Master-General of the Ordnance

The Master-General of the Ordnance (MGO) was an important British military position before 1855, when its duties were largely abolished. Usually held by a serving General, the Master-General of the Ordnance was responsible for all British artillery, engineers, fortifications, military supplies, and much else, and was not subordinate to the Commander in Chief, the titular head of the British military. The position was frequently a cabinet level one, especially in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Board of Ordnance, which had its headquarters in the Tower of London, was abolished in 1855, but the title of Master-General still exists as the title of the Fourth Military Member of the Army Board , who oversees procurement and research and development and usually holds the rank of Lieutenant General.

Masters-General of the Ordnance, 1544–1855

• Sir Thomas Seymour 1544–1547
• Sir Philip Hoby 1547–1554
• Sir Richard Southwell 1554–1559
• Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick 1560–1585
• Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick jointly with Sir Philip Sidney 1585–1586
• Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick 1586–1590
• vacant 1590–1597
• Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex 1597–1601
• vacant 1601–1603
• Charles Blount, 1st Earl of Devonshire 1603–1606
• vacant 1606–1608
• George Carew, 1st Lord Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes (1626) 1608–1629
• Horace Vere, 1st Lord Vere 1629–1634
• Mountjoy Blount, 1st Earl of Newport 1634–1661
• Sir William Compton 1661–1663
• in commission 1664–1670

William Berkeley, 1st Lord Berkeley

Sir John Duncombe

Thomas Chicheley

• Sir Thomas Chicheley 1670–1679
• in commission 1679–1682

Sir John Chicheley

Sir William Hickman, 2nd Bt.

Sir Christopher Musgrave

• George Legge, 1st Baron Dartmouth 1682–1688
• Frederick Schomberg, 1st Duke of Schomberg 1689–1690
• vacant 1690–1693
• Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney 1693–1702
• John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough 1702–1712
• Richard Savage, 4th Earl Rivers 1712
• James Douglas, 4th Duke of Hamilton 1712
• vacant 1712–1714
• John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough 1714–1722
• William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan 1722–1725
• John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll 1725–1740
• John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu 1740–1742
• John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll 1742
• John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu 1742–1749
• vacant 1749–1755
• Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough 1755–1758
• vacant 1758–1759
• John Ligonier, 1st Viscount Ligonier 1759–1763
• John Manners, Marquess of Granby 1763–1770
• vacant 1770–1772
• George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend 1772–1782
• Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond 1782–1783
• George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend 1783–1784
• Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond 1784–1795
• Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis 1795–1801
• John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham 1801–1806
• Francis Rawdon Hastings, 2nd Earl of Moira 1806–1807
• John Pitt, 2nd Earl of Chatham 1807–1810
• Henry Phipps, 1st Earl of Mulgrave 1810–1819
• Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington 1819–1827
• Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey 1827–1828
• William Carr Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford 1828–1830
• Sir James Kempt 1830–1834
• Sir George Murray 1834–1835
• Sir Richard Hussey Vivian , 1st Bt. 1835–1841
• Sir George Murray 1841–1846
• Henry William Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey 1846–1852
• Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge 1852
• Fitzroy James Henry Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan 1852–1855