Secretary of State for Air - Definition and Overview

The Secretary of State for Air was a cabinet level British position, in charge of the Air Ministry. It was created on January 10, 1919 to manage the Royal Air Force. On April 1, 1964 the Air Ministry was incorporated into the Ministry of Defence and the position of Secretary of State for Air was abolished.

President of the Air Board

• Weetman Dickinson Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray (January 3, 1917 - November 26, 1917)

President of the Air Council

• Harold Sidney Harmsworth, 1st Baron Rothermere (November 26, 1917 - April 26, 1918)
• William Douglas Weir, 1st Baron Weir (April 26, 1918 - January 10, 1919)

Secretaries of State for Air

• Winston Churchill (January 10, 1919 - April 1, 1921) (also Secretary of State for War)
• Frederick Edward Guest (April 1, 1921 - October 19, 1922)
• Sir Samuel Hoare (October 31, 1922 - January 22, 1924)
• Christopher Birdwood Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson (January 22, 1924 - November 3, 1924)
• Sir Samuel Hoare (November 6, 1924 - June 4, 1929)
• Christopher Birdwood Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson (June 7, 1929 - October 5, 1930) (killed in the Airship R101 disaster)
• William Warrender Mackenzie, 1st Baron Amulree (October 14, 1930 - November 5, 1931)
• Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry (November 5, 1931 - June 7, 1935)
• Philip Cunliffe-Lister, 1st Viscount Swinton (June 7, 1935 - May 16, 1938) (resigned)
• Sir Kingsley Wood (May 16, 1938 - April 3, 1940)
• Sir Samuel Hoare (April 3, 1940 - May 11, 1940)
• Sir Archibald Sinclair (May 11, 1940 - May 23, 1945)
• Harold Macmillan (May 25, 1945 - July 26, 1945)
• William Wedgwood Benn, Viscount Stansgate (August 3, 1945 - October 4, 1946)
• Philip Noel-Baker (October 4, 1946 - October 7, 1947)
• Arthur Henderson (October 7, 1947 - October 26, 1951)
• William Sidney, Lord De L'Isle and Dudley (October 31, 1951 - December 20, 1955)
• Nigel Birch (December 20, 1955 - January 16, 1957)
• George Reginald Ward (January 16, 1957 - October 28, 1960)
• Julian Amery (October 28, 1960 - July 16, 1962)
• Hugh Charles Fraser (July 16, 1962 - April 1, 1964)