Contact Plymouth Live reporter Molly Dowrick: molly.dowrick@reachplc.com, and she'll put you in contact with a member of the group. This was a somewhat unusual apprenticeship as we were required to sign on with the Royal Navy for twelve years from the age of eighteen, part of which was to complete a 4 year apprenticeship in Chatham Dockyard. The senior official of a Royal Navy dockyard was the commissioner, who was supported by other senior officers including: Clerks and foremen, known as inferior officers, supported the senior officers. Do you know of any detailed records of casualties passing through Chatham RNH. Nicholas, South Africa, last updated: 26/03/2009 at 15:36created: 26/03/2009. v3.0, Coopers and Labourers, 1797-1816, yard unknown, Caulkers, Coopers and Ropemakers, 1798-1831, Registers of protections from being pressed, 1794-1815, Civil Establishment of Admiralty and Navy Board (including yard officers), 1694-1832, clerk of cheque and storekeeper responsible for finance and administration, master shipwright responsible for building and repairs, master attendants and boatswain supervised yard craft and boats in ordinary (on reserve), master ropemaker responsible for the ropeyard, the agent victualler (in larger establishments only), Plymouth from 1824 known as Devonport Dockyard (1690-present), Pembroke Dockyard at Pembroke (1815-1947), Jamaica Dockyard also known as Port Royal (c.1675-1905), Kingston Dockyard on Lake Ontario, Canada (1788-1853), Penang Island part of modern day Malaysia also known as Prince of Wales Island (1800s), Port Mahon Dockyard on Minorca (1708-1802). Three basins were constructed along St Mary's creek, from west to east: No 1 Basin (of 28 acres (110,000m2)), No 2 Basin (20 acres (81,000m2)) and No 3 Basin (21 acres (85,000m2)). I clearly remember visiting Chatham Navy Dockyard during the 1970s as a boy. [136] The new development has retained the name Kitchener Barracks. Did you or your family, work there on the ships? Diamond, one of the Navy's Daring Class Destroyers which was in Dry Dock in one of the Basins. Regularly taking the mickey out of each other, the group told Plymouth Live that it was crucial to have a good sense of humour. Money was only made available for one such installation, however, and Chatham (as the principal building yard at this time) was chosen as its location. In 1550, a decree was issued to the Lord High Admiral that: all the Kinges shippes should be harborowed in Jillyngham Water saving only those that be at Portsmouth[5], Even prior to this, there is evidence of certain shore facilities being established in the vicinity for the benefit of the King's ships at anchor: there are isolated references from as early as 1509 to the hiring of a storehouse nearby[6] and from 1547 this becomes a fixed item in the Treasurer's annual accounts. This was a somewhat unusual apprenticeship as we were required to sign on with the Royal Navy for twelve years from the age of eighteen, part of which was to complete a 4 year apprenticeship in Chatham Dockyard. The ropery. It was completed in 1903. The senior officer was now a serving sea officer the superintendent, admiral or captain-superintendent who was often also the port admiral, or flag officer. Please do get in touch with a member of the collections team if you have any questions about this project. The officers and men employed in the yard had also increased, and by 1798 they numbered 1,664, including 49 officers and clerks and 624 shipwrights. In almost all cases you can only search by yard or ships name, not by a persons names. In 1665, the Navy Board approved Sheerness as a site for a new dockyard, and building work began; but in 1667 the still-incomplete Sheerness Dockyard was captured by the Dutch Navy and used as the base for an attack on the English fleet at anchor in the Medway itself. The project also includes ADM 354 and ADM 359; these records are at the National Maritime Museum. General Staff who died 12/05/1916 LE TREPORT MILITARY CEMETERY France '
[36] It came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional defences. Along the southern edge of No 1 Basin four new dry docks were built (Nos 58), each 420ft (130m) long. [128], Within the space of 20 years, Chatham Barracks had taken on an additional role as the Army Dept of Recruits and Invalids: accommodating 'a mixed mass of people, viz. Plymouth Gladiators open their Championship campaign this evening when they welcome Scunthorpe Scorpions to the Coliseum. Terry left a secondary school in Hoo with qualifications in metal work and technical drawing and, like many boys of his age, enrolled for apprenticeship at the yard, classed as one of the best in the world. Pay once to enjoy again and again for an entire year. We can either copy our records onto paper or deliver them to you digitally, Visit us in Kew to see original documents or view online records for free, Consider paying for The northern building was used as a fitted rigging house, and a general store for equipment to fit out newly built ships. The fire-fighting displays were actually good education for us, as were all the displays of engineering, diving and damage control.Later I went in a group of school cadets to see the launch of the submarine HMS Onslaught, built at Chatham.Whilst a member of the Kent Police Force, I acted as an interpreter for a party of visiting French police officers and their wives and we were shown through the rope-making loft where HMS Victory's ropes had been made. The escalating Anglo-Dutch wars forced their hand, however: several temporary buildings were hastily erected in Sheerness, at the mouth of the Medway, to enable ships to re-arm, re-victual and (if necessary) be repaired as quickly as possible. It was somewhat unfortunate that, on the one occasion when it was required for actionthe Raid on the Medway, 1667the Dutch fleet were able to sail right past it to attack the English fleet and carry off the pride of the fleet, HMS Royal Charles, back to the Netherlands. Australian Field Artillery who died 14/04/1917 GREVILLERS BRITISH CEMETERY France '
And the men remember they had quite a strict deadline on a Friday afternoon. [139], St Mary's Casemated Barracks were built during the Peninsular War and initially held French prisoners of war. Its one areaof my Grandfathers medical evacuation from Gallipoli via Malta that I cannot find anywhere. Many homes have views of the River Medway. Trying to find the right nursery, school, college, university or training provider in Kent or Medway? This page has been archived and is no longer updated. The military hospital at Chatham at Fort Pitt. dailyinfo[15]=' 6963 Private Albert CHRISTIE 1st Bn. In 1812 the Royal Engineers Establishment was founded within the barracks to provide instruction in military engineering. Poor Law union indexes and papers (1836-1920) . [20], Among the vessels built in this Dockyard which still exist are HMSVictory (launched in 1765 and now preserved at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard)[22] and HMSUnicorn (a Leda-class frigate), launched in 1824 and now preserved afloat at Dundee). Mr Gray also endorsed the expertise handed over to young apprentices. [23], Following the appointment of Robert Seppings as Master Shipwright in 1804, iron began to be introduced into the structure of ships being built at Chatham; the following year work began on a new, much larger smithery, commissioned by Samuel Bentham, designed by Edward Holl and fitted out by John Rennie. Discovery is a catalogue of archival records across the UK and beyond, from which you can search 32 million records. Chatham (1567-1983) Deptford (1513-1869) Plymouth - from 1824 known as Devonport Dockyard (1690-present) . [12], The dockyard received its first royal visit, from Elizabeth I, in 1573; later, in 1606, James I used Chatham dockyard for a meeting with Christian IV of Denmark. He says the dockyard here was a lot more relaxed than in Chatham. It was 50 years ago these former Chatham Dockyard apprentices met for the first time. Anchor Wharf, The Historic Dockyard, It now houses, South Dock Pumping Station 1822, designed by, Commissioner's House 1704. Ten new community-led, affordable homes for local people. Ron Edwards. The following terms appear in the records of pay: Click on the links below to search for a yard name, for example Woolwich, within the following series: Try searching by name or, otherwise, keyword in the various Navy Board records held inADM 106(1650-1837). "Killingholme" Royal Naval Air Service who died 27/04/1916 CHATHAM NAVAL MEMORIAL United Kingdom '
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It's easy! asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of apprentices that entered Chatham Dockyard in each of the years 1974 to 1977; and what is the projected number for 1978 (a) as craft entries and (b) as technician entries. We collect and preserve objects related to the Dockyard's past and also carry out specific research into the Dockyard's rich and varied history. So the boys did, they wore ties. In its early days, dockyards such as Chatham were the largest industrial centres in the world. that I have asked my family to see that my ashes are scattered on the Medway besides the Dockyard,using a trip on the Paddlesteamer-"Kingswear Castle" to carry out this task. I am 82 years of age and was a Naval Shipwright Apprentice (Dockyard number 21413) in Chatham Dockyard from 1941 until 1945. 09:00 to 17:00. I was going to leave that bit about Trafalgar out, but their Town Mayor, whose English was better than my French, picked it up and told them anyway. Built immediately to the north of the Smithery (the intervening space was later infilled with the Smithery extension of 1867). ), electric & acetylene welding and the Blacksmiths shop.In travelling along Dock Road my memories go back to the check-in booths where we were checked against our photo and a recent trip along Luton Road recalled the many hours spent at the Dockyard Apprentices Club.At one stage in my Naval career, I served as a Shipwright Training Instructor at H.M.S Caledonia at Rosyth in Scotland where the Naval Shipwright training was subsequently transferred I have many more memories, too many to relate here but I hope these will be sufficient to remind others reading this of happy times spent in the Dockyard.Wed Apr 1 19:45:59 2009, Chris Townsend - Now from ChathamI clearly remember visiting Chatham Navy Dockyard during the 1970s as a boy. Back in the day, the gentlemen, who are aged between 79 and 86, were pranksters! (The covering of Chatham's slipways and dry docks, to protect the woodwork of ships as they were built or repaired, had begun with No 2 Slip and No 1 Dock in 1817). n There was a great reaction to my picture here of some of the old Radio Victory presenters. Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. In 1782, an, 18701892 A number of forts built at a greater distance from the dockyard: Forts, Resident Commissioner, Cadiz Yard, (1694), This page was last edited on 18 March 2023, at 23:48. He was Collingwood Battalion RND. Buy from bookshop. It is, Commissioner's Garden dating from 1640. Canadian Infantry who died 07/05/1917 VIMY MEMORIAL France '
Extended in connection with preparations for HMS, No 1 Machine Shop 1861. Terry Hoare at home in 1963 during his apprenticeship at Chatham Dockyard. In addition, the Medway had begun to silt up, making navigation more difficult (especially as the Navy's ships were getting larger). The subalterns were given one room each, the captains two, and field officers four. Published 12th Mar 2018, 19:00 BST - 2 min read. Similar but smaller blocks to the north and south housed ancillary services, such as the pay office, infirmary and Quartermaster's stores. who died 02/05/1915 BABY 700 CEMETERY, ANZAC Turkey (including Gallipoli) '
Brian and John remember their Devonport Dockyard wage: 2 6s 2d a week (about 2.32), with no overtime for apprentices, but said at the time they were well looked after. Apprentices. Their website gives further information about the type of records they hold and how to search them. The 'old boys' who were recorders in the Dockyard and still meet up for a pint. Another, Mike North, got in touch and sent me his cartoon of the staff who were there when the station closed. Another member of the group, John Gibson, 79 from Southway, joined the dockyard as an apprentice in September 1955. Proposals were made for a fourth Basin of 57 acres (230,000m2), together with additional large docks of up to 800ft (240m), to cover the remaining land on St Mary's Island; but these were soon superseded by plans to build an entirely new dockyard at Rosyth. The principal records and how to search for them, A guide to the naval records in The National Archives of the UK, Friends of The National As a result, it was acknowledged by 1771 that Chatham had no future as a front-line fleet base;[20] nevertheless, following a visit by the Admiralty Board in 1773, the decision was taken to invest further in Chatham, and to develop it as a building yard rather than a refitting base. Some Great War periods covered in these newly-transcribed records: https://thedockyard.co.uk/the-collections/ledgers/. Thereafter this was divided into three sections: 80 acres (0.32km2), the 18th century core of the site, was transferred to a charity called the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust.