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First Commissioner of Works

Former UK government role

Summary

Former UK government role

Lord John Manners]], later 7th Duke of Rutland, who served thrice as First Commissioner of Works in the 1850s and 1860s

The First Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings was a position within the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and subsequent to 1922, within the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It took over some of the functions of the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests in 1851 when the portfolio of Crown holdings was divided into the public and the commercial. The position was frequently of cabinet level. The office was renamed Minister of Works and Buildings and First Commissioner of Works in 1940, Minister of Works and Planning upon receiving statutory planning powers from the Ministry of Health in 1942, Minister of Works when those planning powers were moved to the Ministry of Town and Country Planning in 1943, and finally Minister of Public Buildings and Works in 1962. In this last form the commissioner had "additional responsibility for studying the problems of the building industry". On 15 October 1970 the role was amalgamated with the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Housing and Local Government in the Department of the Environment.

List of Works Commissioners and Ministers

First Commissioners of Works (1851–1940)

Portrait	Name
(Birth–Death)	Term of office	Party	Ministry
Whigs (British political party)}}"		[[File:12th Duke of Somerset.png	75px]]	Edward Seymour
Lord Seymour
MP for Totnes
(1804–1885)	1 August
1851	21 February
1852
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Lord John Manners.jpg	75px]]	Lord John Manners
MP for Colchester
(1818–1906)	4 March
1852	17 December
1852
Radicals (UK)}}"		[[File:WilliamMolesworth.jpg	75px]]	Sir William Molesworth, Bt
MP for Southwark
(1810–1855)	5 January
1853	21 July
1855
Whigs (British political party)}}"		[[File:Sir Benjamin Hall, Bt.jpg	75px]]	Sir Benjamin Hall, Bt
MP for Marylebone
(1802–1867)	21 July
1855	21 February
1858
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Lord John Manners.jpg	75px]]	Lord John Manners
MP for Leicestershire North
(1818–1906)	26 February
1858	11 June
1859
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:No image.svg	75px]]	Henry FitzRoy
MP for Lewes
(1807–1859)	18 June
1859	17 December
1859
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:William Cowper-Temple, Lock & Whitfield woodburytype, 1876-85.jpg	75px]]	William Cowper
MP for Hertford
(1811–1888)	9 February
1860	26 June
1866
	Russell II
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Lord John Manners.jpg	75px]]	Lord John Manners
MP for Leicestershire North
(1818–1906)	6 July
1866	1 December
1868
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:AustenHenryLayard.jpg	75px]]	Austen Henry Layard
MP for Southwark
(1817–1894)	9 December
1868	26 October
1869
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Acton Smee Ayrton, Vanity Fair, 1869-10-23.jpg	75px]]	Acton Smee Ayrton
MP for Tower Hamlets
(1816–1886)	26 October
1869	11 August
1873
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:William Patrick Adam 27 June 1874.jpg	75px]]	William Patrick Adam
MP for Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire
(1823–1881)	11 August
1873	17 February
1874
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Henry GC Gordon-Lennox, Vanity Fair, 1870-07-30.jpg	75px]]	Lord Henry Lennox
MP for Chichester
(1821–1886)	21 March
1874	14 August
1876
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Gerard Noel Vanity Fair 18 March 1871.jpg	75px]]	Gerard Noel
MP for Rutland
(1823–1911)	14 August
1876	21 April
1880
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:William Patrick Adam 27 June 1874.jpg	75px]]	William Patrick Adam
MP for Clackmannanshire and Kinross-shire
(1823–1881)	3 May
1880	1880
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:George Shaw Lefevre, 1st Baron Eversley.png	75px]]	George Shaw Lefevre
MP for Reading
(1831–1928)	29 November
1881	13 February
1885
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Archibald-Philip-Primrose-5th-Earl-of-Rosebery (cropped).jpg	75px]]	Archibald Primrose
5th Earl of Rosebery
(1847–1929)	13 February
1885	9 June
1885
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:David Plunket Vanity Fair 29 May 1880.jpg	75px]]	David Plunket
MP for Dublin University
(1838–1919)	24 June
1885	28 January
1886
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Albert Parker, 3rd Earl of Morley.png	75px]]	Albert Parker
3rd Earl of Morley
(1843–1905)	17 February
1886	16 April
1886
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:9thEarlOfElgin.jpg	75px]]	Victor Bruce
9th Earl of Elgin
(1849–1917)	16 April
1886	20 July
1886
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:David Plunket Vanity Fair 29 May 1880.jpg	75px]]	David Plunket
MP for Dublin University
(1838–1919)	5 August
1886	11 August
1892
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:George Shaw Lefevre, 1st Baron Eversley.png	75px]]	George Shaw Lefevre
MP for Bradford Central
(1831–1928)	18 August
1892	10 March
1894
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Herbert Gladstone.jpg	75px]]	Herbert Gladstone
MP for Leeds West
(1854–1930)	10 March
1894	21 June
1895
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Aretas Akers-Douglas.jpg	75px]]	Aretas Akers-Douglas
MP for St Augustine's
(1851–1926)	4 July
1895	11 August
1902
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Earl of Plymouth.jpg	75px]]	Robert Windsor-Clive
14th Baron Windsor
(1857–1923)	11 August
1902	4 December
1905
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Lewis Viscount Harcourt by Solomon J Solomon.jpg	75px]]	Lewis Vernon Harcourt
MP for Rossendale
(1863–1922)	10 December
1905	3 November
1910
Asquith
(I–III)
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Earl beauchamp1900.jpg	75px]]	William Lygon
7th Earl Beauchamp
(1872–1938)	3 November
1910	6 August
1914
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Alfred Emmott.jpg	75px]]	Alfred Emmott
1st Baron Emmott
(1858–1926)	6 August
1914	25 May
1915
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Lewis Viscount Harcourt by Solomon J Solomon.jpg	75px]]	Lewis Vernon Harcourt
MP for Rossendale
(1863–1922)	25 May
1915	10 December
1916
Liberal Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Alfred Mond.jpg	75px]]	Sir Alfred Mond, Bt
MP for Swansea West
(1868–1930)	10 December
1916	1 April
1921
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Crawford27.JPG	75px]]	David Lindsay
27th Earl of Crawford
(1871–1940)	1 April
1921	19 October
1922
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Ac.stonehaven.jpg	75px]]	Sir John Baird, Bt
MP for Ayr Burghs
(1874–1941)	31 October
1922	22 January
1924
	Baldwin I
Labour Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Frederick William Jowett 1924.jpg	75px]]	Fred Jowett
MP for Bradford East
(1864–1944)	22 January
1924	3 November
1924
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Earl Peel cropped.jpg	75px]]	William Wellesley Peel
2nd Viscount Peel
(1867–1937)	10 November
1924	18 October
1928
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Charles (Charlie) Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry.jpg	75px]]	Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart
7th Marquess of Londonderry
(1878–1949)	18 October
1928	4 June
1929
Labour Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Photo 7 Council 1938, WRI George Lansbury.jpg	75px]]	George Lansbury
MP for Bow and Bromley
(1859–1940)	7 June
1929	24 August
1931
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Charles (Charlie) Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry.jpg	75px]]	Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart
7th Marquess of Londonderry
(1878–1949)	25 August
1931	5 November
1931
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:William Ormsby-Gore 1936.jpg	75px]]	William Ormsby-Gore
MP for Stafford
(1885–1964)	5 November
1931	16 June
1936
National III
(Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.)
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Stanhope7.JPG	75px]]	James Stanhope
7th Earl Stanhope
(1880–1967)	16 June
1936	27 May
1937
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Sir Philip Sassoon.jpg	75px]]	Sir Philip Sassoon, Bt
MP for Hythe
(1888–1939)	27 May
1937	7 June
1939
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Herwald Ramsbotham, 1st Viscount Soulbury.jpg	75px]]	Herwald Ramsbotham
MP for Lancaster
(1887–1971)	7 June
1939	3 April
1940
Chamberlain War
(Con.–N.Lab.–Lib.N.)
National Labour Organisation}}"		[[File:Lord De La warr.jpg	75px]]	Herbrand Sackville
9th Earl De La Warr
(1900–1976)	3 April
1940	18 May
1940
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Lord Tyron.jpg	75px]]	George Tryon
1st Baron Tryon
(1871–1940)	18 May
1940	3 October
1940

Ministers of Works & Buildings and First Commissioner of Works (1940–1942)

Portrait	Name
(Birth–Death)	Term of office	Party	Ministry
National Government (United Kingdom)}}"		[[File:Lord reith.jpg	75px]]	John Reith
1st Baron Reith
(1889–1971)	3 October
1940	11 February
1942

Ministers of Works and Planning (1942–1943)

Portrait	Name
(Birth–Death)	Term of office	Party	Ministry
National Government (United Kingdom)}}"		[[File:Lord reith.jpg	75px]]	John Reith
1st Baron Reith
(1889–1971)	3 October
1940	11 February
1942
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Wyndham Portal, 1st Viscount Portal.jpg	75px]]	Wyndham Portal
1st Baron Portal
(1885–1949)	22 February
1942	February
1943

Ministers of Works (1943–1962)

Portrait	Name
(Birth–Death)	Term of office	Party	Ministry
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Wyndham Portal, 1st Viscount Portal.jpg	75px]]	Wyndham Portal
1st Baron Portal
(1885–1949)	February
1943	21 November
1944
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Sandys 1944 cropped.jpg	75px]]	Duncan Sandys
MP for Norwood
(1908–1987)	21 November
1944	26 July
1945
	Churchill Caretaker
(Con.–N.Lib.)
Labour Party (UK)}}"		[[File:No image.svg	75px]]	George Tomlinson
MP for Farnworth
(1890–1952)	4 August
1945	10 February
1947
Labour Party (UK)}}"		[[File:No image.svg	75px]]	Charles Key
MP for Bow and Bromley
(1883–1964)	10 February
1947	28 February
1950
Labour Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Richard Stokes.jpg	75px]]	Richard Stokes
MP for Ipswich
(1897–1957)	28 February
1950	26 April
1951
Labour Party (UK)}}"		[[File:GeorgeBrown1967.jpg	75px]]	George Brown
MP for Belper
(1914–1985)	26 April
1951	26 October
1951
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:No image.svg	75px]]	Sir David Eccles
MP for Chippenham
(1904–1999)	1 November
1951	18 October
1954
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:No image.svg	75px]]	Nigel Birch
MP for West Flintshire
(1906–1981)	18 October
1954	20 December
1955
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Patrick Buchan-Hepburn, Lord Hailes, by Glyn Warren Philpot.jpg	75px]]	Patrick Buchan-Hepburn
MP for Beckenham
(1901–1974)	20 December
1955	16 January
1957
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:No image.svg	75px]]	Hugh Molson
MP for High Peak
(1903–1991)	16 January
1957	22 October
1959
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:No image.svg	75px]]	Lord John Hope
MP for Edinburgh Pentlands
(1912–1996)	22 October
1959	16 July
1962

Ministers of Public Buildings and Works (1962–1970)

Portrait	Name
(Birth–Death)	Term of office	Party	Ministry
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Geoffrey Rippon (1970).jpg	75px]]	Geoffrey Rippon
MP for Norwich South
(1924–1997)	16 July
1962	10 October
1964
	Douglas-Home
Labour Party (UK)}}"		[[File:No image.svg	75px]]	Charles Pannell
MP for Leeds West
(1902–1980)	19 October
1964	6 April
1966
Labour Party (UK)}}"		[[File:No image.svg	75px]]	Reg Prentice
MP for East Ham North
(1923–2001)	6 April
1966	29 August
1967
Labour Party (UK)}}"		[[File:No image.svg	75px]]	Bob Mellish
MP for Bermondsey
(1913–1998)	29 August
1967	30 April
1969
Labour Party (UK)}}"		[[File:John Silkin.png	75px]]	John Silkin
MP for Deptford
(1923–1987)	30 April
1969	19 June
1970
Conservative Party (UK)}}"		[[File:Julian Amery 1965-11-10 (cropped).jpg	75px]]	Julian Amery
MP for Brighton Pavilion
(1919–1996)	23 June
1970	15 October
1970

Notes

References

Drewry, Gavin. (2008). "National approaches to the governance of historical heritage over time: a comparative report". IOS Press.

Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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