chatham dockyard old apprentices

It now houses, South Dock Pumping Station 1822, designed by, Commissioner's House 1704. And if you had any personal issues there was always somebody there to support you. [20], By the late 17th century a number of prestigious new buildings were erected (including the officers' residences, the clocktower storehouse and the main gatehouse), several of which are still in place. 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 Black Yarn House to store the tarred yarn. However he was readmitted to RNH Chatham on 9/11/1915as case number 312. I am 82 years of age and was a Naval Shipwright Apprentice (Dockyard number 21413) in Chatham Dockyard from 1941 until 1945. It was used to house the, No 1 Boiler Shop and No 8 Machine Shop were originally built as slip covers at, Dock Pumping Station 1874: as well as serving to empty dry docks 58 when required, its. [110], On 5 September 1971 all Flag Officers of the Royal Navy holding positions of Admiral Superintendents at Royal Dockyards were redesignated as Port Admirals. My best wishes go out to all my old friends. I'd hold it anywhere, even in my own home. 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. They were given a tour of Chatham Historic Dockyard, now an award-winning tourist venue, and visited the Royal Engineers Museum in Gillingham. seaJane. Mr Elgar, 66, who lives in Hoo St Werburgh, was transferred to the naval base at Devenport after the Chatham closure in March 1984. My grandad was an electrician working on the submarines and my dad was an engineer. Although the yard focused mainly on refitting and repairs, some shipbuilding continued to take place. Coordinates: 512350N 003140E / 51.39722N 0.52778E / 51.39722; 0.52778 Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, 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 . I became so attached to the place,(My Home Port!) A Dockyard Apprentice's Story: Hard graft, scrapes and japes on the This guide will help you find records of the staff of Royal Navy dockyards, victualling yards and other naval establishments from around the 1920s or before. When a new boss joined the recorders' division in the 1970s, he informed the employees 'You will all wear ties,' said John. Great days out, can still smell the hot dog stand with its fried onions. I remember being in awe of the sheer size of it and the amount of hustle and bustle that was all about. [143], Media related to Chatham Dockyard at Wikimedia Commons. Chatham Dockyard and its Defences is an outstanding example of a complete industrial military complex from the heyday of the age of sail (1700 - 1820) and the early period of the age of steam (1820- 1865). 20,900 were here. [36] dailyinfo[26]=' Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Gordon CADE Distinguished Service Order, Military Cross and Bar, Three times Mentioned in Despatches Middlesex Regiment who died 26/04/1918 TYNE COT MEMORIAL Belgium ' This aerial photograph shows the dry docks at Chatham Dockyard. Sign up for a new account in our community. The majority of its buildings are still standing, several of them occupied by the Universities at Medway. Click on the series references in the table below to browse the record descriptions by year ranges: Visit the National Maritime museum Caird Library website for other sources. The project also includes ADM 354 and ADM 359; these records are at the National Maritime Museum. The weekend event was organised by Tony Gray, who at 66 is still working part-time as a consultant. After the abolition of the post of Commander-in-Chief, The Nore, Chatham's Admiral Superintendent took on the additional role of local Flag Officer (with local command responsibilities) and the title Flag Officer, Medway. North Mast Pond, 1702. 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. But he's having a problem tracking down the class from 1960 when 13 of them embarked on a five-year course, which for many of them moulded their lives in years to come. The dates shown represent the tax paid by the Masters for their Apprentices. [31] In 1897 a naval barracks was built on the site of the prison to provide crew accommodation for ships anchored in The Nore; for the next sixty years it served as the headquarters of Nore Command, whose Commander-in-Chief was accommodated in the adjacent Admiralty House. Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Bob recalls: In the second year we were given the job of building the Dockyard entry for the 1965 Southsea Carnival which was based on the old woman who lived in a shoe.. Cashiers' Office 18th century. He was a shipwright apprentice at Flathouse Apprentice Training Centre with about 30 others. Archives, Open Government Licence The indenture was a contract signed by the apprentice, the parent / guardian and the Admirality on satisfactory completion of a 3 month probation period. This was a somewhat unusual . 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. 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. Hawkins' chain was later replaced with a boom of masts, iron, cordage, and the hulls of two old ships, besides a couple of ruined pinnacles. The military hospital at Chatham at Fort Pitt. We, as a family, would travel up from East Kent to attend the dockyard when they had a 'Navy Days' event. [20], View down the length of the former No 7 Dock towards No 1 Basin (now Chatham Marina), Remains of No 8 Machine Shop with No 1 Boiler Shop behind it, Dock pumping station (its 80ft chimney, formerly on the plinth to the right, has been removed), The Commissioner of Chatham Dockyard held a seat and a vote on the Navy Board in London. Our Education Directory has everything you could possibly need! How to look for records of Royal Naval dockyard staff He said: It was second to none. dailyinfo[9]=' 3094 Rifleman James William NEWELL 2nd Bn. - Nicola, Chatham, "I entered the Dockyard on the 5th May 1967 as a Pattern Maker Apprentice. At its height, it employed over 10,000 skilled artisans and covered 400 acres (1.6km2). 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 - David, Germany, "From 1980-1984 I sold newspapers on board all the ships that docked in the yard, I was a young lad of 11 when I started, and only stopped after my father was transferred to Plymouth Dockyard in 1985. He said: "It was traditional in my day, if your father was in the dockyard, you'd follow your father into the dockyard.". NOSTALGIA: The mysterious case of the disappearing Portsmouth Guildhall, When Purbrook had three pubs within 100 yards - Nostalgia. Another top story for the boys is the countless times in 1960s and 70s when their friend would randomly phone a phone box on the site, says Keith Dowrick, 82 from Keyham.