- British Colonial Office
British Colonial Office was a department of the British government in charge of the affairs of British colonies.
Pre-Colonial Office
Prior to 1854, various departments of the British government were responsible for the affairs of the colonies:
* 1660s-1768
Secretary of State for the Southern Department and theBoard of Trade and Plantations (committee under theBritish Privy Council )
* 1768 (American) Colonial Department created to deal with colonial affairs inBritish North America
* 1782 (American) Colonial Department abolished
* 1801Secretary of State for War and the Colonies created
* 1825Permanent undersecretary for the Colonies createdColonial Office
An official Colonial Office was created in 1854 to deal specifically with the needs of the colonies and assigned to the
Secretary of State for the Colonies . In 1907 Dominion Division of the Colonial Office was created and in 1925 theSecretary of State for Dominion Affairs was created. This Dominion division was later renamed as theCommonwealth Relations Office .In 1966 Dominon Affairs re-merged with Colonial Office and finally in 1968 theForeign and Commonwealth Office was created.References
* [http://www.canadianencyclopedia.ca/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0001773 Colonial Office]
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