Minister of Defence (United Kingdom) Minister of Defence (United Kingdom) The post of Minister of Defence was responsible for co-ordination of defence and security from its creation in 1940 until its abolition in 1964. The post was a Cabinet-level post and generally ranked above the three service ministers, some of whom, however, continued to also serve in Cabinet. Prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, concerns about British forces being understrength led in 1936 to the creation of the post of Minister for Coordination of Defence by Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin. The post was abolished by Baldwin's successor Neville Chamberlain in April 1940.
George Pearce Baldwin George Pearce Baldwin George Pearce Baldwin (17 May 1789 – 1 October 1840) came from Broseley in Shropshire and moved to Worcestershire at the start of the 19th Century, becoming an iron founder at Stourport-on-Severn. He was the son of Thomas Baldwin and Mary Gough. He had 12 children, the youngest of whom, Alfred, father of the future prime minister Stanley Baldwin, was born in 1841, the year after George died. He was married to Anne Hill on 16 April 1812; together they had two children: Pearce Baldwin (born 20 July 1813; died 6 April 1861) and William Hill Baldwin