The Secretary of State for Air was a secretary of state position in the British government that 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.
List of leaders
Chairman of the Joint War Air Committee, 1916 Chairman Term of office Political party Took office Left office Time in office Edward Stanley17th Earl of Derby 1916 1916 Conservative
Presidents of the Air Board, 1916–1917 President Term of office Political party Took office Left office Time in office George Curzon1st Earl Curzon of Kedleston 1916 1917 Conservative Weetman Pearson1st Viscount Cowdray 1917 1917 Liberal
Presidents of the Air Council, 1917–1919 President Term of office Political party Took office Left office Time in office Harold Harmsworth1st Baron Rothermere 1917 1918 William Weir1st Baron Weir 1918 1919 J. E. B. Seely 1919 1919 Conservative
Secretaries of State for Air, 1919–1964 Secretary Term of office Political party Took office Left office Time in office Winston Churchill 1919 1921 Liberal Frederick Edward Guest 1921 1922 Liberal Sir Samuel Hoare 1922 1924 Conservative Christopher Thomson1st Baron Thomson 1924 1924 Labour Sir Samuel Hoare 1924 1929 Conservative Christopher Thomson1st Baron Thomson 1929 1930† Labour William Mackenzie1st Baron Amulree 1930 1931 Labour Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart7th Marquess of Londonderry 1931 1935 Conservative Philip Cunliffe-Lister1st Viscount Swinton 1935 1938 Conservative Sir Kingsley Wood 1938 1940 Conservative Sir Samuel Hoare 1940 1940 Conservative Sir Archibald Sinclair 1940 1945 Liberal Harold Macmillan 1945 1945 Conservative William Wedgwood Benn1st Viscount Stansgate 1945 1946 Labour Philip Noel-Baker 1946 1947 Labour Arthur Henderson 1947 1951 Labour William Sidney6th Baron De L'Isle and Dudley 1951 1955 Conservative Nigel Birch 1955 1957 Conservative George Ward 1957 1960 Conservative Julian Amery 1960 1962 Conservative Hugh Fraser 1962 1964 Conservative
Notes
External links Hansard – Secretary of State for Air