The Marine Department, originally called the Marine Office, was created in 1755 as a result of the formation of the Corps of the Royal Marines and was a department within the Admiralty. The department was a civilian secretariat responsible for corresponding with the various Royal Marine Divisions. It existed until 1809 when its functions were merged into the Marine Pay Department. The department was administered by the First Secretary of the Marine who was supported by a deputy the Second Secretary of the Marine.
History The Marine Department (originally called the Marine Office) was established in 1755 as a consequence of the creation of the Corps of the Royal Marines. under Admiralty control. The department was a civilian secretariat, whose role was to correspond and coordinate the administrative and logistical concerns of the three Marine divisions with the Admiralty that were located at Chatham, Plymouth, Portsmouth and Woolwich whose colonels were the most senior Marine officers. Subsequently, a Colonel-Commandant at Marine Headquarters in London was established as the senior officer of the Corps, the forerunner of the modern Adjutant-General of the Royal Marines. The department existed until 1809 when its functions were assumed by the Marine Pay Department.. The department was managed by the First Secretary to the Admiralty who was supported by the Second Secretary to the Admiralty who were both given the additional titles of Secretary then later First Secretary of the Marine; and Deputy Secretary later Second Secretary of the Marine.
Head of department
Secretary of the Marine 1755–1763: John Cleveland
First Secretary of the Marine 1763–1795: Philip Stephens 1795–1804: Sir Evan Nepean 1804–1807: William Marsden 1807–1809: William Wellesley Pole
Deputy Secretary of the Marine 1782–1783: John Ibbotson
Second Secretary of the Marine 1783–1796: John Ibbotson 1797–1804: William Marsden 1804: Benjamin Tucker 1804–1806: John Barrow 1806–1807: Benjamin Tucker 1807–1809: Sir John Barrow
Supporting clerical staff First Clerk in the Marine Department Included: 1755–1766, G. Fearne 1766–1782, G. Jackson 1782–1789, J. Madden 1789–1809, G. Coombe
Second Clerk in the Marine Department Included: 1755–1760, J. Clevland 1760–1782, J. Madden 1782–1784, J. Bindley 1784–1789, G. Coombe 1789–1796, B. Maxwell 1796–1809, S.Moss
Third Clerk in the Marine Department Included: 1778–1782, J. Bindley 1782–1809, G. Coombe
Extra Clerks in the Marine Department Included: 1755–1760, B. Rogers 1755–1760, J. Madden 1760–1770, H. Parker 1770–1778, D. Forbes 1778–1809, G. Coombe
Citations
Sources Archives, National (1688–1983). "Records of Royal Marines". nationalarchives.gov.uk. London, England: The National Archives. Cock, Randolph; Rodger, N.A.M (September 2006). A guide to the naval records in the National Archives of the UK. London, England: University of London, Institute of Historical Research. . 'Marine department', in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4, Admiralty Officials 1660–1870, ed. J C Sainty (London, 1975), pp. 82–84. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol4/pp82-84 [accessed 3 January 2019]. Parliament, Great Britain. (1797) The Royal Kalendar and Court and City Register for England, Scotland, Ireland and the Colonies. W. March. London. England. Parliament, Great Britain. (1805) The Royal Kalendar and Court and City Register for England, Scotland, Ireland and the Colonies. W. March. London. England.