The First Commissioner of Works and Public Buildings replaced the First Commissioner of Woods and Forests in 1851. The position was frequently of cabinet level and has since been abolished after several renamings.

First Commissioners of Works, 1851-1940

• Edward Adolphus Seymour, Lord Seymour (August 1, 1851 - February 21, 1852)
• Lord John Manners (March 4, 1852 - December 17, 1852)
• Sir William Molesworth (January 5, 1853 - July 21, 1855)
• Sir Benjamin Hall (July 21, 1855 - February 21, 1858)
• Lord John Manners (February 26, 1858 - June 11, 1859)
• Henry Fitzroy (June 18, 1859 - February 9, 1860)
• Francis William Cowper (February 9, 1860 - June 26, 1866)
• Lord John Manners (July 6, 1866 - December 1, 1868)
• Austen Henry Layard (December 9, 1868 - October 26, 1869)
• Acton Smee Ayrton (October 26, 1869 - August 11, 1873)
• William Patrick Adam (August 11, 1873 - February 17, 1874)
• Lord Henry Gordon-Lennox (March 21, 1874 - August 14, 1876)
• Gerard James Noel (August 14, 1876 - April 21, 1880)
• William Patrick Adam (May 3, 1880 - November 29, 1881)
• George John Shaw Lefevre (November 29, 1881 - February 13, 1885)
• Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery (February 13, 1885 - June 9, 1885)
• David Robert Plunket (June 24, 1885 - January 28, 1886)
• Albert Edmund Parker, 3rd Earl of Morley (February 17, 1886 - April 16, 1886)
• Victor Alexander Bruce, 9th Earl of Elgin (April 16, 1886 - July 20, 1886)
• David Robert Plunket (August 5, 1886 - August 11, 1892)
• George John Shaw Lefevre (August 18, 1892 - March 10, 1894)
• Herbert Gladstone (March 10, 1894 - June 21, 1895)
• Aretas Akers-Douglas (July 4, 1895 - August 8, 1902)
• Robert Clive-Windsor, 7th Baron Windsor (August 8, 1902 - December 4, 1905)
• Lewis Vernon Harcourt (December 10, 1905 - November 3, 1910)
• William Lygon, 7th Earl Beauchamp (November 3, 1910 - August 6, 1914)
• Alfred Emmott, 1st Baron Emmott (August 6, 1914 - May 25, 1915)
• Lewis Vernon Harcourt (May 25, 1915 - December 10, 1916)
• Sir Alfred Mond (December 10, 1916 - April 1, 1921)
• David Lindsay, 27th Earl of Crawford (April 1, 1921 - October 19, 1922)
• Sir John Baird (October 31, 1922 - January 22, 1924)
• Frederick William Jowett (January 22, 1924 - November 3, 1924)
• William Wellesley Peel, 2nd Viscount Peel (November 10, 1924 - October 18, 1928)
• Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry (October 18, 1928 - June 4, 1929)
• George Lansbury (June 7, 1929 - August 24, 1931)
• Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry (August 25, 1931 - November 5, 1931)
• William Ormsby Gore (November 5, 1931 - June 16, 1936)
• James Stanhope, 7th Earl Stanhope (June 16, 1936 - May 27, 1937)
• Sir Philip Sassoon (May 27, 1937 - June 7, 1939)
• Herwald Ramsbotham (June 7, 1939 - April 3, 1940)
• Herbrand Sackville, 9th Earl De La Warr (April 3, 1940 - May 18, 1940)
• George Clement Tryon, 1st Baron Tryon (May 18, 1940 - October 3, 1940)

Minister of Works & Buildings and First Commissioner of Works

• Sir John Reith (Lord) (October 3, 1940 - February 11, 1942)

Minister of Works and Planning

• John Reith, 1st Baron Reith (February 11, 1942 - February 22, 1942)
• Wyndham Portal, 1st Baron Portal (February 22, 1942 - February 1943)

Minister of Works

• Wyndham Portal, 1st Baron Portal (February 1943 - November 21, 1944)
• Duncan Sandys (November 21, 1944 - July 26, 1945)
• George Tomlinson (August 4, 1945 - February 10, 1947)
• Charles William Key (February 10, 1947 - February 28, 1950)
• Richard Rapier Stokes (February 28, 1950 - April 26, 1951)
• George Brown (April 26, 1951 - October 26, 1951)
• (Sir) David Eccles (November 1, 1951 - October 18, 1954)
• Nigel Birch (October 18, 1954 - December 20, 1955)
• Patrick George Thomas Buchan-Hepburn (December 20, 1955 - January 16, 1957)
• Arthur Hugh Elsdale Molson (January 16, 1957 - October 22, 1959)
• The Lord John Hope (October 22, 1959 - July 16, 1962)

Minister of Public Buildings and Works

• Geoffrey Rippon (July 16, 1962 - October 10, 1964)
• Charles Pannell (October 19, 1964 - April 6, 1966)
• Reginald Prentice (April 6, 1966 - August 29, 1967)
• Robert Mellish (August 29, 1967 - April 30, 1969)
• John Silkin (April 30, 1969 - June 19, 1970)
• Julian Amery (June 23, 1970 - October 15, 1970)

On October 15, 1970 the Ministry was amalgamated in the Department of the Environment.