Portsmouth Dockyard.
Notes:
25 Jan 1801 at Portsmouth it was proposed to allow each of the artificers in the yard, sixpence a day for their chips, and left them to consider of the proposal. And they have ordered, that the ships for repairing, &c. are to be hove down instead of being docked. They held the Board on Tuesday at the Commissions Office, from seven until eleven o'clock.
12 May 1801 the following Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy arrived at Sir Charles Saxton's, in the Dock Yard, viz. Duncan, Deputy Comptroller, Hartwell, and Rule. A Board was immediately held ; and next morning they went on board all the ships in ordinary at this port, except the Britannia and Alcide. Several are ordered for commission, and others to be broken up. They also surveyed the bridge from Gosport to Haslar Hospital, which, being in a state of dilapidation, is ordered to be taken down. Their presence here has been most essential, in causing, in concert with Commissioner Sir Charles Saxton, some naval arrangements to be made of a very important and urgent nature. A number of the shipwrights having been taken off from the Dreadnought, of 98 guns, now building, by order of the Navy Board, to forward the Bellerophon and Goliath, of 74 guns each, the former ship will, therefore, not be launched until the i4th of next month. On the same day, the Malta, of 84 guns, Bellerophon and Goliath, of 74 guns each, will be undocked.
Circa Jul 1801 Messrs. Cannem, Noseberry, and Strover, from private dock-yards, and Mr. Haynes, a Quarterman, to be Assistants at Portsmouth Dockyard.
18 Jun 1801 embargo on Swedish vessels removed at Portsmouth by Order in Council, [following on from the reconciliation with the Northern Confederacy (Denmark, Sweden, and Russia)].
7 Jul 1801 a new regulation has been introduced : all perquisiters of every kind are abolished, the shipwrights and other mechanics are now forbid taking away the chips they make, and have a peduniary compensation of six pence per day for the same.
Circa Jul 1801 ___ Ansell, Esq. Master Caulker, at Portsmouth Dockyard, to be Second Assistant at Plymouth Dockyard.
Circa Jul 1801 D. Polhill, Esq. Second Assistant, at Portsmouth Dockyard, to be Builder at Chatham Dockyard.
Circa Jul 1801 N. Didams, Esq. First Assistant, at Portsmouth, to be Builder at Sheerness.
Circa Jul 1801 Mr Howell, Foreman at Portsmouth Dockyard, at to be Boat-builder at Portsmouth Dockyard.
Circa Jul 1801 Mr. Maddock, Boat-builder, at Portsmouth Dockyard, and Mr. Perkins, at Portsmouth Dockyard, to be Assistants at Sheerness Dockyard.
Circa Jul 1801 Mr. Helby, a Quarterman, at Portsmouth, to be Foreman of Portsmouth Dockyard.
18 May 1802 it is reported that all the Dockyards are to be reduced to the Peace Establishment, following the signing of the Treaty of the Peace of Amiens.
8 Jun 1802 following the recent incendiary attack, which caused such a dreadful fire at Woolwich Warren, and so much damage, the Admiralty has ordered that in future only visitors on business were to be admitted to HM Dockyards in future, the same ruling also being applicable to premises occupied by the Victualling Board / Office &c. Similarly ship's boats were only to use the appropriate steps in the future.
23 Sep 1802 Sixty-three riggers were discharged from Portsmouth dock yard.
26 Nov 1802 The reduction of the labourers and artificers in Portsmouth dock-yard to the Peace Establishment, takes place every day.
5 Dec 1802 The caulkers at Portsmouth who were discharged from this dockyard, in consequence of their refusing to go to work in the Merchants' yards, during the combination among that class of men, have been re-entered.
4 Jan 1803 newspapers of this date report that the Russell, 74, has been taken out of dock into the new Bason (sic). The article adds that the bason can contain 6 ships of the line, and take them in at any time of the tide.
10 Jan 1803 Mr Robb, one of the Master Attendants in Portsmouth Dockyard, is appointed Master Attendant at Deptford in the room of J. Gilbert, who is superannuated.
13 Jan 1803 an order has been received not to break up any more ships of the line.
15 Jan 1803 Mr Jackson, Master Attendant of HM Yard at Halifax, NS, is apptd to Portsmouth Dockyard in the room of Mr. Robb ; and Mr Paterson is apptd Master Attendant at Halifax.
15 Jan 1803 HMS Barfleur, docked here at Portsmouth during the last Spring Tides, was on Thursday last, placed on iron wedges, and hung on her shores, as a trial of a new plan for the more convenient and expeditious removing of a false keel. The experiment was made in the presence of the Commissioner, Builder, and other principal officers of the yard. This new method saves a great portion of labour, as 26 men performed the task, instead of the 200 which it used to require.
Circa 7 Feb 1803 Mr Beare, sail-maker at Portsmouth Dockyard, has been appointed as master sail-maker at Chatham Dockyard.
11 Feb 1803 the greatest attention is paid, it appears, to the orders for fulfilling the contracts for naval stores at the different Dockyards, agreeably to some late regulations, as they are constantly receiving supplies to complete the establishment laid down, by which means we shall at all times be ready to equip our fleet in cases of unexpected necessity.
Circa 12 Oct 1804 Mr R Minty, Clerk in the Ordnance Office at Portsmouth, apptd Store Keeper of the Ordnance at North Yarmouth.
25 Jun 1832 R.-Adm White apptd Admiral Superintendent, HM Dockyard Portsmouth, and will live in the house occupied by Mr. Aylen, who moves into the house previously occupied by Mr. Gaze, lately one of the Master Attendants here.
20 Jul 1832 R.-Adm. Sir F. Maitland to charge of Portsmouth Dockyard as Admiral Superintendent, Portsmouth Dockyard, replacing the Commissioner, and commenced his duties by witnessing the payment of the Mastiff survey ship, prior to her departure for the Mediterranean.
13 Oct 1832 the Excellent is to be seen as the next in seniority to the Victory, at this port, since she bears the flag of the Admiral Superintendent.
22 Oct 1832, Rear Admiral Sir Fred Maitland, K.C.B. apptd. to the Mercury yacht, based at Portsmouth, and it is surmised in the Hampshire Telegraph that the appointment may be to entitle the Admiral Superintendent to be selected as a Member of Courts Marital ?
5 Jul 1834 a double sheer for masting ships at Portsmouth, with one arm projecting over the Basin, and another over the Harbour Jetty, ls to be erected in the dockyard, and the sheer-hulk, the Prince George, is to be put into ordinary.
2 Jan 1841 Assistant Surgeon Alexander Stewart, appointed to the the Portsmouth Dockyard.
10 Jul 1841 Mr. Laire, assistant of Chatham Dockyard, is appointed builder at Bombay ; and Mr. Wilcox. of Portsmouth dockyard, is appointed assistant at Chatham. Mr. Fincham come, to Portsmouth dockyard as a foreman.
18 Sep 1841 Mr. W. Westrope is appointed acting inspector of shipwrights at Portsmouth, vice Kneebone, gone to Harwich.
3 Jan 1842, Yesterday the master shipwrights, Mr. Oliver Lang, of Woolwich Dockyard ; Mr. John Fincham, of Chatham Dockyard ; Mr. James Atkins, of Sheerness Dockyard ; Mr. Richard Blake, of Portsmouth Dockyard ; Mr. Thomas F. Hawkes, of Plymouth Dockyard ; and Mr. Roberts, late of Devonport Dockyard, assembled at Woolwich Dockyard to decide upon the plans which it would be most desirable to adhere to in future as a fixed principle for building vessels for Her Majesty's Navy.
This resolution on the part of the Admiralty will prevent all chances of difference of opinion on such matters, and prevent the possibility of the work of one Mast Shipwright being altered or condemned when the vessel is sent to any other dockyard than the one where she was constructed, for repair, which has sometimes been the case on former occasions.
24 Aug 1842 the Admiralty Board inspected Portsmouth Dockyard.
11 Oct 1861 Increase of the Salary of Master Attendant of Portsmouth Dock Yard to �600.
11 Oct 1861 Increase of the Salary of Assistant Master Attendant of Portsmouth Dock Yard to �500.
1888 signal school established at Portsmouth.
21 Jan 1889, the service store being built near the Anchor Gate, adjacent to both the internal and external railway systems, will greatly improve the present system of receiving and drawing stores.
May 1892, Portsmouth, the signal station in the dockyard tower is to be the main station for the Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth. The station is in telephonic communication with Admiralty-house, the Admiral Superintendent, and the flagship, will be open 24 hours a day.
1896 homing pigeon lofts established at Portsmouth.