View source for Postmaster General of the United Kingdom

{{Short description|Former cabinet position in the British government}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Postmaster General
| body = the United Kingdom
| insignia = Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (HM Government).svg
| insigniasize = 120px
| insigniacaption = Royal Arms as used by <!-- Style "Her Majesty" The office was abolished during reign of Elizabeth II --> [[Government of the United Kingdom|Her Majesty's Government]]<br />[[General Post Office]]
| image = 11.12.67 Présentation officielle du Concorde (1967) - 53Fi1742 (John Stonehouse).jpg
| imagecaption = '''Last in office'''<br />'''[[John Stonehouse]]'''<br />1 July 1968 – 1 October 1969
| style = Postmaster General
| residence = 
| appointer = [[Monarch of the United Kingdom]] on advice of the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]
| appointer_qualified = 
| precursor = Master of the King's Post
| formation = 1517
| first = [[Brian Tuke]]<br />{{small|as Master of the King's Post}}
| last = [[John Stonehouse]]
| abolished = 1 October 1969
| succession = Overseen by the following:<br />[[Department of Trade and Industry (UK)|Department of Trade and Industry]]<br />(1974–2007)<br />[[Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy]]<br />(2007–2015)<hr />[[Home Office]]<br />(1974–1992)<br />[[Department for Culture, Media and Sport]] (1992–present)
| salary = 
| incumbent = 
}}

'''Postmaster General''' of the United Kingdom was a [[Cabinet of the United Kingdom|Cabinet]] [[Minister of the Crown|ministerial]] position in [[Government of the United Kingdom|HM Government]]. Aside from maintaining [[mail|the postal system]], the [[Telegraph Act 1868]] established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric [[Telegraphy|telegraph]]s. This would subsequently extend to [[telecommunications]] and broadcasting.

The office was abolished in 1969 by the [[Post Office Act 1969]]. A replacement [[Statutory corporation|public corporation]], governed by a chairman, was established under the name of the [[Royal Mail|Post Office]] (later subsumed by [[Royal Mail Group]]). The cabinet position of Postmaster General was replaced by a Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, with reduced powers, until 1974; most regulatory functions have now been delegated to the [[Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology]] and the [[Secretary of State for Business and Trade]].

==History==

In England, the monarch's letters to his subjects are known to have been carried by relays of couriers as long ago as the 15th century. The earliest mention of ''Master of the Posts'' is in the ''King's Book of Payments'' where a payment of £100 was authorised for [[Brian Tuke]] as master of the posts in February 1512.<ref>{{cite book |last=Brewer |first=J.S. |title=Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the Reign of Henry VIII |publisher=Longman, Green, Longman, & Roberts |year=1864 |location=London |pages=[https://archive.org/details/lettersandpaper12offigoog/page/n582 1454] |url=https://archive.org/details/lettersandpaper12offigoog |author2=Brewer, John Sherren |author3=Brodie, Robert Henry |author4=Gairdner, James }}</ref> Belatedly, in 1517, he was officially appointed to the office of ''Governor of the King's Posts'', a precursor to the office of Postmaster General of the United Kingdom, by [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]].<ref>Walker (1938), p. 37</ref> In 1609 it was decreed that letters could only be carried and delivered by persons authorised by the Postmaster General.<ref name="hansard">{{cite web |title=Division No. 1 (Postal Services Bill) [15 Jun 2000] – Column 1782 |work=Volume No. 613 – Part No. 104 |date=15 June 2000 |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld199900/ldhansrd/vo000615/text/00615-08.htm |access-date=17 August 2013 }}</ref>

In 1655 [[John Thurloe]] became Postmaster-General, a post he held until he was accused of treason and arrested in May 1660.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/biog/thurloe.htm |title=John Thurloe, Secretary of State, 1616-68 |work=british-civil-wars.co.uk |date=23 April 2007 |access-date=16 November 2012}}</ref> 
His spies were able to intercept mail, and he exposed [[Edward Sexby]]'s 1657 plot to assassinate [[Oliver Cromwell|Cromwell]] and captured would-be assassin [[Miles Sindercombe]] and his group. Ironically, Thurloe's own department was also infiltrated: his secretary [[Samuel Morland]] became a [[Cavalier|Royalist]] agent and in 1659 alleged that Thurloe, [[Richard Cromwell]] and Sir [[Richard Willis (spy)|Richard Willis]] - a [[Sealed Knot]] member turned Cromwell agent - were plotting to kill the future King [[Charles II of England|Charles II]]. About forty years after his death, a false ceiling was found in his rooms at [[Lincoln's Inn]], the space was full of letters seized during his occupation of the office of Postmaster-General. These letters are now at the [[Bodleian Library]].<ref>{{cite journal|last=Papworth|first=Dorothy|title=John Thurloe|journal=Wisbech Society Report|volume=51|pages=14–16|date=1990}}</ref>

In 1657 an act of the Commonwealth Parliament, entitled 'Postage of England, Scotland and Ireland Settled', set up a system for the British Isles and enacted the position of Postmaster General. The act also reasserted the postal monopoly for letter delivery and for post horses. After the [[English Restoration|Restoration]] in 1660, a further act, the [[Post Office Act 1660]] ([[12 Cha. 2]]. c. 35), confirmed this and the post of Postmaster-General, the previous [[Oliver Cromwell|Cromwellian]] act being void.

[[File:General-Letter-Office-1653-London.JPG|thumb|The former site of the General Letter Office in London]]
1660 saw the establishment of the General Letter Office, which would later become the [[General Post Office]] (GPO).<ref name="hansard"/> A similar position evolved in the [[Kingdom of Scotland]] prior to the 1707 [[Acts of Union 1707|Act of Union]].

{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Postmaster-General Act 1831
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act for enabling His Majesty to appoint a Postmaster General for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
| year                  = 1831
| citation              = [[1 Will. 4]]. c. 8
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 11 March 1831
| commencement          = 11 March 1831
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = [[Post Office (Repeal of Laws) Act 1837]]
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = repealed
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://archive.org/details/statutesunitedk00britgoog/page/n30/
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
The '''{{visible anchor|Postmaster-General Act 1831}}''' ([[1 Will. 4]]. c. 8) established the unified office of Postmaster General of the United Kingdom

The office was abolished in 1969 by the [[Post Office Act 1969]].<ref name="hansard"/> A new public corporation, governed by a chairman, was established under the name of the [[Royal Mail|Post Office]] (the part later subsumed by [[Royal Mail]]), which also had responsibility for [[Post Office Telecommunications|telecommunications]] and the [[Girobank]]). The cabinet position of Postmaster General was initially replaced by a Minister of Posts and Telecommunications with less direct involvement; this department was dissolved in March 1974,<ref name="P&T">{{cite web |url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C844 |title= Records created or inherited by the Department of Trade and Industry, 1970-1974, Telecommunications and Post Division, and predecessors |website=The National Archives|date= |publisher= [[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|nationalarchives.gov.uk]] |access-date=27 June 2021}}</ref> with regulatory functions transferring to the [[Home Office]], the Post Office retaining control of [[television licensing (UK)|television licensing]]. Since 1992, most regulatory functions formerly conducted by the Postmaster General generally fall within the remit of the [[Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport]], although the present-day [[Royal Mail Group]] was overseen by the [[Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy]] until [[Royal Mail#Privatisation|flotation]].

==Masters of the King's Post==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Years!!Master of the King's Post
|-
|1517–1545 ||[[Brian Tuke]]
|-
|1545–1566||[[John Mason (diplomat)|John Mason]]
|-
|1566–1590||[[Thomas Randolph (diplomat)|Thomas Randolph]]
|-
|1590–1607||[[John Stanhope, 1st Baron Stanhope]]
|-
|1607–1635||[[Charles Stanhope (1593-1675)|Charles Stanhope, 2nd Baron Stanhope]]
|-
|1637–1642||[[Philip Burlamachi]] 
|-
|1642–1649|| [[Sir Edmund Prideaux, 1st Baronet of Ford Abbey|Edmund Prideaux]]
|}

==Postmaster under the Commonwealth==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Years!!Postmaster under the [[Commonwealth of England|Commonwealth]]
|-
|1649–1653|| [[Sir Edmund Prideaux, 1st Baronet of Ford Abbey|Edmund Prideaux]]
|-
|1653–1655|| [[John Manley (MP)|John Manley]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1660-1690/member/manley-john-1622-99 |title=Manley, John (c.&nbsp;1622–99) |work=History of Parliament Online |year=2012 |access-date=13 April 2012}}</ref>
|-
|1655–1660||[[John Thurloe]]
|}

==Postmasters General of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom==
The earliest postmasters had responsibility for [[England and Wales]]. In 1707, on the Union with Scotland, the responsibility of the office was extended to cover the whole of the new [[Kingdom of Great Britain]] as well as Ireland, but with some powers held by a Post Office Manager for Scotland. By the [[Post Office (Revenues) Act 1710]], with effect from 1711, the services were united, but with a Deputy Postmaster for Scotland. From 1784, there were also [[Postmasters General of Ireland]], but under the Postmaster-General Act 1831, the postmasters based at Westminster became responsible for the whole of the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland]].<ref>''Chambers's Encyclopaedia: A Dictionary of Universal Knowledge: Vol. VIII'' (London: W. & R. Chambers, Ltd., 1901), [https://archive.org/stream/chamberssency08lond#page/347 p. 347]</ref> In 1922, the [[Irish Free State]] became independent, and in 1923 it established its own arrangements under a Postmaster General of the Irish Free State. In 1924 the title became [[Minister for Posts and Telegraphs]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Years!!Postmaster General
|-
|1660–1663||[[Henry Bishop (postmaster general)|Henry Bishop]]
|-
|1663–1664||[[Daniel O'Neill (Royalist)|Daniel O'Neill]]
|-
|1664–1667||[[Katherine Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield|Katherine O'Neill, Countess of Chesterfield]]
|-
|1667–1685||[[Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington]]
|-
|1686–1689||[[Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester]]
|-
|1689–1691||[[John Wildman]]
|}

===Two Postmasters General, 1691–1823===
From 1691 to 1823 there were two Postmasters General, to divide the patronage between the Whigs and Tories.
{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
!Year!!colspan="2"|1st Postmaster General!!1st Party!!colspan="2"|2nd Postmaster General!!2nd Party
|-
|1691||rowspan="2" style="background-color: white" | 
|rowspan="2" | [[Sir Thomas Frankland, 2nd Baronet|Sir Thomas Frankland]] ||rowspan="2"| 
|style="background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" | 
| [[Robert Cotton (MP, born 1644)|Sir Robert Cotton]]
| [[British Tory Party|Tory]]
|-
|1708 || style="background-color: white" |
| [[Sir John Evelyn, 1st Baronet of Wotton|Sir John Evelyn]] || 
|-
|1715 || style="background-color: white" | 
| [[James Craggs the Elder]] || | 
|style="background-color: {{party color|Whig}}" | 
| [[Charles Cornwallis, 4th Baron Cornwallis]]
| [[British Whig Party|Whig]]
|-
|1720 || style="background-color: white" | 
|[[Galfridus Walpole]]|| | 
|rowspan="3" style="background-color: white" | 
|rowspan="3"|[[Edward Carteret]] || rowspan="3"|
|-
|1725 || style="background-color: white" | 
|[[Edward Harrison (British administrator)|Edward Harrison]]|| | 
|-
|1733 || rowspan="3" style="background-color: white" | 
|rowspan="3" |[[Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester (fifth creation)|Thomas Coke, 1st Baron Lovel]] <br/>(Earl of Leicester from 1744)||rowspan="3"  | 
|-
| 1739|| style="background-color: white" | 
|[[Sir John Eyles, 2nd Baronet|Sir John Eyles, Bt]]|| | 
|-
|1745 || style="background-color: white" | 
|[[Everard Fawkener]]|| | 
|-
|1759 ||rowspan="3" style="background-color: white" | 
|rowspan="3"| [[Robert Hampden, 1st Viscount Hampden|Robert Hampden, 4th Baron Trevor]]|| rowspan="3"| 
|style="background-color: white" | 
|[[William Ponsonby, 2nd Earl of Bessborough]] || 
|-
|1762 || style="background-color: white" | 
|[[John Perceval, 2nd Earl of Egmont]]|| | 
|-
|1763 || style="background-color: white" | 
|[[Thomas Villiers, 1st Earl of Clarendon|Thomas Villiers, 1st Baron Hyde]]|| | 
|-
|1765 || style="background-color: white" | 
|[[Thomas Robinson, 1st Baron Grantham]]|| | 
|style="background-color: white" | 
|[[William Ponsonby, 2nd Earl of Bessborough]] || 
|-
| 1766|| style="background-color: white" | 
|[[Wills Hill, 1st Marquess of Downshire|Wills Hill, 2nd Viscount Hillsborough]]|| | 
| rowspan="3" style="background-color: white" | 
| rowspan="3"|[[Francis Dashwood, 11th Baron le Despencer]] || rowspan="3"|
|-
| 1768|| style="background-color: white" | 
|[[John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich]]|| | 
|-
|1771 || rowspan="7" style="background-color: white" | 
|rowspan="7"|[[Henry Carteret, 1st Baron Carteret|Henry Carteret]]<br />(from 1784 Baron Carteret) || rowspan="7"| 
|-
| 1782|| style="background-color: white" | 
|[[William Wildman Shute Barrington, 2nd Viscount Barrington|The Viscount Barrington]]|| | 
|-
| 1782|| style="background-color: white" | 
| [[Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville]]<ref name=falmouth>[http://www.falmouth.packet.archives.dial.pipex.com/id70.htm Falmouth packet archives] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121216110211/http://www.falmouth.packet.archives.dial.pipex.com/id70.htm |date=16 December 2012 }}. Retrieved 9 June 2008</ref>|| | 
|-
|1783 || style="background-color: white" | 
||[[Thomas Foley, 2nd Baron Foley (1742–1793)|Thomas Foley, 2nd Baron Foley]]<ref name=falmouth/>|| | 
|-
| 1784|| style="background-color: white" | 
|[[Charles Bennet, 4th Earl of Tankerville]]<ref name=falmouth/>|| |
|-
|1786 || style="background-color: white" | 
|[[Thomas Villiers, 1st Earl of Clarendon]]|| | 
|-
|1787 || rowspan="3" style="background-color: white" | 
|rowspan="3" |[[Thomas de Grey, 2nd Baron Walsingham]]|| rowspan="3" | 
|-
| 1789|| style="background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" | 
|[[John Fane, 10th Earl of Westmorland]]
|[[British Tory Party|Tory]]
|-
| 1790||rowspan="2" style="background-color: white" | 
|rowspan="2"|[[Philip Stanhope, 5th Earl of Chesterfield]]|| rowspan="2"| 
|-
| 1794||rowspan="2" style="background-color: white" | 
|rowspan="2"|[[George Townshend, 2nd Marquess Townshend|George Townshend, 1st Earl of Leicester]]|| rowspan="2"| 
|-
|1798 ||rowspan="3"  style="background-color: white" | 
|rowspan="3" |[[William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland]]||rowspan="3"  | 
|-
| 1799|| style="background-color: white" | 
|[[George Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland|George Leveson-Gower, Baron Gower]]|| | 
|-
|1801 || rowspan="2" style="background-color: white" | 
|rowspan="2" |[[Lord Charles Spencer]]||rowspan="2"  | 
|-
| 1804|| style="background-color: white" | 
|[[James Graham, 3rd Duke of Montrose]]|| | 
|-
|1806 ||  style="background-color: white" | 
 |[[John Proby, 1st Earl of Carysfort]]|| | 
|style="background-color: white" | 
|[[Robert Hobart, 4th Earl of Buckinghamshire]] || 
|-
| 1807||rowspan="3" style="background-color: {{party color|Whigs (British political party)}}" | 
|rowspan="3"|[[Thomas Pelham, 2nd Earl of Chichester]]||rowspan="3" | [[British Whig Party|Whig]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Tories (British political party)}}" |
|[[John Montagu, 5th Earl of Sandwich]] || [[British Tory Party|Tory]]
|-
| 1814|| style="background-color: white" | 
|[[Richard Trench, 2nd Earl of Clancarty]]|| | 
|-
|1816 || style="background-color: white" | 
|[[James Cecil, 1st Marquess of Salisbury]]|| | 
|}

===A single Postmaster General, 1823–1900===
In 1823 the idea of a Whig and a Tory sharing the post was abolished.<ref name=falmouth/>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Years!!Postmaster General
|-
|1823|| [[Thomas Pelham, 2nd Earl of Chichester]] <br> continuing in office alone
|-
| 1826–1827||[[Lord Frederick Montagu]]
|-
| 1827–1830||[[William Montagu, 5th Duke of Manchester]]
|-
| 1830–1834||[[Charles Lennox, 5th Duke of Richmond and Lennox]]
|-
| 1834||[[Francis Nathaniel Conyngham, 2nd Marquess Conyngham]]
|-
| 1834–1835|| [[William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington|William Wellesley-Pole, 1st Baron Maryborough]]
|-
| 1835||[[Francis Nathaniel Conyngham, 2nd Marquess Conyngham]]
|-
| 1835–1841||[[Thomas William Anson, 1st Earl of Lichfield]]
|-
| 1841–1845||[[William Lowther, 2nd Earl of Lonsdale|William Lowther, Viscount Lowther]]
|-
| 1845–1846||[[Edward Eliot, 3rd Earl of St Germans|Edward Granville Eliot, 3rd Earl of St Germans]]
|-
| 1846–1852||[[Ulick John de Burgh, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde]]
|-
| 1852|| [[Charles Philip Yorke, 4th Earl of Hardwicke]]
|-
| 1853–1855||[[Charles John Canning, 1st Earl Canning|Charles John Canning, 2nd Viscount Canning]]
|-
| 1855–1858|| [[George Douglas Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll]]
|-
| 1858–1859||[[Charles Edward Abbot, 2nd Baron Colchester]]
|-
| 1859–1860||[[James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin]]
|-
| 1860–1866||[[Edward John Stanley, 2nd Baron Stanley of Alderley]]
|-
| 1866–1868||[[James Graham, 4th Duke of Montrose]]
|-
| 1868–1871||[[Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire|Spencer Compton Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington]]
|-
| 1871–1873||[[William Monsell]]
|-
| 1873–1874||[[Lyon Playfair, 1st Baron Playfair|Lyon Playfair]]
|-
| 1874–1880||[[John Manners, 7th Duke of Rutland|Lord John Manners]]
|-
| 1880–1884||[[Henry Fawcett]]
|-
| 1884–1885||[[George John Shaw-Lefevre]]
|-
| 1885–1886||[[John Manners, 7th Duke of Rutland|Lord John Manners]]
|-
| 1886||[[George Grenfell Glyn, 2nd Baron Wolverton]]
|-
| 1886–1891||[[Henry Cecil Raikes]]
|-
| 1891–1892||[[Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet|Sir James Fergusson]]
|-
| 1892–1895||[[Arnold Morley]]
|-
| 1895–1900||[[Henry Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk]]
|}

===Postmaster General, 1900–1969===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! colspan=2|Portrait
! width=240|Name<br>{{small|(Birth{{ndash}}Death)}}
! colspan=2|Term of office
! Party
! Ministry
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:The 6th Marquess of Londonderry as viceroy of Ireland.jpg|75px]]
| [[Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 6th Marquess of Londonderry]]<br>{{small|(1852–1915)}} <ref name="Sat in Cabinet">Sat in Cabinet</ref>
| 10 April 1900 <br/>{{small|(in Cabinet from 2 November 1900)}}
| 8 August 1902
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Unionist government, 1895–1905#Salisbury ministry|Salisbury IV]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Austen Chamberlain MP.jpg|75px]]
| [[Austen Chamberlain]]<br>MP for [[East Worcestershire (UK Parliament constituency)|East Worcestershire]]<br>{{small|(1863–1937)}} <ref name="Sat in Cabinet">Sat in Cabinet</ref>
| 8 August 1902
| 6 October 1903
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Unionist government, 1895–1905#Balfour ministry|Balfour]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:17th Earl of Derby.jpg|75px]]
| [[Edward Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby|Edward Stanley, Lord Stanley]]<br>MP for [[Westhoughton (UK Parliament constituency)|Westhoughton]]<br>{{small|(1865–1948)}} <ref name="Sat in Cabinet">Sat in Cabinet</ref>
| 6 October 1903
| 10 December 1905
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Sydney Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Sydney Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton|Sydney Buxton]]<br>MP for [[Poplar (UK Parliament constituency)|Poplar]]<br>{{small|(1853–1934)}} <ref name="Sat in Cabinet">Sat in Cabinet</ref>
| rowspan=2 | 10 December 1905
| rowspan=2 | 14 February 1910
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
| {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | [[Liberal government, 1905–1915#Campbell-Bannerman ministry|Campbell-Bannerman]]
|-
| {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | [[Liberal government, 1905–1915#Asquith ministry|Asquith I]]
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Herbert Samuel.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel|Herbert Samuel]]<br>MP for [[Cleveland (UK Parliament constituency)|Cleveland]]<br>{{small|(1870–1963)}} <ref name="Sat in Cabinet"/>
| rowspan=2 | 14 February 1910
| rowspan=2 | 11 February 1914
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
| {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | [[Liberal government, 1905–1915#Asquith ministry|Asquith II]]
|-
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | [[Liberal government, 1905–1915#Asquith ministry|Asquith III]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Charles Hobhouse 2.jpg|75px]]
| [[Charles Hobhouse]]<br>MP for [[Bristol East (UK Parliament constituency)|Bristol East]]<br>{{small|(1862–1941)}} <ref name="Sat in Cabinet"/>
| 11 February 1914
| 25 May 1915
| {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Herbert Samuel.jpg|75px]]
| [[Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel|Herbert Samuel]]<br>MP for [[Cleveland (UK Parliament constituency)|Cleveland]]<br>{{small|(1870–1963)}} <ref name="Sat in Cabinet"/>
| 26 May 1915
| 18 January 1916
| {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | [[Asquith coalition ministry|Asquith Coalition]]<br />{{small|(''[[Liberal Party (UK)|Lib.]]{{ndash}}[[Conservative Party (UK)|Con.]]{{ndash}}et al.'')}}
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:1910 Jack Pease.jpg|75px]]
| [[Jack Pease, 1st Baron Gainford|Joseph Pease]]<br>MP for [[Rotherham (UK Parliament constituency)|Rotherham]]<br>{{small|(1860–1943)}} <ref name="Sat in Cabinet"/>
| 18 January 1916
| 5 December 1916
| {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Albert Holden Illingworth in 1917.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Albert Illingworth, 1st Baron Illingworth|Albert Illingworth]]<br>MP for [[Heywood (UK Parliament constituency)|Heywood]] until 1918<br>MP for [[Heywood and Radcliffe (UK Parliament constituency)|Heywood and Radcliffe]] from 1918<br>{{small|(1865–1942)}}
| rowspan=2 | 10 December 1916
| rowspan=2 | 1 April 1921
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | [[Lloyd George Ministry|Lloyd George I]]
|-
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | [[Lloyd George Ministry|Lloyd George II]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:1921 Frederick Kellaway.jpg|75px]]
| [[Frederick Kellaway]]<br>MP for [[Bedford (UK Parliament constituency)|Bedford]]<br>{{small|(1870–1933)}}
| 1 April 1921
| 19 October 1922
| {{Party shading/Liberal (UK)}} | [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Neville Chamberlain by Walter Stoneman.jpg|75px]]
| [[Neville Chamberlain]]<br>MP for [[Birmingham Ladywood (UK Parliament constituency)|Birmingham Ladywood]]<br>{{small|(1869–1940)}}
| 31 October 1922
| 12 March 1923
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative government, 1922–1924#Cabinets|Law]]
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=2 | [[File:Viscount Brentford.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2 | [[William Joynson-Hicks, 1st Viscount Brentford|Sir William Joynson-Hicks, Bt.]]<br>MP for [[Twickenham (UK Parliament constituency)|Twickenham]]<br>{{small|(1865–1932)}}
| rowspan=2 | 12 March 1923
| rowspan=2 | 28 May 1923
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative government, 1922–1924#Cabinets|Baldwin I]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Worthington-Evans MP.jpg|75px]]
| [[Laming Worthington-Evans|Sir Laming Worthington-Evans, Bt.]]<br>MP for [[Colchester (UK Parliament constituency)|Colchester]]<br>{{small|(1868–1931)}} <ref name="Sat in Cabinet"/>
| 28 May 1923
| 22 January 1924
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Vernon Hartshorn MP.jpg|75px]]
| [[Vernon Hartshorn]]<br>MP for [[Ogmore (UK Parliament constituency)|Ogmore]]<br>{{small|(1872–1931)}} <ref name="Sat in Cabinet"/>
| 22 January 1924
| 11 November 1924
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[First MacDonald ministry|MacDonald I]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Lord Selsdon.jpg|75px]]
| [[William Mitchell-Thomson, 1st Baron Selsdon|Sir William Mitchell-Thomson]]<br>MP for [[Croydon South (historic UK Parliament constituency)|Croydon South]]<br>{{small|(1877–1938)}}
| 11 November 1924
| 7 June 1929
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Second Baldwin ministry|Baldwin II]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|<!-- Deleted image removed:  [[File:Hastings Lees-Smith 1930.jpg|75px]] -->
| [[Hastings Lees-Smith]]<br>MP for [[Keighley (UK Parliament constituency)|Keighley]]<br>{{small|(1878–1941)}}
| 7 June 1929
| 2 March 1931
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Second MacDonald ministry|MacDonald II]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Person attlee2.jpg|75px]]
| [[Clement Attlee]]<br>MP for [[Limehouse (UK Parliament constituency)|Limehouse]]<br>{{small|(1883–1967)}}
| 2 March 1931
| 3 September 1931
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:William Ormsby-Gore 1936.jpg|75px]]
| [[William Ormsby-Gore, 4th Baron Harlech|William Ormsby-Gore]]<br>MP for [[Stafford (UK Parliament constituency)|Stafford]]<br>{{small|(1895–1964)}}
| 3 September 1931
| 10 November 1931
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | [[National Government (1931)|National I]]<br>{{small|(''[[National Labour Organisation|N.Lab.]]{{ndash}}[[Conservative Party (UK)|Con.]]{{ndash}}et al.'')}}
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=2|[[File:Kingsley Wood cropped.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2|[[Kingsley Wood|Sir Kingsley Wood]]<br>MP for [[Woolwich West (UK Parliament constituency)|Woolwich West]]<br>{{small|(1881–1943)}} <ref>Sat in Cabinet from 20 December 1933</ref>
| rowspan=2|10 November 1931
| rowspan=2|7 June 1935
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | [[National Government (1931–1935)|National II]]
|-
! rowspan=3 style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=3|[[File:Lord Tyron.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=3|[[George Tryon, 1st Baron Tryon|George Tryon]]<br>MP for [[Brighton (UK Parliament constituency)|Brighton]]<br>{{small|(1871–1940)}}
| rowspan=3|7 June 1935
| rowspan=3|3 April 1940
| rowspan=3 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | [[National Government (1935–1937)|National III]]<br>{{small|(''[[Conservative Party (UK)|Con.]]{{ndash}}[[National Labour Organisation|N.Lab.]]{{ndash}}et al.'')}}
|-
| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | [[National Government (1937–1939)|National IV]]
|-
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | [[Chamberlain war ministry|Chamberlain War]]
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=2|[[File:Lord Dunrossil-02.jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2|[[William Morrison, 1st Viscount Dunrossil|William Morrison]]<br>MP for [[Cirencester and Tewkesbury (UK Parliament constituency)|Cirencester and Tewkesbury]]<br>{{small|(1893–1961)}}
| rowspan=2|3 April 1940
| rowspan=2|7 November 1943
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | [[Churchill war ministry|Churchill War]]<br>{{small|(''All parties'')}}
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=2|[[File:Crookshank1932.png|75px]]
| rowspan=2|[[Harry Crookshank]]<br>MP for [[Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency)|Gainsborough]]<br>{{small|(1893–1961)}}
| rowspan=2|7 November 1943
| rowspan=2|4 August 1945
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
|-
| {{Party shading/Coalition (UK)}} | [[Churchill caretaker ministry|Churchill Caretaker]]<br>{{small|(''[[Conservative Party (UK)|Con.]]{{ndash}}[[National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)|Lib.N.]]'')}}
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|<!-- Deleted image removed:  [[File:Earl of Listowel 1932.jpg|75px]] -->
| [[William Hare, 5th Earl of Listowel]]<br>{{small|(1906–1997)}}
| 4 August 1945
| 17 April 1947
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Attlee ministry|Attlee I]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:British Political Personalities 1936-1945 HU59767.jpg|75px]]
| [[Wilfred Paling]]<br>MP for [[Wentworth (UK Parliament constituency)|Wentworth]]<br>{{small|(1883–1971)}}
| 17 April 1947
| 28 February 1950
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|<!-- Deleted image removed:  [[File:Ness Edwards 1949.jpg|75px]] -->
| [[Ness Edwards]]<br>MP for [[Caerphilly (UK Parliament constituency)|Caerphilly]]<br>{{small|(1897–1969)}}
| 28 February 1950
| 5 November 1951
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Attlee ministry|Attlee II]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Lord De La warr.jpg|75px]]
| [[Herbrand Sackville, 9th Earl De La Warr]]<br>{{small|(1900–1976)}}
| 5 November 1951
| 7 April 1955
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Third Churchill ministry|Churchill III]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)}}" |
|
| [[Charles Hill, Baron Hill of Luton|Charles Hill]]<br>MP for [[Luton (UK Parliament constituency)|Luton]]<br>{{small|(1904–1989)}}
| 7 April 1955
| 16 January 1957
| {{Party shading/Liberal National}} | [[National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)|National Liberal]]
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Eden ministry|Eden]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
|<!-- Deleted image removed:  [[File:Ernest Marples 1950.jpg|75px]] -->
| [[Ernest Marples]]<br>MP for [[Wallasey (UK Parliament constituency)|Wallasey]]<br>{{small|(1907–1978)}}
| 16 January 1957
| 22 October 1959
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative government, 1957–1964#First Macmillan ministry|Macmillan I]]
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative and Unionist Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=2|<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Reginald Bevins 1953.jpg|75px]] -->
| rowspan=2|[[Reginald Bevins]]<br>MP for [[Liverpool Toxteth (UK Parliament constituency)|Liverpool Toxteth]]<br>{{small|(1908–1996)}}
| rowspan=2|22 October 1959
| rowspan=2|19 October 1964
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative government, 1957–1964#Second Macmillan ministry|Macmillan II]]
|-
| {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative government, 1957–1964#Douglas-Home ministry|Douglas-Home]]
|-
! rowspan=2 style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| rowspan=2 | [[File:11.12.67 Présentation officielle du Concorde (1967) - 53Fi1748 (Tony Benn).jpg|75px]]
| rowspan=2 | [[Tony Benn]]<br>MP for [[Bristol South East (UK Parliament constituency)|Bristol South East]]<br>{{small|(1925–2014)}}
| rowspan=2 | 19 October 1964
| rowspan=2 | 4 July 1966
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour government, 1964–1970|Wilson I]]
|-
| rowspan=4 {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour government, 1964–1970|Wilson II]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|
| [[Edward Short, Baron Glenamara|Edward Short]]<br>MP for [[Newcastle upon Tyne Central (UK Parliament constituency)|Newcastle upon Tyne Central]]<br>{{small|(1912–2012)}}
| 4 July 1966
| 6 April 1968
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|
| [[Roy Mason]]<br>MP for [[Barnsley (UK Parliament constituency)|Barnsley]]<br>{{small|(1924–2015)}}
| 6 April 1968
| 1 July 1968
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:11.12.67 Présentation officielle du Concorde (1967) - 53Fi1742 (John Stonehouse).jpg|75px]]
| [[John Stonehouse]]<br>MP for [[Wednesbury (UK Parliament constituency)|Wednesbury]]<br>{{small|(1925–1988)}}
| 1 July 1968
| 1 October 1969
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
|-
|}

===Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, 1969-1974===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! colspan=2|Portrait
! width=220|Name<br>{{small|(Birth{{ndash}}Death)}}
! colspan=2 width=300|Term of office
! width=100|Party
! width=100|Ministry
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:11.12.67 Présentation officielle du Concorde (1967) - 53Fi1742 (John Stonehouse).jpg|75px]]
| [[John Stonehouse]]<br>MP for [[Wednesbury (UK Parliament constituency)|Wednesbury]]<br>{{small|(1925–1988)}}
| 1 October 1969
| 19 June 1970
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
| {{Party shading/Labour}} | [[Labour government, 1964–1970|Wilson II]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
| [[File:Tentoonstelling Europort 1972 geopend in de RAI, Minister Chris Chataway aan stu, Bestanddeelnr 926-0230 (cropped).jpg|75px]]
| [[Christopher Chataway]]<br>MP for [[Chichester (UK Parliament constituency)|Chichester]]<br>{{small|(1931–2014)}}
| 24 June 1970
| 7 April 1972
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| rowspan=2 {{Party shading/Conservative (UK)}} | [[Heath ministry|Heath]]
|-
! style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|
| [[John Eden, Baron Eden of Winton|John Eden]]<br>MP for [[Bournemouth West (UK Parliament constituency)|Bournemouth West]]<br>{{small|(1925–2020)}}
| 7 April 1972
| 4 March 1974
|}

==See also==

* [[Postmaster General (disambiguation)]]
* [[Postmasters General of Ireland]]
* [[Postmaster General for Scotland]]
* [[List of Postmasters General for the Province of Canada|Postmaster and Deputy Postmaster for Canada]] 1763–1851 – who reported to the Postmaster General of the United Kingdom
* [[Postmaster General of Canada]]
* [[Hongkong Post|Postmaster General of Hong Kong]] – created in 1870 to replace the [[Royal Mail]] and under British administration until 1 July 1997

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.gbps.org.uk/information/downloads/tpm-info-sheets/BPMA_Info_Sheet_Postmasters_General_web.pdf Postmaster General PDF]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Postmaster General Of The United Kingdom}}
[[Category:Lists of government ministers of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Postal system of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Postmasters general of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Defunct ministerial offices in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Government ministries disestablished in 1969]]
[[Category:1517 establishments in England]]