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. Accommodating some 1,800 men, Chatham was one of the first large-scale Army barracks in England. He said: The training was excellent. 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. He has two sons Samuel, 35, and Lloyd, 39, who went into engineering. In 1758, there were 43 pairs of. He was a shipwright apprentice at Flathouse Apprentice Training Centre with about 30 others. [20], Dockyards have always required shore defences. The White Yarn House to store the yarn before it was tarred to prevent rot. A fifth dry dock (No 9) was added in 1895 on the north side of No 1 Basin, opposite the other four, to accommodate the new, larger battleships which were then under construction. His last job was working on the Royal Navy submarine HMS Dreadnought. Do you know of any detailed records of casualties passing through Chatham RNH. My best wishes go out to all my old friends. Amazingly, a group of Plymouth grandads meet every six weeks at the pub to catch-up with each other, remember their friends who are no longer here and reminisce about the incredible camaraderie they experienced in the dockyard. All these developments were to come together with the construction of HMS Achilles, in a newly expanded No 2 Dock, between 1860 and 1864: the first true iron-hulled battleship to be launched in a royal dockyard. 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. I became so attached to the place,(My Home Port!) HMS Bee, launched at Chatham in 1842, was an experimental vessel fitted with both paddles and a propeller, each of which could be driven independently from the same engine for comparison. (Gunpowder, on the other hand, was received, stored and issued across the river at Upnor Castle. Dad worked on the submarines for years, and only left when the Dock Yard closed, Many people would have know him as Nobby, but sadly passed away . "If you were in trouble, if you had a problem, there was always someone there to support you," recalled Joe. NOSTALGIA: Were you one of these Dockyard apprentices? [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). Did you or your family, work there on the ships? Chatham Dockyard workers reunion | Greetings to all the Chatham Following the success of such early trials with screw propulsion, several older sailing ships were taken into dry dock and retro-fitted with propellers, beginning with HMS Horatio. Chatham Dockyard ledgers: employees, apprentices, etc . 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 Apprenticeship Home Twelve hundred hammerers, measurers, caulkers, armourers, forgers, smiths, shipwrights; twelve hundred dingers, clashers, dongers, rattlers, clinkers, bangers, bangers, bangers![4]. "It was all about companionship and camaraderie really," added Keith. We decided not to go, which I am glad about as all my family and friends are here and MY family now take advantage of the Dockyard." "It's a nice crowd of boys, it's fun being here," says group member Joe May, 86 from Torpoint. 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. dailyinfo[13]=' Gefreiter Richard STROEBER 12./R.I.R.22 German Army who died 13/04/1918 ERQUINGHEM-LYS CHURCHYARD EXTENSION France ' . Do you remember Chatham Naval Dockyard when it was in its prime? Published 12th Mar 2018, 19:00 BST - 2 min read. From projects focused on . Apprentices. Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust cares for over 70,000 objects in its collection ranging from archaeology, rigging, hand tools, machinery to fine art and photography. Also in 1686 a 'Great Long Store-house' was built, alongside the ropery on what is now Anchor Wharf;[10] and two new mast ponds were constructed, in what was then the northernmost part of the yard, in 1697 and 1702. [136] The new development has retained the name Kitchener Barracks. 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 . The military hospital at Chatham at Fort Pitt. Almost Full. [20], No 1 Basin was officially opened in 1871, with HMS Invincible being brought into No 5 Dock for repairs, with great ceremony. The largest groups were the fitters and turners and the electricians followed by the shipwrights. For a young lad it was always very impressive. I spent a couple of nights in the dormitory blocks, before joining Diamond and had a lot of laughs. The boys even achieved ISMs, Imperial Service Medals - but what really stays in their memories, they say, is the 'camaraderie' and the laughter. Archives, Open Government Licence Chatham Dockyard - Wikipedia dailyinfo[10]=' 837119 Gunner Alexander BROOKS Military Medal "A" Bty. Wed Aug 25 00:38:58 2004. Chatham Dockyard workers reunion | Greetings to all the Chatham Dockyard Apprentices that began their long journeys 65 years ago on the 10th September 1956 and are . Early History of the Royal Yards and the original Dockyard of Chatham chap 1 1 The New Dockyard 7 Ship List, 1586- 1660 13 Notes on the Rating and Tonnage of Ships 15 Estimate of Costs for a 3rd-rate 16 . Regularly taking the mickey out of each other, the group told Plymouth Live that it was crucial to have a good sense of humour. 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.. Paul Makin | Engine Fitter Apprentice Chatham Dockyard (Apprentices) - Hansard - UK Parliament (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). This building retains it original structure and roof glazing. See our research guides on Royal Navy ratings and Royal Navy warrant officers for more information. Dr. Gilbert Share this specific contribution. In spite of this in June 1981, it was announced to Parliament that the dockyard would be run down and closed in 1984. 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. Brewer: August 1980 August 1982. The site was first used in 1547, but its busiest period was in the 19th century when 2 ships every year were being launched. [48], Chatham Dockyard has become a popular location for filming, due to its varied and interesting areas such as the cobbled streets, church and over 100 buildings dating from the Georgian and Victorian periods. In the 1960s Portsmouth Dockyard was the largest employer in the area. The Dock would be filled with all types of Naval ships, decked out with flags & crew dressed in their dress uniforms. 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. " At the same time, the nearby village of Brompton began to be developed to provide housing for the dockyard's growing workforce. Chatham Dockyard ledgers: employees, apprentices, etc Also, is it definitely RNH? The group would welcome any recorder from the Dockyard who would like to join the group. Each member of the group was a recorder in the dockyard around fifty years ago, with some joining as young apprentices. Chatham-built ship dedicated 47 years ago today remembered by former PDF The history of - Microsoft The development is called "Chatham Waters". 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. There was space for some 500 horses and 1,000 men. The victualling yards, however, continued to be practically independent. Trying to find the right nursery, school, college, university or training provider in Kent or Medway? Pay once to enjoy again and again for an entire year. Their website gives further information about the type of records they hold and how to search them. dailyinfo[4]=' 13/927 Trooper James Werner MAGNUSSON Albert Medal Auckland Mounted Rifles, N.Z.E.F. The building functioned as a "present use store" except for the upper floor, which was a, Sail and Colour Loft 1723. RMG48F6T - Second year apprentices of Babcock Royal Dockyard in Rosyth (l/r) Craig Miller, Leona Reid, Eileen Mallan and Eric Axford, hold aloft the new budget box (right) which they made for their local MP Gordon Brown, and the old Gladstonian case favoured by just about every one of his predecessors since the 1860, at the Treasury today (Weds). This role ceased in 1801, however, when the entire Dept establishment moved to Parkhurst Barracks on the Isle of Wight (where the recruits were less prone to find ways of deserting). [41] The Georgian site is now a visitor attraction under the care of the Trust: Chatham Historic Dockyard. Combined Ship Trade Office 1880: now the "Ship & Trades" public house. He very often told us grandchildren about the work and circumstances during the WW2. I later worked on such ships as HMS Lincoln, Warspite, Spitfire, Torquay, Hebe, Vidal, Hydra and many many more. The annual intake was usually restricted to ten applicants and we were required to attend the Dockyard School for three years and pay a weekly visit to the Royal Navy Barracks gym and swimming pool for training sessions by naval personnel.Our apprenticeship covered many departments including the Boat House, Mast House, Drawing Office, Joiners Shop, Paint Shop, Plumbing, Ship Repairs (rivetting, caulking etc. We'd like to use additional cookies to remember your settings and understand how you use our services. The dates shown represent the tax paid by the Masters for their Apprentices. Any pointers would be much appreciated. They lived in Chatham, in Old Brompton, some in Rochester and Strood, but by far the greatest number in New Brompton and Gillingham, and the similarity of much of that district to a Midland or Northern industrial town was due to dockyard workers many of whom had come from the North. Do you have an LGBTQ+ story or experience linked to the Dockyard, the Navy or the Medway Towns that you feel comfortable sharing with us? However he was readmitted to RNH Chatham on 9/11/1915as case number 312. Diners evacuated from busy Plymouth restaurant and bar, The venue thanked customers for their patience, Plymouth Argyle Home Park attendance figures this season second highest in 60 years, Steven Schumacher has paid tribute to the fans after the Pilgrims won 20 of their 23 League One games at the Theatre of Greens, Seven changes Plymouth Argyle and their fans will notice in the Championship, Steven Schumacher's Pilgrims have booked a place in the second tier of English football for the first time since 2010, Heartbroken family pay tribute to man killed outside Cornwall nightclub, Police have been allowed more time to question a man arrested on suspicion of murder. Remembered Today: *Denotes starting price exclusive of GST. [20], In 1897 a new, even longer dry dock was opened on the north side of No 1 Basin: at its opening, this (No 9 Dock) was the largest in the world at 650ft (200m) long by 84ft (26m) wide. The Trust is preparing an application for the Dockyard and its Defences to become a World Heritage Site. When young Robert started there in 1958, the docks employed 6000 people on a two-mile long site encompassing hundreds of workshops, offices and storehouses as well as its own police . seaJane. From projects focused on Dockyard workers to the tragedies suffered during the First World War, we are building up a picture of the role and impact the Dockyard has had over four hundred years. The project has enabled a sustainable future for one of the Dockyards most important Scheduled Ancient Monuments. I have a copy of his Army Form 103 Casualty Form that traces his movement from CCS in Gallipoli to RNH Malta (although Im not sure which one but probably Bighi) back to UK but after that Ive drawn a blank. The records covered are for yards in the UK and abroad. Apprenticeships in HM Royal Naval Dockyard, Chatham. The tarring process declined as, Iron Foundry 185561. It also has been Grade I listed since August 1999. There were 75 bays erected at Chatham Dockyard, to hold three years worth of timber. Three ex-Chatham Dockyard workers Brian Jenkins, Barry Stevens and John Chatham Dockyard Apprentices Careening took place on the river, according to a Privy Council instruction of 1550;[7] for more specialised repairs and maintenance, however, ships would have had to travel to one of the purpose-built royal dockyards (the nearest being those on the Thames: Deptford and Woolwich). The officers all had servants, who were provided with their own accommodation in the garret. dailyinfo[5]=' CH/316(S) Private Jack WILSON Chatham Bn. Its one areaof my Grandfathers medical evacuation from Gallipoli via Malta that I cannot find anywhere. Royal Field Artillery who died 10/05/1918 VIEILLE-CHAPELLE NEW MILITARY CEMETERY, LACOUTURE France ' Alongside the four dry docks it now had a total of six shipbuilding slips (equalling Deptford and outnumbering the other yards in this regard), albeit three of the six were under 150ft (46m) in length and suitable only for building smaller warships. Chatham, The grandfather-of-three said: Apart from working together, we used to go out to nightclubs together where most of us met our partners.. At its height, it employed over 10,000 skilled artisans and covered 400 acres (1.6km2). But over the years he knows at least five of those at the previous get-together have died. [38], The closure of Chatham Dockyard (along with the adjacent Naval Barracks) was announced in Parliament in June 1981 and scheduled to take place in 1984. Productions that have chosen to film at Chatham Dockyard include: Les Misrables,[49] Call the Midwife,[50] Mr Selfridge,[51] Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows,[52] Oliver Twist,[53] The World Is Not Enough [54] and Grantchester. The 1964 intake of Dockyard apprentices who built the old woman's shoe, of nursery rhyme fame, for Southsea Carnival. I remember being in awe of the sheer size of it and the amount of hustle and bustle that was all about. In the interwar years, eight S-class submarines as well as X1 were built at Chatham but this was a period of decline. Initially a purpose-built 'steam factory' was planned, but following the closure of Woolwich Dockyard in 1869 a number of slip covers were removed from that site and re-erected at the head of the new dry docks to serve as factories for building and fitting engines and for boilermaking. 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". [28] In 1860 the dockyard's policing was also transferred to the new No.4 Division of the Metropolitan Police, which remained in that role until 1932. At around the same time the officers' blocks on the terrace were given over to provide accommodation for sergeants and married NCOs, the officers being provided with new quarters 'near the fortifications at Prince Henry's Bastion'. We, as a family, would travel up from East Kent to attend the dockyard when they had a 'Navy Days' event. He first started his apprenticeship when he was sent to the ropery on his first day by accident. Something went wrong, please try again later. Plymouth Gladiators open their Championship campaign this evening when they welcome Scunthorpe Scorpions to the Coliseum. 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). Now, around ten 'old boys' meet every six weeks in the Union Street Wetherspoon to laugh about the old times. Read the catalogue details for BT 19 to find related correspondence from various departments of the Board. A primary school (St. Mary's CofE) and a medical centre provide facilities for the residents and there are attractive walks around the Island. A Dockyard Apprentice's Story: Hard graft, scrapes and japes on the Contact Plymouth Live reporter Molly Dowrick: molly.dowrick@reachplc.com, and she'll put you in contact with a member of the group. From 1844 St Mary's was used as an 'Invalid Barracks', accommodating soldiers having to return from service in different parts of the British Empire because of illness, injury or age. Captain of the Dockyard's House 19th century. The first was by exam and accounted for about 125 apprentices and what was called the . [119], Chatham Infantry Barracks was opened in 1757 to house troops manning the fortifications which had recently been built to defend the Dockyard. //-->, By Lower Boat House circa 1820 built as a storehouse for squared timber, and later to store ship's boats. - 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. [20] Much of the excavation and building work had been done by convict labour (a convict prison having been built to the north of the dockyard, with the expansion project in mind, in 1853). The dockyard, always pulled together and pulled out all the stops to get things done, especially for the navy. [14], The decision required the dockyard to move from its original location, which was too constricted, to a new (adjacent) site to the north. In addition, the Medway had begun to silt up, making navigation more difficult (especially as the Navy's ships were getting larger). Div Royal Marine Light Infantry who died 05/05/1915 HELLES MEMORIAL Turkey (including Gallipoli) ' [115], An Ordnance Yard was established in the 17th century immediately upriver of the Dockyard (on the site of the original Tudor yard, vacated in 1622). By 1619, the new dockyard consisted of a new dry dock and wharf with storehouses, all enclosed within a brick perimeter wall. She said plans to upgrade her garden, part of her retirement after 38 years in the NHS, have now been put on hold, People with these 57 health conditions can get more than 400 a month from DWP, The support is available to millions of people, Plymouth Civic Square improvements are starting to take shape. He was admitted to Chatham Hospital on 30th June 1915 but doesnt specify RNH. R.N. Collections at The Historic Dockyard Chatham Medway Council offices and car park now stand on the site. What's for dinner? 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. After the war's end, they went on to serve as a gunpowder store for a time, and were used by the Royal Engineers (based nearby in Brompton Barracks). He said: "It was traditional in my day, if your father was in the dockyard, you'd follow your father into the dockyard.". This is a story of the creation of the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust and its history, from Elizabethan origins to fleet base and shipbuilding yard . The Commissioners were:[89]. Chatham's yard was split in two, the area south of the Storekeeper's House becoming an Army Ordnance Store, and the rest a Navy Ordnance Store. This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Chatham Naval Dockyard, Kent | Educational Images | Historic England 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. Canadian Infantry who died 07/05/1917 VIMY MEMORIAL France ' 10,499 / mo*. - Nicola, Chatham, "I entered the Dockyard on the 5th May 1967 as a Pattern Maker Apprentice. It really did feel like one big family with a happy atmosphere. Saw HMS Jamaica of Bismarck fame and I believe we saw HMS Manxman too in which a friend's uncle had served during WW2.
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