#chatham dockyard

[traveltoanywhere]

[ltwilliammowett]

The mysterious ship floor

In 1995, 167 timbers from a warship were found during excavations at the Wheelrights Shop of Chatham Historic Dockyard in Kent. These had a Weinglass shape and were so high and thick that they must have been a second or third rate. And they had carpenters marks in some places which were also found on HMS Victory.

The “floor” (x) (x)

The Wheelrights Shop was built in 1786 and the ship's bottom was probably rebuilt around 1830 to stabilise it. Now it was not clear which ship was on the floor, but after 17 years historians could prove from the dates and documents that it was HMS Namur, launched in 1756 and dismantled in 1833. She was a second rate with 90 guns and saw service in the seven years war and the Battle of Cape St. Vincent.

The Wheelright’s Shop (x)

She was in active service for 47 years and then in waking service for another 28. And although she had served for so long, she was dismantled in 1833, but now someone had taken pity on her and were trying to save part of her and keep her as a floor in the Wheelsright Shop. One possible answer is James Alexander Gordon, the shipyard captain and superintendent of 1834. Gordon had risen from midshipman to fleet admiral and had an unprecedented 75 years of service in the Royal Navy.

A number of the parts reused in the Wheelwrights’ Shop were marked with guides to show where they were supposed to fit into the ship. This timber is scored ‘IIIXX S’, showing that it was the 23rd on the starboard side. The grooves cut down and across the timber were part of an onboard drainage system to expel bilge. (x) 

In 1786, when Gordon was 14 years old (by which time he had been in the Navy for three years, believe it or not), he served as an ensign on HMS Namur. He took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent in 1797 on board the Namur. It is possible that he felt a sentimental attachment to this old bucket and ensured that it continued to support the Royal Navy in a new capacity: namely, as a floor.

[clove-pinks]

'Midshipman Nelson Lost in Chatham Dockyard': c. 1905 postcard, printed in England.

This postcard portrays a very young Horatio Nelson looking for the ship of his uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling of HMS Raisonnable.

The Raisonnable was lying in the Medway. He was put into the Chatham stage, and on its arrival was set down with the rest of the passengers, and left to find his way on board as he could. After wandering about in the cold, without being able to reach the ship, an officer observing the forlorn appearance of the boy, questioned him; and happening to be acquainted with his uncle, took him home, and gave him some refreshments.

When he got on board, Captain Suckling was not in the ship, nor had any person been apprized of the boy's coming. He paced the deck the whole remainder of the day, without being noticed by any one; and it was not till the second day that somebody, as he expressed it, "took compassion on him."

— Robert Southey, The Life of Nelson (first published 1813)

[fitrahgolden]

When does Newton demand satisfaction from Anthony @newtonsheffield ?

[ctyguidelondon]

There are plenty of boats to board in London but how about stepping on board a genuine Cold War submarine? If you take a day trip to Chatham Dockyard then you can see what it's like inside HMS Ocelot. To say that it's cramped would be a massive understatement, it's like you're walking through corridors of pipes and dials and the doors (if you can even call them doors!) are the same size as a dinner plate. You almost have to be an acrobat to squeeze yourself through them. That line of buildings you can see at the back of the photo is where they filmed a lot of scenes for Call The Midwife - whenever you see a nun cycling along the docks that's invariably where they are.

[clobbo]

I went somewhere pretty special yesterday 😁

[shegivingmeasapphicvibe]

[traveltoanywhere]