chatham dockyard old apprentices

[35], In February 1958 it was announced in Parliament that Sheerness Dockyard would close in 1960, with Nore Command (and its Chatham-based Commander-in-Chief) to be abolished the following year. Chatham's establishment as a naval dockyard was precipitated by the use of the Medway as a safe anchorage by the ships of what became (under King Henry VIII) England's permanent Royal Navy. who died 02/05/1915 BABY 700 CEMETERY, ANZAC Turkey (including Gallipoli) ' They were the good old days,but,it is still a wonderful place to go and visit, I go often. At the same time, it was made clear that at Chatham "the dockyard will be retained; but the barracks and other naval establishments will be closed". The oldest surviving barracks in the Chatham area is in Upnor; dating from 1718, it housed the detachment of 64 men responsible for guarding the gunpowder store in Upnor Castle. If you walk into the Union Rooms on a Friday afternoon you'll meet all manner of people. For Joe, the group is special as they share stories from a 'bygone age that no longer exists'. The father-of-three, who lives with wife Jenny in Hoo, went into the building trade and kept in contact with a couple of the group. Two years later the project was largely complete, with facilities provided alongside for gun mounting and mast rigging, as well as a victualling depot and a coaling area. Today the range of buildings and structures . Amusingly, they rigged the draw, Keith says, so their friend would win. 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. A primary school (St. Mary's CofE) and a medical centre provide facilities for the residents and there are attractive walks around the Island. Please do get in touch with a member of the collections team if you have any questions about this project. The Pay Office was moved here in 1750 from Hill House. We, as a family, would travel up from East Kent to attend the dockyard when they had a 'Navy Days' event. Our Education Directory has everything you could possibly need! The senior officers of a victualling yard were: The victualling yards reported to a Victualling Board, which in turn reported to the Navy Board. "It's a nice crowd of boys, it's fun being here," says group member Joe May, 86 from Torpoint. Read more: All the latest news from Medway. [128] The three-storey barrack blocks were aligned northsouth. We collect and preserve objects related to the Dockyards past and also carry out specific research into the Dockyards rich and varied history. 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. Joe May, 86 shared his memories of the Dockyard, Keith Dowrick, 82 told reporter Molly Dowrick some of his memories from the Dockyard, Royal Navy joins European allies on crucial Baltic mission, Plymouth's nickname 'Guz' and the reasons behind it, Live: Huge fire breaks out at industrial unit outside Looe, As many as eight fire crews are understood to be on the scene, Woman fumes over Lidl store towering above her garden, The retired nurse said a Wickes DIY store is doing similar, blocking the sun and warmth. Those that we have in our collections are ones that have been donated to us, usually by families of former dockyard workers or Chatham Ratings. The BBC reserves the right to edit comments submitted. Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent.Established in Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham (at its most extensive, in the early 20th century, two-thirds of the dockyard lay in Gillingham, one-third in Chatham).. Many homes have views of the River Medway. A good many were engaged in manning the defences, but some had other duties; others were accommodated there for convenience prior to embarking on ships for duties overseas, or following their disembarkation. 3 Slip). The names that I have are Bob Piper, Calvin Sims, Chris Wyatt, Tony Davies, Malcolm Copper, Terry OHagan, Stuart Lukey, Ed Salvage, Ian Privet, Mick Tucker, Michael Arnell, Malcolm Bain, Allan Fudge, Barry Goble, Dennis Purvis, Bernhard Reed, Malcolm Reglar, Joseph Shears, Alan Weatley and John Miller.. Dockyard Apprentices June 1975 - Sept 1980 This list of apprentices, both craft and technician, was extracted from a ledger entitled " DEED SIGNING BOOK" . [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. All of these Apprentices are bound to Masters whose names and trades are also included. John said: "The dockyard gave you a good life. It has several themed areas with traditional maritime buildings, a fishing (though in looks only) village with its multi-coloured houses and a modern energy-efficient concept. Another member of the group, Brian Booker, 76, moved to Plymouth from Chatham in the South East and joined the dockyard in 1984, working there for six years before taking early retirement to care for his wife. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday [20] The following year, John Rennie was engaged to build an entirely new dry dock (following his own recommendations) which was the first in the dockyard to be built entirely of stone; it was built on the site of the old smithery. For a young lad it was always very impressive. He says: When Victory unfortunately lost its licence those of us who were still part of the broadcasting team decamped for a wake to the unofficial Radio Victory registered office known locally as the The Eldon Arms where much-loved mine hosts Terry and Jean Little helped us drown our sorrows.. Our Collections Team has recently begun the process of digitising our collection and we are gradually adding new objects to our digital resources. The following year a forge was built for anchor-making. [37] (In the event, the barracks were reprieved and repurposed rather than being closed at this stage. dailyinfo[27]=' Flight Sub-Lieutenant Andrew John BODDY H.M.S. He said: "We built up a comradeship, we were virtually living together. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. For Joe, being in the dockyard was tradition. Regularly taking the mickey out of each other, the group told Plymouth Live that it was crucial to have a good sense of humour. We regret that The Historic Dockyard Chatham is unable to carry out personal research on your behalf. Poland, 5 September 1950 May 1951, Rear-Admiral John Y. Thompson: October 1958 February 1961, Rear-Admiral I.William T. Beloe: February 1961 December 1963, Rear-Admiral George M.K. Brunel Saw Mill 1814. Clocktower building 1723. When a new boss joined the recorders' division in the 1970s, he informed the employees 'You will all wear ties,' said John. [20], Dockyards have always required shore defences. As no muster books survive after the mid-19th century you will need to consultsalary and pension records for dockyard workers after that period. Twelve houses built for senior officers in the Dockyard. - 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. The project has enabled a sustainable future for one of the Dockyards most important Scheduled Ancient Monuments. If you have a specific enquiry relating to an object in our collections and cannot find the information you need online, please contact collections@chdt.org.uk. recruits destined for regiments which were abroad, prisoners confined on account of desertion and other military offences, added to which was a proportion of invalids, sent home from foreign stations on account of old age, or bodily infirmity'. They spent much of the time relaying fond memories of working and socialising together. [1] The painting, now in the National Maritime Museum, provides a detailed illustration of the yard as it was in the Age of Sail; many of the buildings and structures illustrated survive: William Camden (15511623) described Chatham dockyard as, stored for the finest fleet the sun ever beheld, and ready at a minutes warning, built lately by our most gracious sovereign Elizabeth at great expense for the security of her subjects and the terror of her enemies, with a fort on the shore for its defence.[2]. Apprenticeships in HM Royal Naval Dockyard, Chatham. [130] During this time, Chatham Dept provided basic training for new recruits. 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. Additionally required were the blockmakers, caulkers, pitch-heaters, blacksmiths, joiners and carpenters, sail makers, riggers, and ropemakers (274), as well as bricklayers, labourers and others. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Starts from. Mr Elgar, 66, who lives in Hoo St Werburgh, was transferred to the naval base at Devenport after the Chatham closure in March 1984. [34] Also with the 20th century came the submarine. When Achilles, for example, had been completed and floated out of dry dock, she spent almost a year moored in Gillingham Reach, where not only her engines, boilers, funnels and a 2.5-long-ton (2.54t) propeller, but also masts, sails, rigging, guns, coal, food, ammunition and furnishings were either loaded or installed. [35] In 1968, a nuclear submarine refitting complex was built between Nos 6 and 7 dry docks, complete with refuelling cranes and health physics building. Great days out, can still smell the hot dog stand with its fried onions. dailyinfo[10]=' 837119 Gunner Alexander BROOKS Military Medal "A" Bty. Designed by Edward Holl, it has a gallery supported on cast iron columns, one of the first uses of cast iron in the dockyard. Chatham Naval Dockyard, Kent. [137], The Royal Marine Barracks, Chatham were established in 1779, on a site nestled between the Gun Wharf to the west, the Dockyard to the north, and Infantry Barracks to the east. We were all in the same boat together and struck up an instant friendship, which we still have.. Also Grade II* listed. [20], At the same time, moves were being made towards the application of steam power to ship propulsion. Chatham Dockyard ledgers: employees, apprentices, etc . I spent a couple of nights in the dormitory blocks, before joining Diamond and had a lot of laughs. Each member of the group was a recorder in the dockyard around fifty years ago, with some joining as young apprentices. It made do with a single shipbuilding slip for much of the 17th century (a second slip, dating from the same period, had fallen out of use; it was replaced in the 1730s). 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. Saw HMS Jamaica of Bismarck fame and I believe we saw HMS Manxman too in which a friend's uncle had served during WW2. Its one areaof my Grandfathers medical evacuation from Gallipoli via Malta that I cannot find anywhere. 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). The first battleship to be built on the new No 8 Slip was HMS Africa, launched in 1905; however it also proved to be the last, as it was announced (controversially) that Chatham Dockyard would be unable to accommodate Dreadnoughts. Royal Welsh Fusiliers who died 23/04/1918 WARLOY-BAILLON COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION France ' Over 414 years Chatham Royal Dockyard provided more than 500 ships for the Royal Navy, and was at the forefront of shipbuilding, industrial and architectural technology. var month=mydate.getMonth()+1 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. I was on board HMS Hermoine when she left the yard for the last time, I was one of the guests of honour, a great experience for a young lad of 15. " [19], Seeking to alleviate this less-than-satisfactory situation, the Navy Board explored options for developing a shore facility with direct access from the open water of the Thames Estuary. Mon Mar 30 20:01:32 2009, BBC Kent website, The Great Hall, Mount Pleasant Rd, Tunbridge Wells TN1 1QQ. Any pointers would be much appreciated. [24] Among other things, the use of iron in ship construction enabled larger vessels to be built, and between 1836 and 1851 Chatham gained five new covered slipways, much larger in scale than the ones they replaced. [27] It was partly to address this problem that the Admiralty undertook a huge building programme at Chatham, between 1862 and 1865, which quadrupled the size of the yard and provided specialist facilities for steam-powered ships with metal hulls. dailyinfo[11]=' Reservist Paul GROLIK 5./I.R.62 German Army who died 11/05/1917 EBBLINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY France ' dailyinfo[8]=' 1473 Private Arthur EDDINGTON 1st/13th Kensington Bn. Fred Cordier has worked in the ropery at Chatham Dockyards for over 40 years. The dates shown represent the tax paid by the Masters for their Apprentices. [14], The decision required the dockyard to move from its original location, which was too constricted, to a new (adjacent) site to the north. dailyinfo[15]=' 6963 Private Albert CHRISTIE 1st Bn. He knows some have passed away but apart from his mate, Trevor Woodhouse, he is having difficulty in tracing some of them. [18], One of the disadvantages of Chatham (and also of the Thames-side yards) was their relative inaccessibility for ships at sea (including those anchored in The Nore). The building functioned as a "present use store" except for the upper floor, which was a, Sail and Colour Loft 1723. He said: "It was traditional in my day, if your father was in the dockyard, you'd follow your father into the dockyard.". The boys would notice lots of people walking past the phone box, and if someone answered the random call, the group's friend would shout: "Nosy parker!" Brian Clarke, Gillingham. Honourable Artillery Company who died 29/04/1917 ARRAS MEMORIAL France ' He has two sons Samuel, 35, and Lloyd, 39, who went into engineering. Plymouth Argyle legend Paul Wotton leads Truro City to promotion, Finley Craske, a loan signing from Argyle, was part of the Truro team which won the Southern League Premier South Play-Off Final, Former winery transformed into idyllic 'private' and 'peaceful' family home, The property has sufficient space to create the 'ideal pony paddock', Doctor warns of nine symptoms of 'silent killer' that women shouldn't ignore, Ovarian cancer is often called a 'silent killer' because warning signs often don't become apparent until the disease is advanced, Peek inside Plymouth's 'secret' tennis club as it opens up for new members, The Stonehouse Lawn Tennis Club has grass courts, gardens, allotments and, Affordable homes to tackle housing crisis to built on former youth club site. (Gunpowder, on the other hand, was received, stored and issued across the river at Upnor Castle. dailyinfo[9]=' 3094 Rifleman James William NEWELL 2nd Bn. This aerial photograph shows the dry docks at Chatham Dockyard. 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. 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). 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 Chatham, 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. The barracks for other ranks were arranged in three rows, west of the parade ground, with soldiers sleeping sixteen to a room in eight double beds, as was standard practice at that time. ), The final boats constructed in Chatham were Oberon-class submarines Ocelot was the last vessel built for the Royal Navy, and the final vessel was Okanagan built for the Royal Canadian Navy and launched on 17 September 1966. The first submarine to be built at a royal dockyard was HMSC17, launched from the covered No 7 Slip in 1908 and then fitted out in No 2 Dock; five more of the same class followed, C18, C19, C20, C33 and C34. [127] Externally, all the blocks were similar in appearance. He was Collingwood Battalion RND. These may be answered face-to-face in the case of the Reading Room collections or by telephone, letter, or email for our archive and object holdings. In the 1960s Portsmouth Dockyard was the largest employer in the area. - Chris, Cuxton, "I began as a coppersmith apprentice at Chatham Dockyard, and ended up as a Mechanical Design Draughtsman before I left and moved to the USA in 1981. 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. He said: "It would mean the world to me to have another reunion. In 1832 the post of commissioner was replaced by the post of superintendent, who was invested with the same power and authority as the former commissioners, "except in matters requiring an Act of Parliament to be submitted by the Commissioner of the Navy". I remember being in awe of the sheer size of it and the amount of hustle and bustle that was all about. 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. I became so attached to the place,(My Home Port!) [27], To meet the new demands of building in iron, metal mills were built alongside the smithery in 1845, containing rolling machinery and furnaces for reprocessing iron. dailyinfo[18]=' J/71444 Ordinary Seaman John Dolby DIAPER H.M.S. He adds: I am in contact with four other apprentices John Bramble, Geoff Hillier, Barry Pickering and John Summerfield from the entry, but it would be nice to get a reunion gathering together. 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. Greetings to all the Chatham Dockyard Apprentices that began their long journeys 65 years ago on the 10th September 1956 and are still standing,as well as those before and after. Sheerness remained operational as a royal dockyard until 1959, but it was never considered a major shore establishment and in several respects it operated as a subsidiary yard to Chatham. Buy from bookshop. research. "It was all about companionship and camaraderie really," added Keith. During their time together, he and his colleagues gelled and enjoyed years of "tomfoolery" and were sometimes reprimanded by trainers for their pranks. Timber Seasoning Sheds 1774. Extended in connection with preparations for HMS, No 1 Machine Shop 1861. [20] Holl's smithery was itself enlarged with the addition of a foundry in the 1850s, and its courtyard was roofed over for a steam hammer shop in 1865. [127] Built on sloping ground east of the Dockyard, the rectangular site (enclosed within its own perimeter wall) consisted of a 'Lower Barracks' with accommodation for the soldiers and 'Upper Barracks' (later known as 'The Terrace') which housed the officers; between the two was a large parade ground. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. It's easy! This information will help us make improvements to the website. Although the yard focused mainly on refitting and repairs, some shipbuilding continued to take place. Terry Hoare at home in 1963 during his apprenticeship at Chatham Dockyard. The main 1930s barracks building is being retained, along with the remaining earlier structures. This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). In 1717 the original Storehouse was replaced with the Grand Store (a much larger three-storey building, contemporary with and of a similar style to, the Main Gatehouse in the Dockyard). dailyinfo[29]=' 4547 Lance Corporal Albert FERGUSSON 1st Bn. New married quarters were also opened in March that same year, into which soldiers' families were moved, mostly from lodgings in the town. Joe said: "You had to have a sense of humour to have our job - you had to watch your back all the time!". Another, Mike North, got in touch and sent me his cartoon of the staff who were there when the station closed. [13], In the early 17th century the government resolved to invest in a new specialised facility for refitting and repairing warships. The permanent residents were the dockyard men. [30] Work on the other docks and basins followed, with No 3 Basin finally being completed in 1883. The chances of finding someone by name within this series are steadily improving as details are added to the online catalogue as part of the Navy Board cataloguing project. Contact Plymouth Live reporter Molly Dowrick: molly.dowrick@reachplc.com, and she'll put you in contact with a member of the group. [29], A significant disadvantage for Chatham was that fitting out had always taken place on the river. [125], With the failure of Upnor Castle, it was seen necessary to increase the defences. [45] In 2019 Peel announced that Chatham Docks would close in 2025 with the loss of 800 jobs. [47] St Mary's Island, a 150-acre (0.61km2), largely undeveloped area to the north of the three basins, was transformed into a residential community for some 1,500 homes. Chatham Dockyard ledgers: employees, apprentices, etc . //-->, By The storehouse would have furnished ships with such necessary consumables as rope, pulleys, sailcloth and timber. Their website gives further information about the type of records they hold and how to search them. Nicholas, South Africa, last updated: 26/03/2009 at 15:36created: 26/03/2009. And if you had any personal issues there was always somebody there to support you. Constructed from timber recycled from warships probably from the. It now houses, South Dock Pumping Station 1822, designed by, Commissioner's House 1704. We were one large family. A lot of the group chose early retirement when the opportunity arose in the 90s and were looked-after with a salary, allowance and pension, they say. Medway Council offices and car park now stand on the site. Junior Apprentices The Dockyard School between the Wars Apprentices in Wartime Introduction of Group Training of Apprentices Whitworth . Combined Ship Trade Office 1880: now the "Ship & Trades" public house. [20] Another novel application of steam power was embarked on in 1817, with the building of a 'Lead and Paint Mill', in which a single beam engine powered a rolling mill and a series of devices for grinding pigment and mixing paint; the plant was operational from 1819. The group would welcome any recorder from the Dockyard who would like to join the group. Our Education Directory has everything you could possibly need! Until 1814 timber was cut by pairs of men, one above and one below the log. Built immediately to the north of the Smithery (the intervening space was later infilled with the Smithery extension of 1867). His last job was working on the Royal Navy submarine HMS Dreadnought. The southern building, Store House No 3, completed in 1785, is subdivided with timber lattice partitions as a "lay apart store", a store for equipment from vessels under repair. [15] (The old site was in due course transferred to the Ordnance Board, who established the gun wharf there.) Plan meals, try new foods and explore cuisines with tested recipes from the country's top chefs. He says for the first three months of the apprenticeship he was given no tools and distinctly remembers the big 'awful sacks' [overalls] they used to wear. However, it was not unusual for officers to move between the the Navy Board and the Board of Admiralty over the course of their career.