Private Secretaries to Chancellor of the Exchequer 1806-70

As an officer of the court of Exchequer the Chancellor had the services of a Principal and an Under Secretary. The office of the former was abolished in 1830; that of the latter in 1849. (fn. 1) Neither of these secretaries formed part of the Treasury office and they have therefore been excluded from these lists.

Before 1806 it is uncertain to what extent Chancellors employed Private Secretaries in their capacity as officers of the Treasury. The situation is complicated by the fact that for most of the eighteenth century the offices of First Lord and Chancellor were combined and that there was in consequence little opportunity for a settled convention to become established. (fn. 2) In 1806, however, provision was made for a regular salary of £300 for the Private Secretary to the Chancellor when the two offices were held by separate individuals. (fn. 3) Until 1852, with the exception of the years 1830 to 1839, it was the practice for Chancellors to select their Private Secretaries from amongst the Clerks of the Treasury. In 1852 the appointment of a second Private Secretary was authorised on account of the additional work falling upon Disraeli in his capacity as Leader of the House of Commons. (fn. 4) Thereafter both Disraeli and Gladstone, when holding the office of Chancellor, usually had two Private Secretaries, one being drawn from outside the Treasury. Until 1858 the second Private Secretary received no salary. In that year £150 was provided. (fn. 5) For Treasury Clerks the salaries were additional to their ordinary remuneration. Private Secretaries who were members of the House of Commons received no salary.

LIST OF APPOINTMENTS

Footnotes