Secretary of State for Air
Secretary of State for Air | |
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![]() Royal Arms as used by His Majesty's Government | |
Air Ministry | |
Status | Abolished Formerly, Secretary of state |
Member of | British Cabinet Privy Council |
Seat | Westminster, London |
Appointer | The British Monarch on advice of the Prime Minister |
Term length | No fixed term |
Precursor | President of the Air Council |
Formation | 10 January 1919 |
First holder | Winston Churchill |
Final holder | Hugh Fraser |
Abolished | 1 April 1964 |
Succession | Secretary of State for Defence |
The Secretary of State for Air was a secretary of state position in the British government, which existed from 1919 to 1964. The person holding this position was in charge of the Air Ministry. The Secretary of State for Air was supported by the Under-Secretary of State for Air.
History
The position was created on 10 January 1919 to manage the Royal Air Force. In 1946, the three posts of Secretary of State for War, First Lord of the Admiralty, and Secretary of State for Air became formally subordinated to that of Minister of Defence, which had itself been created in 1940 for the co-ordination of defence and security issues. On 1 April 1964, the Air Ministry was incorporated into the newly-created united Ministry of Defence, and the position of Secretary of State for Air was abolished.
Royal Navy | British Army | Royal Air Force | Co-ordination | |
1628 | First Lord of the Admiralty (1628–1964) |
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1794 | Secretary of State for War (1794–1801) |
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1801 | Secretary of State for War and the Colonies (1801–1854) |
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1854 | Secretary of State for War (1854–1964) |
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1919 | Secretary of State for Air (1919–1964) |
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1936 | Minister for Co-ordination of Defence (1936–1940) | |||
1940 | Minister of Defence (1940–1964) | |||
1964 | Secretary of State for Defence (1964–present) |
Chairmen of the Joint War Air Committee, 1916
Portrait | Name | Term of office | Political party | ||
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The Right Honourable Edward Stanley 17th Earl of Derby KG CB GCVO TD PC |
February 1916 |
February 1916[a] |
Conservative |
Presidents of the Air Board, 1916–1917
Portrait | Name | Term of office | Time in office | Political party | ||
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The Right Honourable George Curzon 1st Earl Curzon of Kedleston KG GCSI GCIE PC |
15 May 1916 |
3 January 1917 |
7 months and 19 days | Conservative | |
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The Right Honourable Weetman Pearson 1st Viscount Cowdray PC |
3 January 1917 |
26 November 1917 |
10 months and 23 days | Liberal |
Presidents of the Air Council, 1917–1919
Portrait | Name | Term of office | Time in office | Political party | ||
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The Right Honourable Harold Harmsworth 1st Baron Rothermere PC |
26 November 1917 |
26 April 1918 |
5 months | ||
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The Right Honourable William Weir 1st Baron Weir PC |
26 April 1918 |
10 January 1919 |
8 months and 15 days | ||
File:Jack Seely.jpg | The Right Honourable J. E. B. Seely CB CMG DSO TD DL MP for Ilkeston |
January 1919 |
November 1919[a] |
9 or 10 months |
Secretaries of State for Air, 1919–1964
Notes
- ^ a b Resigned.
- ^ Also Secretary of State for War.
External links
- Articles with short description
- Short description with empty Wikidata description
- Use dmy dates from October 2019
- Use British English from March 2017
- Articles with missing files
- Secretaries of State for Air (UK)
- Defence ministers of the United Kingdom
- 20th-century history of the Royal Air Force
- 1919 establishments in the United Kingdom
- 1964 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
- Defunct ministerial offices in the United Kingdom