Secretary of State for the Colonies[4] Portrait Name (Birth–Death) Term of office Ministry Monarch (Reign) The Right Honourable Wills Hill 1st Earl of Hillsborough PC (1718–1793) 27 February 1768 27 August 1772 Grafton George III (1760–1820) North The Right Honourable William Legge 2nd Earl of Dartmouth PC FRS (1731–1801) 27 August 1772 10 November 1775 The Right Honourable Lord George Germain MP for East Grinstead (1716–1785) 10 November 1775 February 1782 The Right Honourable Welbore Ellis FRS MP for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis (1713–1802) February 1782 8 March 1782