This information will help us make improvements to the website. Nobody ever had it as good as we did - and nobody will ever have it as good as we did.". Camaraderie and companionship was important to all Dockyard employees, the boys say. dailyinfo[3]=' 3747 Flight Serjeant Reginald Tom PARRY Air Force Medal 15th Aircraft Acceptance Park Royal Air Force who died 03/05/1919 WELSH NEWTON (ST. MARY) CHURCHYARD United Kingdom ' dailyinfo[10]=' 837119 Gunner Alexander BROOKS Military Medal "A" Bty. Now used as offices. We regret that The Historic Dockyard Chatham is unable to carry out personal research on your behalf. Mike, a freelance presenter who presented a Sunday evening show called Go North, covered countryside pursuits, book reviews and interviews with Portsmouth personalities. dailyinfo[25]=' 1720 Private Sidney ORDERS 1st Bn. The Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) who died 15/04/1915 CHOCQUES MILITARY CEMETERY France ' Among the earliest for Chatham was Upnor Castle, built in 1567, on the opposite side of the River Medway. Timber Seasoning Sheds 1774. [20], Dockyards have always required shore defences. 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? During their time together, he and his colleagues gelled and enjoyed years of "tomfoolery" and were sometimes reprimanded by trainers for their pranks. [20], No 1 Basin was officially opened in 1871, with HMS Invincible being brought into No 5 Dock for repairs, with great ceremony. See our research guides on Royal Navy ratings and Royal Navy warrant officers for more information. 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. "It was all about companionship and camaraderie really," added Keith. Great days out, can still smell the hot dog stand with its fried onions. Lancashire Fusiliers who died 25/04/1915 HELLES MEMORIAL Turkey (including Gallipoli) ' 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. "If you were in trouble, if you had a problem, there was always someone there to support you," recalled Joe. For quick pointersTuesday to Saturday Has it changed for the better, or were those really the "good old days"? Do you visit the Dockyard now? dailyinfo[19]=' Second Lieutenant Robert Charles Middleton HARPER General List who died 19/04/1917 JERUSALEM MEMORIAL Israel and Palestine (including Gaza) ' ), 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. [127], In 2014 the site was sold to a property developer, with permission given the following year for the building of 295 homes. [42], The easternmost basin (Basin No 3) was handed over to the Medway Ports authority and is now a commercial port (Chatham Docks). Plan meals, try new foods and explore cuisines with tested recipes from the country's top chefs. Honourable Artillery Company who died 29/04/1917 ARRAS MEMORIAL France ' One of the boys' favourite moments is the time they bent the new uniform rules. You are in: Kent > History > Chatham Historic Dockyard > Your memories. 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 . A primary school (St. Mary's CofE) and a medical centre provide facilities for the residents and there are attractive walks around the Island. Tank Corps who died 28/04/1918 MARISSEL FRENCH NATIONAL CEMETERY France ' 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 ' 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.. What's for dinner? "The Dockyard holds lots of memories for me.. This building retains it original structure and roof glazing. It was envisaged that Basin No 1 would serve as a "repair basin", No 2 as the "factory basin" and No 3 as the "fitting-out" basin; a newly launched ship could therefore enter via the west lock, have any defects remedied in the first basin, have her steam engines and heavy machinery installed in the second, and then be finished, and loaded with coal and provisions, in the third before leaving via the east locks. Today the range of buildings and structures . Almost Full. Archives, Open Government Licence I became so attached to the place,(My Home Port!) [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 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. 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. However he was readmitted to RNH Chatham on 9/11/1915as case number 312. He said: "It would mean the world to me to have another reunion. Regards Roger Haffenden. (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). It was 50 years ago these former Chatham Dockyard apprentices met for the first time. There were two routes to entry. He first started his apprenticeship when he was sent to the ropery on his first day by accident. Production ramped up during World War II with HMS's Umpire, Una, Splendid, Sportsman, Shalimar, Tradewind, Trenchant, Turpin, Thermopylae and Acheron being constructed. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. New positions were created such as inspector of steam machinery, as steam factories were attached to major yards. But he said without helping me out in the garage ripping out engines, he wouldnt have a clue.. I spent a couple of nights in the dormitory blocks, before joining Diamond and had a lot of laughs. As far as I can find, no Naval hospital muster lists (ADM 102) survive at TNA Kew for the 1914-1919 period. 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. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. [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). When the first Labour budget in eighteen . Joseph Farington (17471821) was commissioned by the Navy Board to paint a panoramic view of Chatham Dockyard (as part of a project to create a visual record of all six home yards) in 1785. seaJane. What's for dinner? The growing importance of the dockyard was illustrated with the addition soon afterwards of a mast pond, and the granting of additional land on which a second (double) dry dock was constructed, along with a sail loft, a ropery and residences for the dockyard officers: all of which were completed by 1624. A further 3,000 troops could be accommodated in times of "total emergency" (900 were sleeping in the Drill Hall when it suffered a direct hit from two bombs in September 1917, which killed over 130 men). I spent a couple of nights in the dormitory blocks, before joining Diamond and had a lot of laughs. [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. 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. 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. The surviving records for dockyard workers tend to be various kinds of records of pay, including muster books (but not after the mid-19th century) and pension records. [143], Media related to Chatham Dockyard at Wikimedia Commons. It was 50 years ago these former Chatham Dockyard apprentices met for the first time. Our Education Directory has everything you could possibly need! The boys even achieved ISMs, Imperial Service Medals - but what really stays in their memories, they say, is the 'camaraderie' and the laughter. seaJane11 June , 2020 in Sailors, navies and the war at sea. Set sail on a voyage of discovery through the Age of Sail at one of Britain's leading maritime herit . For records of workers from the last 100 years you should start your search at one of the dockyard historical trusts or societies or at a local county or metropolitan archive. Royal Field Artillery who died 10/05/1918 VIEILLE-CHAPELLE NEW MILITARY CEMETERY, LACOUTURE France ' [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. (At around the same time a victualling store was also established, in nearby Rochester, to provide the ships and their crews with food.) ", Keith added: "I liked all our antics, [in the dockyard] you had to have a sense of humour.". A group of local men meet every six weeks and reminisce of a bygone era, Get the latest nostalgia features and photo stories straight to your inbox. [35] During World War I, twelve submarines were built here, but when hostilities ceased, uncompleted boats were scrapped and five years passed before a further ship was launched. 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). 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. The ropery. Accommodating some 1,800 men, Chatham was one of the first large-scale Army barracks in England. Saw HMS Jamaica of Bismarck fame and I believe we saw HMS Manxman too in which a friend's uncle had served during WW2. The Dockyard led to large numbers of military personnel being garrisoned in Chatham and the surrounding area.