Sir Noel Birch and his wife Florence Chetwode, Nigel Birch was educated at Eton. He was a partner in Cohen Laming Hoare until May 1939 when he retired to study politics... |
20 December 1955 | 16 January 1957 |
| Hon. George Ward George Ward, 1st Viscount Ward of Witley George Reginald Ward, 1st Viscount Ward of Witley, PC , styled The Honourable George Ward until 1960, was a British Conservative politician... |
16 January 1957 | 28 October 1960 |
| 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... |
28 October 1960 | 16 July 1962 |
| 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:... |
16 July 1962 | 1 April 1964 |