The Treasurer of the Navy,[1] originally called Treasurer of Marine Causes[2] or Paymaster of the Navy,[3] was a civilian officer of the
Royal Navy, one of the principal commissioners of the
Navy Board responsible for naval finance[4] 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.[5] 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
Royal Navy. 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. 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.
^Sainty, J. C. (January 2003).
"Navy Treasurer c. 1546–1836". www.history.ac.uk. Institute of Historical Research, University of London. Archived from
the original on 27 June 2018.
^Bennell, John (2004). "Gonson, William (d. 1544)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press.
doi:
10.1093/ref:odnb/47400. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"Greville, Fulke (GRVL568F)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
The Treasurer of the Navy,[1] originally called Treasurer of Marine Causes[2] or Paymaster of the Navy,[3] was a civilian officer of the
Royal Navy, one of the principal commissioners of the
Navy Board responsible for naval finance[4] 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.[5] 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
Royal Navy. 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. 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.
^Sainty, J. C. (January 2003).
"Navy Treasurer c. 1546–1836". www.history.ac.uk. Institute of Historical Research, University of London. Archived from
the original on 27 June 2018.
^Bennell, John (2004). "Gonson, William (d. 1544)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press.
doi:
10.1093/ref:odnb/47400. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^"Greville, Fulke (GRVL568F)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.