Secretary of State for the Southern Department
Encyclopedia
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 geographically. The Secretary of State for the Southern Department, the more senior, was responsible for Southern England
, Wales
, Ireland
, the American colonies
(until 1768 when the charge was given to the Secretary of State for the Colonies
), and relations with the Roman Catholic and Muslim
states of Europe
. The more junior Secretary of State for the Northern Department
was responsible for Northern England
, Scotland
, and relations with the Protestant states of Northern 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
.
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 Kingdom 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 1782, the responsibilities of the two British 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 divided not based on the principles of modern ministerial divisions, but geographically. The Secretary of State for the Southern Department, the more senior, was responsible for Southern England
Southern England
Southern England, the South and the South of England are imprecise terms used to refer to the southern counties of England bordering the English Midlands. It has a number of different interpretations of its geographic extents. The South is considered by many to be a cultural region with a distinct...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, the American colonies
British colonization of the Americas
British colonization of the Americas began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas...
(until 1768 when the charge was given to the Secretary of State for the Colonies
Secretary of State for the Colonies
The Secretary of State for the Colonies or Colonial Secretary was the British Cabinet minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various colonial dependencies....
), and relations with the Roman 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
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The more junior Secretary of State for the Northern Department
Secretary of State for the Northern Department
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...
was responsible for Northern England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, and relations with the Protestant states of Northern 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...
.
Secretaries of State for the Southern Department, 1660-1782
- Sir Edward NicholasEdward NicholasSir Edward Nicholas was an English statesman.-Life:He was the eldest son of John Nicholas, a member of an old Wiltshire family.He was educated at Salisbury grammar school, Winchester College and Queen's College, Oxford...
: 1 June 1660 - 20 October 1662 - Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of ArlingtonHenry Bennet, 1st Earl of ArlingtonHenry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington KG, PC was an English statesman.- Background and early life :He was the son of Sir John Bennet of Dawley, Middlesex, and of Dorothy Crofts. He was the younger brother of John Bennet, 1st Baron Ossulston; his sister was Elizabeth Bennet who married Robert Kerr,...
: 20 October 1662 - 11 September 1674 - 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:...
MP: 11 September 1674 - 26 April 1680 - 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...
: 26 April 1680 - 2 February 1681 - Sir Leoline JenkinsLeoline JenkinsSir Leoline Jenkins was a Welsh academic, jurist and politician. He was a clerical lawyer serving in the Admiralty courts, and diplomat involved in the negotiation of international treaties .-Biography:...
MP till 28th March 1681: 2 February 1681 - 14 April 1684 - 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...
: 14 April 1684 - 28 October 1688 - 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...
: 28 October - 2 December 1688 - Charles Talbot, 12th Earl of Shrewsbury: 14 February 1689 - 2 June 1690
- 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:...
: 2 June 1690 - November 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...
MP: November 1693 - 27 April 1695 - Charles Talbot, Duke of Shrewsbury: 27 April 1695 - 12 December 1698
- 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:...
MP: 12 December 1698 - 14 May 1699 - Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of JerseyEdward Villiers, 1st Earl of JerseyEdward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey son of Sir Edward Villiers of Richmond and Frances Howard, the youngest daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk and Elizabeth Hume, was created Baron Villiers and Viscount Villiers in 1691 and Earl of Jersey in 1697.His grandfather, Sir Edward...
: 14 May 1699 - 27 June 1700 - 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:...
MP: 27 June 1700 - 4 January 1702 - Charles Montagu, 4th Earl of ManchesterCharles Montagu, 1st Duke of ManchesterCharles Edward Montagu, 1st Duke of Manchester, 4th Earl of Manchester , son of Robert Montagu, 3rd Earl of Manchester, was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, and succeeded to his father's earldom in 1683...
4 January - 1 May 1702 - 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:...
: 2 May 1702 - 22 April 1704 - 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:...
MP: 18 May 1704 - 3 December 1706 - 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...
: 3 December 1706 - 13 June 1710 - William Legge, 1st Earl of DartmouthWilliam Legge, 1st Earl of DartmouthWilliam Legge, 1st Earl of Dartmouth , only son of George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth, succeeded to his father's barony in 1691. In 1702 he was appointed a member of the Board of Trade and Plantations, and eight years later he became Secretary of State for the Southern Department and joint keeper of...
: 15 June 1710 - 6 August 1713 - 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...
: 17 August 1713 - 31 August 1714 - 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...
MP: 27 September 1714 - 22 June 1716 - Paul MethuenPaul Methuen (diplomat)Sir Paul Methuen PC, KB was an English diplomat and politician.He was the son of John Methuen and was educated privately then at a Jesuit school in Paris. He went to Lisbon in 1691, when his father was appointed minister there. He gained valuable experience and the esteem of King Pedro...
MP: 22 June 1716 - 10 April 1717 - Joseph AddisonJoseph AddisonJoseph Addison was an English essayist, poet, playwright and politician. He was a man of letters, eldest son of Lancelot Addison...
MP: 12 April 1717 - 14 March 1718 - James Craggs the YoungerJames Craggs the YoungerJames Craggs the Younger , son of James Craggs the Elder, was born at Westminster. Part of his early life was spent abroad, where he made the acquaintance of George Louis, Elector of Hanover, afterwards King George I...
MP: 16 March 1718 - 16 February 1721 - John Carteret, 3rd Lord 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:...
: 4 March 1721 - 31 March 1724 - Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle: 6 April 1724 - 12 February 1748
- John Russell, 4th Duke of BedfordJohn Russell, 4th Duke of BedfordJohn Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford KG, PC, FRS was an 18th century British statesman. He was the fourth son of Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of John Howland of Streatham, Surrey...
: 12 February 1748 - 13 June 1751 - Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holdernesse: 18 June 1751 - 23 March 1754
- Sir Thomas RobinsonThomas Robinson, 1st Baron GranthamThomas Robinson, 1st Baron Grantham, KB, PC was a British diplomatist and politician. He was a younger son of Sir William Robinson, Bt...
MP: 23 March 1754 - October 1755 - Henry FoxHenry Fox, 1st Baron HollandHenry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, of Foxley, MP, PC was a leading British politician of the 18th century. He identified primarily with the Whig faction...
MP: 14 November 1755 - 13 November 1756 - William Pitt the Elder MP: 4 December 1756 - 6 April 1757
- Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holdernesse: 6 April - 27 June 1757
- William Pitt the Elder MP: 27 June 1757 - 5 October 1761
- Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of EgremontCharles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of EgremontCharles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont, PC and Catherine née Seymour, succeeded his uncle, Algernon Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset, as 2nd Earl of Egremont in 1750...
: 9 October 1761 - 21 August 1763 - George Montague-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax: 9 September 1763 - 10 July 1765
- 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...
MP: 12 July 1765 - 23 May 1766 - Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond and Lennox: 23 May - 29 July 1766
- William Petty, 2nd Earl of ShelburneWilliam Petty, 2nd Earl of ShelburneWilliam Petty-FitzMaurice, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne, KG, PC , known as The Earl of Shelburne between 1761 and 1784, by which title he is generally known to history, was an Irish-born British Whig statesman who was the first Home Secretary in 1782 and then Prime Minister 1782–1783 during the final...
: 30 July 1766 - 20 October 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...
: 21 October 1768 - 12 December 1770 - William Henry Nassau de Zuylestein, 4th Earl of Rochford: 19 December 1770 - 9 November 1775
- 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...
: 9 November 1775 - 24 November 1779 - Wills Hill, 1st Earl of HillsboroughWills Hill, 1st Marquess of DownshireWills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire PC , known as the Viscount Hillsborough from 1742 to 1751 and as the Earl of Hillsborough from 1751 to 1789, was a British politician of the Georgian era...
: 24 November 1779 - 27 March 1782