Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations

The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations was a British Cabinet office existing between 1947 and 1966, responsible for dealing with British relationship with members of the Commonwealth of Nations (its former colonies). The position was created out of the old position of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs. In 1966, the position was merged with that of the Secretary of State for the Colonies to form that of Secretary of State for Commonwealth Affairs, which was in turn merged with the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in 1968 to create the new position of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

Secretaries of State for Commonwealth Relations, 1947-1966

• Viscount Addison (7 July 1947 - 7 October 1947)
• Philip Noel-Baker (7 October 1947 - 28 February 1950)
• Patrick Gordon Walker (28 February 1950 - 26 October 1951)
• Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay (28 October 1951 - 12 March 1952)
• Robert Arthur James Gascoyne-Cecil, 5th Marquess of Salisbury (12 March 1952 - 24 November 1952)
• Philip Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Viscount Swinton (24 November 1952 - 7 April 1955)
• Alexander Douglas-Home, 14th Earl of Home (7 April 1955 - 27 July 1960)
• Duncan Sandys (27 July 1960 - 16 October 1964)
• Arthur Bottomley (18 October 1964 - 1 August 1966)

References

• Foreign and Commonwealth Office website

History of UK Government Departments with Responsibility for Foreign Affairs
Colonial Office 1768 – 1782 Secretaries Undersecretaries	Home Office 1782 – 1794 Secretaries Undersecretaries	War Office 1794 – 1801 Secretaries Undersecretaries	War and Colonial Office 1801 – 1854 Secretaries Undersecretaries	Colonial Office 1854 – 1925 Secretaries Undersecretaries	Colonial Office 1925 – 1966 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries		Commonwealth Office 1966 – 1968 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries	Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1968 – Present Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries
					Dominions Office 1925 – 1947 Secretaries Undersecretaries	Commonwealth Relations Office 1947 – 1966 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries
.				India Office 1858 – 1937 Secretaries Undersecretaries	India and Burma Office 1937 – 1947 Secretaries Undersecretaries
Foreign Office 1782 – 1968 Secretaries Ministers Undersecretaries