Secretary of State for the Northern Department
Encyclopedia
The Secretary of State for the Northern Department was a position in the Cabinet
of the government of Great Britain
up to 1782. Before the Act of Union, 1707, the Secretary of State's responsibilities were in relation to the English
government, not the British
. Even after the Union, there was still a Secretary of State for Scotland
until 1746, though the post was sometimes vacant. This continued the previous post of Secretary of State, Scotland
.
Before 1782, the responsibilities of the two Secretaries of State
were not divided up in terms of area of authority, but rather geographically. Both were responsible for England and Wales. The Secretary of State for the Northern Department, the more junior of the two, was responsible for foreign relations with the Protestant states of Northern Europe
. The more senior Secretary of State for the Southern Department
was responsible for relations with the Catholic and Muslim
states of Europe. In 1782, the two Secretaries of State were reformed as the Secretary of State for the Home Department
and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
.
During the 18th century, Secretaries of State for the Northern Department, if peers
, were often Leaders of the House of Lords
as well.
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
of the government of Great Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
up to 1782. Before the Act of Union, 1707, the Secretary of State's responsibilities were in relation to the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
government, not the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Even after the Union, there was still a Secretary of State for Scotland
Secretary of State for Scotland
The Secretary of State for Scotland is the principal minister of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Scotland. He heads the Scotland Office , a government department based in London and Edinburgh. The post was created soon after the Union of the Crowns, but was...
until 1746, though the post was sometimes vacant. This continued the previous post of Secretary of State, Scotland
Secretary of State, Scotland
The Secretary of Scotland was a senior post in the pre-Union government of Scotland.The office appeared in the 14th century when it was combined with that of Keeper of the Privy Seal. Called Clericus Regis , he was regarded as an Officer of State...
.
Before 1782, the responsibilities of the two Secretaries of State
Secretary of State (United Kingdom)
In the United Kingdom, a Secretary of State is a Cabinet Minister in charge of a Government Department ....
were not divided up in terms of area of authority, but rather geographically. Both were responsible for England and Wales. The Secretary of State for the Northern Department, the more junior of the two, was responsible for foreign relations with the Protestant states of Northern Europe
Northern Europe
Northern Europe is the northern part or region of Europe. Northern Europe typically refers to the seven countries in the northern part of the European subcontinent which includes Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Finland and Sweden...
. The more senior Secretary of State for the Southern Department
Secretary of State for the Southern Department
The Secretary of State for the Southern Department was a position in the cabinet of the government of Kingdom of Great Britain up to 1782.Before 1782, the responsibilities of the two British Secretaries of State were divided not based on the principles of modern ministerial divisions, but...
was responsible for relations with the Catholic and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
states of Europe. In 1782, the two Secretaries of State were reformed as the Secretary of State for the Home Department
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State...
.
During the 18th century, Secretaries of State for the Northern Department, if peers
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
, were often Leaders of the House of Lords
Leader of the House of Lords
The Leader of the House of Lords is a member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom who is responsible for arranging government business in the House of Lords. The role is always held in combination with a formal Cabinet position, usually one of the sinecure offices of Lord President of the Council,...
as well.
Secretaries of State for the Northern Department, 1660–1782
- Sir William MoriceWilliam Morice (Secretary of State)Sir William Morice was an English statesman and theologian. He served as Secretary of State for the Northern Department and a Lord of the Treasury from June 1660 to September 1668....
: 27 June 1660 – 29 September 1668 - Sir John Trevor: 29 September 1668 – 8 July 1672
- Henry CoventryHenry CoventryThe Honourable Henry Coventry was an English politician, who was Secretary of State for the Northern Department between 1672 and 1674 and the Southern Department between 1674 and 1680.-Origins and education:...
8 July 1672 – 11 September 1674 - Sir Joseph WilliamsonJoseph Williamson (politician)Sir Joseph Williamson, FRS was an English civil servant, diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons of England variously between 1665 and 1701 and in the Irish House of Commons between 1692 and 1699....
: 11 September 1674 – 20 February 1679 - Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of SunderlandRobert Spencer, 2nd Earl of SunderlandRobert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland KG, PC was an English statesman and nobleman.-Life:Born in Paris, son of Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland, Spencer inherited his father's peerage dignities at the age of three, becoming Baron Spencer of Wormleighton and Earl of Sunderland...
: 20 February 1679 – 26 April 1680 - Sir Leoline Jenkins: 26 April 1680 – 2 February 1681
- Edward Conway, 1st Earl of ConwayEdward Conway, 1st Earl of ConwayEdward Conway, 1st Earl of Conway PC, FRS was an English peer and politician who served as Secretary of State for the Northern Department between 1681 and 1683.-Life:...
: 2 February 1681 – January 1683 - Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of SunderlandRobert Spencer, 2nd Earl of SunderlandRobert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland KG, PC was an English statesman and nobleman.-Life:Born in Paris, son of Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland, Spencer inherited his father's peerage dignities at the age of three, becoming Baron Spencer of Wormleighton and Earl of Sunderland...
: 1683–1684 - Sidney GodolphinSidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of GodolphinSir Sidney Godolphin, 1st Earl of Godolphin, KG, PC was a leading English politician of the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
: 14 April 1684 – 24 August 1684 - Charles Middleton, 2nd Earl of MiddletonCharles Middleton, 2nd Earl of MiddletonCharles Middleton, 2nd Earl of Middleton, Jacobite 1st Earl of Monmouth, PC was a Scottish and English politician who held several offices under Charles II and James II & VI...
: 24 August 1684 – 28 October 1688 - Richard Graham, 1st Viscount PrestonRichard Graham, 1st Viscount PrestonRichard Graham, 1st Viscount Preston PC was an English politician and diplomat. He became a Jacobite conspirator, but his reputation in the Jacobite community suffered when he gave evidence against his co-conspirators in exchange for a pardon.-Origins and education:Graham was born at Netherby,...
: 28 October 1688 – 2 December 1688 - Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of NottinghamDaniel Finch, 2nd Earl of NottinghamDaniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea PC , was an English Tory statesman during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.-Early life:...
: 5 March 1689 – 26 December 1690 - Henry Sydney, 1st Viscount Sydney of SheppeyHenry Sydney, 1st Earl of RomneyHenry Sydney , 1st Earl of Romney was born in Paris, a son of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester, of Penshurst Place in Kent, England, by Lady Dorothy Percy, a daughter of Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland and sister of Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland.Henry was a brother of...
: 26 December 1690 – 3 March 1692 - Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of NottinghamDaniel Finch, 2nd Earl of NottinghamDaniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea PC , was an English Tory statesman during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.-Early life:...
: 3 March 1692 – 23 March 1693 - Sir John TrenchardJohn Trenchard (Secretary of State)Sir John Trenchard was an English politician belonging to an old Dorset family. His father was Thomas Trenchard of Wolverton , and his grandfather was Sir Thomas Trenchard of Wolverton...
: 23 March 1693 – 2 March 1694 - Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of ShrewsburyCharles Talbot, 1st Duke of ShrewsburyCharles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury, KG, PC was an English statesman. Born to Roman Catholic parents, he remained in that faith until 1679 when—during the time of the Popish Plot and following the advice of the divine John Tillotson—he converted to the Church of England...
: 2 March 1694 – 3 May 1695 - Sir William TrumbullWilliam TrumbullSir William Trumbull was an English statesman who held high office as a member of the First Whig Junto.-Biography:...
: 3 May 1695 – 2 December 1697 - James VernonJames VernonJames Vernon was an English politician and Secretary of State for both the Northern and the Southern Departments during the reign of William III.-Origins and education:...
: 2 December 1697 – 5 November 1700 - Sir Charles HedgesCharles HedgesSir Charles Hedges , of Compton Bassett, Wiltshire, an English lawyer and politician, was a judge in Admiralty Court who later served as one of Queen Anne's Secretaries of State.-Life:...
: 5 November 1700 – 29 December 1701 - James VernonJames VernonJames Vernon was an English politician and Secretary of State for both the Northern and the Southern Departments during the reign of William III.-Origins and education:...
: 4 January 1702 – 1 May 1702 - Sir Charles HedgesCharles HedgesSir Charles Hedges , of Compton Bassett, Wiltshire, an English lawyer and politician, was a judge in Admiralty Court who later served as one of Queen Anne's Secretaries of State.-Life:...
: 2 May 1702 – 18 May 1704 - Robert HarleyRobert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and MortimerRobert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer KG was a British politician and statesman of the late Stuart and early Georgian periods. He began his career as a Whig, before defecting to a new Tory Ministry. Between 1711 and 1714 he served as First Lord of the Treasury, effectively Queen...
: 18 May 1704 – 13 February 1708 - Henry BoyleHenry Boyle, 1st Baron CarletonHenry Boyle, 1st Baron Carleton, PC , was an Anglo-Irish politician of the early eighteenth century.-Biography:...
: 13 February 1708 – 21 September 1710 - Henry St John, 1st Viscount BolingbrokeHenry St John, 1st Viscount BolingbrokeHenry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke was an English politician, government official and political philosopher. He was a leader of the Tories, and supported the Church of England politically despite his atheism. In 1715 he supported the Jacobite rebellion of 1715 which sought to overthrow the...
: 21 September 1710 – 17 August 1713 - William BromleyWilliam Bromley (Speaker)Sir William Bromley was an English Tory politician. He was Speaker of the British House of Commons from 1710 to 1713 and Secretary of State for the Northern Department from 1713 to 1714....
: 17 August 1713 – 17 September 1714 - Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount TownshendCharles Townshend, 2nd Viscount TownshendCharles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend Bt, KG, PC was a British Whig statesman. He served for a decade as Secretary of State, directing British foreign policy...
: 17 September 1714 – 12 December 1716 - James StanhopeJames Stanhope, 1st Earl StanhopeJames Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope PC was a British statesman and soldier who effectively served as Chief Minister between 1717 and 1721. He is probably best remembered for his service during War of the Spanish Succession...
: 12 December 1716 – 12 April 1717 - Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of SunderlandCharles Spencer, 3rd Earl of SunderlandSir Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland KG PC , known as Lord Spencer from 1688 to 1702, was an English statesman...
: 12 April 1717 – 2 March 1718 - James Stanhope, 1st Earl StanhopeJames Stanhope, 1st Earl StanhopeJames Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope PC was a British statesman and soldier who effectively served as Chief Minister between 1717 and 1721. He is probably best remembered for his service during War of the Spanish Succession...
: 16 March 1718 – 4 February 1721 - John Carteret, 2nd Baron CarteretJohn Carteret, 2nd Earl GranvilleJohn Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville, 7th Seigneur of Sark, KG, PC , commonly known by his earlier title as Lord Carteret, was a British statesman and Lord President of the Council from 1751 to 1763.-Family:...
: 5 February 1721 – 21 February 1721 - Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount TownshendCharles Townshend, 2nd Viscount TownshendCharles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend Bt, KG, PC was a British Whig statesman. He served for a decade as Secretary of State, directing British foreign policy...
: 21 February 1721 – 16 May 1730 - William Stanhope, 1st Lord HarringtonWilliam Stanhope, 1st Earl of HarringtonWilliam Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington, PC was a British statesman and diplomat.He was a younger son of John Stanhope of Elvaston, Derbyshire, and a brother of Charles Stanhope , an active politician during the reign of George I. His ancestor, Sir John Stanhope , was a half-brother of Philip...
: 19 June 1730 – 12 February 1742 - John Carteret, 2nd Lord Carteret: 12 February 1742 – 24 November 1744
- William Stanhope, 1st Earl of HarringtonWilliam Stanhope, 1st Earl of HarringtonWilliam Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington, PC was a British statesman and diplomat.He was a younger son of John Stanhope of Elvaston, Derbyshire, and a brother of Charles Stanhope , an active politician during the reign of George I. His ancestor, Sir John Stanhope , was a half-brother of Philip...
: 24 November 1744 – 28 October 1746 - Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield: 29 October 1746 – 6 February 1748
- Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle: 6 February 1748 – 23 March 1754
- Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holdernesse: 23 March 1754 – 25 March 1761
- John Stuart, 3rd Earl of ButeJohn Stuart, 3rd Earl of ButeJohn Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute KG, PC , styled Lord Mount Stuart before 1723, was a Scottish nobleman who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain under George III, and was arguably the last important favourite in British politics...
: 25 March 1761 – 27 May 1762 - George GrenvilleGeorge GrenvilleGeorge Grenville was a British Whig statesman who rose to the position of Prime Minister of Great Britain. Grenville was born into an influential political family and first entered Parliament in 1741 as an MP for Buckingham...
: 27 May 1762 – 9 October 1762 - George Montague-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax: 14 October 1762 – 9 September 1763
- John Montagu, 4th Earl of SandwichJohn Montagu, 4th Earl of SandwichJohn Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, PC, FRS was a British statesman who succeeded his grandfather, Edward Montagu, 3rd Earl of Sandwich, as the Earl of Sandwich in 1729, at the age of ten...
: 9 September 1763 – 10 July 1765 - Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton: 12 July 1765 – 14 May 1766
- Henry Seymour ConwayHenry Seymour ConwayField Marshal Henry Seymour Conway was a British general and statesman. A brother of the 1st Marquess of Hertford, and cousin of Horace Walpole, he began his military career in the War of the Austrian Succession and eventually rose to the rank of Field Marshal .-Family and education:Conway was...
: 23 May 1766 – 20 January 1768 - Thomas Thynne, 3rd Viscount WeymouthThomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of BathThomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath KG was a British politician who held office under George III serving as Southern Secretary, Northern Secretary and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Between 1751 and 1780 he was known as Lord Weymouth...
20 January 1768 – 21 October 1768 - William Nassau de Zuylestein, 4th Earl of RochfordWilliam Nassau de Zuylestein, 4th Earl of RochfordWilliam Henry Nassau, 4th Earl of Rochford, PC, KG was a British courtier, diplomat and statesman of Anglo-Dutch descent. He occupied senior ambassadorial posts at Madrid and Paris, and served as Secretary of State in both the Northern and Southern Departments...
: 21 October 1768 – 19 December 1770 - John Montagu, 4th Earl of SandwichJohn Montagu, 4th Earl of SandwichJohn Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich, PC, FRS was a British statesman who succeeded his grandfather, Edward Montagu, 3rd Earl of Sandwich, as the Earl of Sandwich in 1729, at the age of ten...
: 19 December 1770 – 12 January 1771 - George Montague-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax: 19 January 1771 – 6 June 1771
- Henry Howard, 12th Earl of SuffolkHenry Howard, 12th Earl of SuffolkHenry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk, 5th Earl of Berkshire, KG, PC was a British politician, styled Viscount Andover from 1756 to 1757....
: 12 June 1771 – 7 March 1779 - Thomas Thynne, 3rd Viscount WeymouthThomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of BathThomas Thynne, 1st Marquess of Bath KG was a British politician who held office under George III serving as Southern Secretary, Northern Secretary and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. Between 1751 and 1780 he was known as Lord Weymouth...
: 7 March 1779 – 27 October 1779 - David Murray, 7th Viscount StormontDavid Murray, 2nd Earl of MansfieldDavid Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield KT, PC , known from 1748 to 1793 as The Viscount Stormont, was a British politician. He succeeded to both the Mansfield and Stormont lines of the Murray family, inheriting two titles and two fortunes.-Life:Mansfield was the son of David Murray, 6th Viscount of...
: 27 October 1779 – 27 March 1782