The Treasurer of the Navy, originally called Treasurer of Marine Causes or Paymaster of the Navy, was a civilian officer of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...

, one of the principal commissioners of the Navy Board responsible for naval finance from 1524 to 1832. The treasurer was based at the Navy Pay Office.

History

Originally established in 1524, the first holder of the post was William Gonson; he held the office for twenty years until 1544. Although a member of the board, his office was semi-autonomous. The office-holder was responsible for the direction and control of the finance of the

. The office was a political appointment and frequently was held by up-and-coming young politicians who would later go on to hold more important positions. Before 1832 all accounts were dealt with by a number of different offices and officials. The Treasurer of the Navy originated during the reign of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

. He was the senior member of the Navy Board responsible for all Navy accounts; he gradually withdrew during the seventeenth century from the board's day-to-day affairs and his office, and the Navy Pay Office, came to be regarded as entirely separate from the Navy Office. The Treasurer of the Navy survived the re-organisational changes of 1832, but the office was abolished in 1835 and its duties were transferred to the Paymaster General's' Office.

Treasurers of the Navy 1524–1836

Notable holders of this post included:

Departments and offices under Treasurer

Included: * Navy Pay Office (1546–1832) This was in effect the larger part of the Treasurer of the Navy’s Department. *

Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy The Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy also known as Accountant-General's Department was the department charged by the British Government with reviewing all naval estimates, conducting naval audits and processing payments from 1829 t ...

(1829–1832)

References

Sources

Sainty, J. C. (2003), A provisional list: Navy Treasurer c. 1546–1836, The Institute of Historical Research (IHR), School of Advanced Study at the University of London

External links

{{Navy Board, state=collapsed Defence ministers of the United Kingdom T 16th-century Royal Navy personnel 1836 disestablishments Defunct ministerial offices in the United Kingdom

Navy A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It in ...

1546 establishments in England