Collection: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Collection-level records:

• Collection overview (Cornucopia)

  Science and Industry

  The Trust holds an extensive collection of hand tools, machine tools and industrial equipment related to the shipbuilding process at Chatham Dockyard. The machine tools collection in particular ranges from the extremely large (a 200-ton Plate Bending Machine) to the relatively small. Miscellaneous equipment related to the dockyard has also been collected. The Trust is also responsible for a major collection of historic ropemaking equipment and machinery still operated ‘on display’ to visitors in the Ropery. In addition a further major collection of ironworking material remains, pending investigation and recovery in the No. 1 Smithery. This process is now underway and will be completed during 2001. Once completed it is intended to carry out an overall review of the Trust’s holdings in this area of collecting to identify any duplication and make any necessary recommendations for disposal.

  Maritime

  The Trust does not wish to acquire a large collection of ships or boats, but recognises that a small number of carefully selected vessels are essential elements of the interpretation of the site for the public benefit. It has therefore limited its aspirations to three large vessels – the former HMS Gannet, a transitional period sloop, built on the River Medway at Sheerness in 1878; the former HMS Cavalier, the Royal Navy’s last operational Second World War destroyer (now owned by a subsidiary Trust), and the ‘O’ class submarine Ocelot, the last warship built for the Royal Navy at Chatham and a small number of relevant smaller craft – for example a 1944 Harbour Service Launch. Three of these vessels have been recommended for inclusion on the National Historic Ships Committee’s proposed lists of vessels of national importance: Core Collection List: HMS Gannet Designated Vessel List: HMS Cavalier & Harbour Service Launch (HSL) 376(NB: HMS Ocelot falls outside the NHSC criteria on age grounds). The Trust has sought and collected significant examples of warship propulsion systems. The two main groups of equipment being a 1944 steam triple expansion engine and associated equipment and most recently a sectioned boiler, turbine and gearbox from a 1950’s Blackwood class frigate acquired from the Royal Navy’s engineering training school at HMS Sultan. Smaller associated items (condensers, thrust blocks, etc.) have also been acquired. An Admiralty Standard Range 1 (ASRI) diesel engine, designed and built at Chatham has also been acquired – fitted to the Submarine Ocelot. Models of items of naval, engineering, ordnance and architectural interest related to the Trust’s main areas of collecting both historic and modern manufacture are also held. In 1989, following the closure of the Merchant Navy College at Greenhithe in North Kent, the Trust took over responsibility for the collection of historic material, objects and some records relating to the Training Ship Worcester that were held there. Some items, principally decorative silver pieces are on loan from the Marine Society. The museum holds a small collection of miscellaneous items having a connection with the Trust’s areas of collecting which do not readily fall into other categories, most generally items made for or by dockyard workers, often from scrap material.

  Arms and Armour

  The Trust holds a large collection (c 100 items) of naval muzzle loading guns, many of which were gifted to it by the Ministry of Defence on the closure of the dockyard or have been recovered from the Chatham Dockyard site during the demolition of buildings prior to the re-development of Chatham Maritime. Subsequently further muzzle loading guns and a small number of more modern breech loading weapons have been added to the collection. The Trust also holds a small number of torpedoes and mines.

  Oral History

  A small amount of oral history material is currently held, mostly generated by others and copied for the Trust.

  Costume/textiles

  A relatively small quantity of items of clothing and personal equipment relating to dockyard workers – particularly protective clothing – and naval uniform.

  Fine Art

  In addition to a major ceiling painting attributed to Thomas Highmore and Sir William Thornhill, known to have been on board the Royal Sovereign in 1701 and now in the Commissioner’s House, the Trust holds a number of paintings of topographical and personality interest relating to the development of the dockyard at Chatham. Most important is a major work in oil by Elias Martin, an early Royal Academician and Sergeant Painter to the Swedish Court.

  Archaeology

  Current archaeological material held falls into two distinct groups – material related to the wreck of the Invincible, a 3rd Rate ship of the line which sank in 1758 (some 700 or so items collected between 1986 and 1990) and archaeological material which has resulted from archaeological investigations carried out on the Historic Dockyard site and the larger Chatham Dockyard site, since the closure of the naval base in 1984 as part of re-development and regeneration works.

  Transport

  Two of Chatham Dockyard’s railway locomotives (one steam and one diesel), together with two steam cranes and a number of railway goods vehicles are held by the Trust. In addition, a few examples of mechanised road transport vehicles are represented in the collections. and recent acquisitions include naval aircrafts – a Dragonfly helicopter and a Gannet AEW aircraft. Neither are unique specimens in their own right (both types are represented in other collections), but they have been acquired principally as ‘aids to display’.

  Photographic

  Two principal collections of photographs are held by the Trust. These are the Pembroke Studios collection of photographs relating to Chatham Dockyard and visiting ships during the 1950’s and the Reid collection of photographs of Royal Navy ships put together by a Chatham based officer. The Historical Society also holds considerable numbers of dockyard photographs – particularly those taken in collection with Periscope, the Dockyard newspaper during the period c. 1960-84.

  Archives

  8,500 volumes were donated to the Library by Mrs Joan Ashcroft in 1999, complementing the 10,000 volumes acquired following the demise of the Merchant Navy College at Greenhithe in 1989, and a major donation of 20th century Navy Lists. Over the past decade acquisitions have been concentrated on the key areas of interest outlined above and on the history and development of the Historic Dockyard. The Trust holds a few examples of original maps, plans and charts relating to the Chatham Dockyard site. Some historic drawings of buildings and structures at Chatham Dockyard are held directly by the Trust, others are held on loan from the National Maritime Museum, some of which are now held on microfilm as well. The Trust will collect reference material related to its main museum collecting themes, in particular: the design and construction of warships for the Royal Navy, particularly those built, repaired or refitted at Chatham and Sheerness; The history and topography of Royal Dockyards, particularly those on the River Medway at Chatham and Sheerness; Crafts, trades and skills of the dockyard worker; Personalities connected with the dockyard and naval base; Design and development of naval ordnance; General reference material relating to navies, shipbuilding, other dockyards and private yards; Development of Chatham Dockyard site after closure of the Naval Base.

  Source: Cornucopia

  Date: Not known, but before 2015

  Licence: CC BY-NC