First Secretary of the Admiralty

United Kingdom Office of the Secretary to the Admiralty
Royal Arms as used by Her Majesty's Government
Flag of the Secretary to the Admiralty
Ministry of Defence
Style	The Right Honourable (Formal prefix) Secretary to the Admiralty
Member of	British Cabinet Board of Admiralty
Seat	Westminster, London
Appointer	The British Monarch on advice of the Prime Minister
Term length	No fixed term
Formation	1652-1959
First holder	Robert Blackborne
Final holder	Charles Ian Orr-Ewing
Website	www.gov.uk/mod%20www.gov.uk/mod

The office of Secretary to the Admiralty or (from the mid-18th century) First Secretary to the Admiralty was formerly an important position within the department of the Admiralty of the United Kingdom, which was responsible for the government of the Royal Navy.

In 1870, the office of First Secretary was renamed Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty, while the office of Second Secretary to the Admiralty was renamed Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty. In 1886, the Parliamentary Secretary was renamed Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty.

From 1930, the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary served as Civil Lord to the Board of Admiralty. The office became vacant in 1959, and ministerial offices were reorganised when the Admiralty was merged into the Ministry of Defence in 1964, with the creation of a Minister of State and Under-Secretary of State for the Navy.

office vacant from 16 October 1959