In British government usage, Colonial Secretary had two different meanings:

• The Secretary of State for the Colonies, the Cabinet minister who headed the Colonial Office, was commonly referred to as the Colonial Secretary.
• The Colonial Secretary was also the official in many British Crown Colonies who headed the day-to-day functions of the colony's government and acted as deputy to the Governor. Larger colonies used the title of Chief Secretary instead and several in British North America used the title Provincial Secretary.

British Empire