Colonial Secretary of Western Australia


The Colonial Secretary of Western Australia was one of the most important and powerful public offices in Western Australia, in the time when Western Australia was a British colony. The Colonial Secretary was the representative of the British Colonial Office in Western Australia, and was usually appointed from Britain. He was responsible for all official correspondence between the colony and the Colonial Office. He was at all times a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council and the Western Australian Executive Council.
After Western Australia gained responsible government in 1890, the office of Colonial Secretary became a ministerial portfolio. The responsibilities of the office changed substantially, and it was no longer such an important role. Colebatch described the office of Colonial Secretary in 1917 as
Since Western Australia was no longer a British colony after 1901, the office of Colonial Secretary was misnamed after this date. In 1924, the office was renamed to Chief Secretary.

List of Colonial Secretaries of Western Australia

The following is a list of Colonial Secretaries of Western Australia:
Colonial SecretaryPeriod in office
Peter Broun1828-1846
George Fletcher Moore November 1846-1847
Richard Robert MaddenMay 1847-1849
Revett Bland January 1849-March 1850
Thomas Yule March 1850-October 1850
Charles PiesseOctober 1850-March 1851
Thomas Yule March-December 1851
Thomas FalconerFrom March 1851 but never arrived in colony
William Ayshford SanfordJanuary 1852-July 1855
Frederick BarleeJuly 1855-24 November 1875
Anthony O'Grady Lefroy 24 July 1875-30 August 1877
Roger Goldsworthy30 August 1877-7 September 1880
Edric Gifford2 November 1880-21 January 1883
Malcolm Fraser5 January 1883-28 December 1890
Matthew Smith 8 December 1885-18 April 1887
George Shenton29 December 1890-11 October 1892
Stephen Parker11 October 1892-4 December 1894
John Forrest4 December 1894-28 April 1898
George Randell28 April 1898-27 May 1901
Frederick Illingworth27 May-21 November 1901
Matthew Moss21 November-23 December 1901
Frederick Illingworth23 December 1901-30 June 1902
Walter Kingsmill1 July 1902-10 August 1904
George Taylor10 August 1904-7 June 1905
John Drew7 June-5 August 1905
Walter Kingsmill25 August 1905-7 May 1906
John Connolly7 May 1906-7 October 1911
John Drew7 October 1911-27 July 1916
Hal Colebatch27 July 1916-17 April 1919
Charles Hudson17 April-17 May 1919
John Scaddan17 May-25 June 1919
Frank Broun25 June 1919-22 August 1922
Richard Sampson22 August 1922-16 April 1924