Portsmouth Royal Dockyard

Portsmouth Royal Dockyard was one of Britain's largest Royal (or national) dockyards. Situated in the large harbour city of Portsmouth, its facilities were convenient to ships serving on Portsmouth Station.

Shipbuilding

Ship	Type	Launched	Fate
H.M.S. Minstrel	wooden gunboat	16 Feb, 1865	Discarded 1907
H.M.S. Cherub	wooden gunboat	29 Mar, 1865	Sold 1890
H.M.S. Netley	wooden gunboat	22 Jul, 1866	Sold 1885
H.M.S. Orwell	wooden gunboat	27 Dec, 1866	Discarded 1890
H.M.S. Bruizer	wooden gunboat	23 Apr, 1867	Broken up 1886
H.M.S. Plucky	flatiron gunboat	13 Jul, 1870	Sold 1928
H.M.S. Blazer	gunboat	7 Dec, 1870	Sold 19 Aug, 1919
H.M.S. Comet	gunboat	8 Dec, 1870	Sold 12 May, 1908
H.M.S. Devastation	turret ship	12 Jul, 1871	Sold 1908
H.M.S. Boadicea	corvette	16 Oct, 1875	Sold 1905
H.M.S. Inflexible	masted turret ship	27 Apr, 1876	Sold 1903
H.M.S. Bacchante	corvette	19 Oct, 1876	Sold 1897
H.M.S. Canada	corvette	26 Aug, 1881	Sold 1897
H.M.S. Cordelia	corvette	25 Oct, 1881	Sold 1904
H.M.S. Colossus	second class battleship	1882	Sold 1908
H.M.S. Calliope	third class protected cruiser	24 Jul, 1884	Sold 1951
H.M.S. Camperdown	second class battleship	24 Nov, 1885	Sold 11 Jul, 1911
H.M.S. Trafalgar	second class battleship	20 Sep, 1887	Sold 9 Mar, 1911
H.M.S. Nymphe	screw sloop	1 May, 1888	Sold 1920
H.M.S. Melpomene	second class protected cruiser	20 Sep, 1888	Sold 1905
H.M.S. Beagle	screw sloop	28 Feb, 1889	Sold 1905
H.M.S. Barossa	third class protected cruiser	16 Apr, 1889	Sold 1905
H.M.S. Barham	third class protected cruiser	11 Sep, 1889	Sold 1914
H.M.S. Pallas	third class protected cruiser	30 Jun, 1890	Sold 1906
H.M.S. Royal Arthur	first class protected cruiser	26 Feb, 1891	Sold 22 Sep, 1921
H.M.S. Royal Sovereign	pre-dreadnought	26 Feb, 1891	Sold 7 Oct, 1913
H.M.S. Crescent	first class protected cruiser	30 Mar, 1892	Sold 22 Sep, 1921
H.M.S. Centurion	second class battleship	3 Aug, 1892	Sold 12 Jul, 1910
H.M.S. Fox	second class protected cruiser	15 Jun, 1893	Sold 14 Jul, 1920
H.M.S. Eclipse	second class protected cruiser	19 Jul, 1894	Sold Aug, 1921
H.M.S. Majestic	pre-dreadnought	31 Jan, 1895	Torpedoed 27 May, 1915
H.M.S. Prince George	pre-dreadnought	22 Aug, 1895	Sold 21 Sep, 1921
H.M.S. Cæsar	pre-dreadnought	2 Sep, 1896	Sold 8 Nov, 1921
H.M.S. Gladiator	second class protected cruiser	18 Dec, 1896	Collision 25 Apr, 1908
H.M.S. Canopus	pre-dreadnought	13 Oct, 1897	Sold 18 Feb, 1920
H.M.S. Formidable	pre-dreadnought	17 Nov, 1898	Torpedoed 1 Jan, 1915
H.M.S. London	pre-dreadnought	21 Sep, 1899	Sold 4 Jun, 1920
H.M.S. Pandora	third class protected cruiser	17 Jan, 1900	Sold 1913
H.M.S. Kent	armoured cruiser	6 Mar, 1901	Sold Jun, 1920
H.M.S. Suffolk	armoured cruiser	15 Jan, 1903	Sold 1 Jul, 1920
H.M.S. Zealandia	pre-dreadnought	4 Feb, 1904	Sold 8 Nov, 1921
H.M.S. Britannia	pre-dreadnought	10 Dec, 1904	Torpedoed 9 Nov, 1918
H.M.S. Dreadnought	dreadnought	10 Feb, 1906	Sold 9 May, 1921
H.M.S. Bellerophon	dreadnought	27 Jul, 1907	Sold 8 Nov, 1921
H.M.S. St. Vincent	dreadnought	10 Sep, 1908	Sold 1 Dec, 1921
H.M.S. Neptune	dreadnought	30 Sep, 1909	Sold 1 Sep, 1922
H.M.S. Orion	dreadnought	20 Aug, 1910	Sold 19 Dec, 1922
H.M.S. King George V	dreadnought	9 Oct, 1911	Sold Dec, 1926
H.M.S. Iron Duke	dreadnought	12 Oct, 1912	Sold 2 Mar, 1946
H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth	dreadnought	16 Oct, 1913	Sold 19 Mar, 1948
H.M.S. Royal Sovereign	dreadnought	29 Apr, 1915	Sold 5 Apr, 1949
H.M.S. J 1	submarine	6 Nov, 1915	to Australia 25 Mar, 1919
H.M.S. J 2	submarine	6 Nov, 1915	to Australia 25 Mar, 1919
H.M.S. K 2	submarine	14 Oct, 1916	Sold Jul, 1926
H.M.S. K 1	submarine	14 Nov, 1916	Collision 17 Nov, 1917
H.M.S. K 5	submarine	16 Dec, 1916	Lost 20 Jan, 1921
H.M.S. Effingham	cruiser	8 Jun, 1921	Wrecked 18 May, 1940
H.M.S. Suffolk	heavy cruiser	16 Feb, 1926	Broken up 1948
H.M.S. London	heavy cruiser	14 Sep, 1927	Broken up 1950
H.M.S. Dorsetshire	cruiser	29 Jan, 1929	Sunk 5 Apr, 1942
H.M.S. Comet	destroyer	30 Sep, 1931	Broken up 1946
H.M.S. Crusader	destroyer	30 Sep, 1931	Sunk 14 Sep, 1942
H.M.S. Duncan	destroyer	7 Jul, 1932	Broken up 1945
H.M.S. Neptune	light cruiser	31 Jan, 1933	Sunk 19 Dec, 1941
H.M.S. Exmouth	destroyer	7 Feb, 1934	Sunk 21 Jan, 1940
H.M.A.S. Perth	light cruiser	27 Jul, 1934	Sunk 1 Mar, 1942
H.M.S. Aurora	light cruiser	20 Aug, 1936	Transferred 1948

Admirals Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard

Dates of appointment given:

• Rear-Admiral George G. Wellesley,  – 1 July, 1869
• Rear-Admiral Astley Cooper Key, 1 July, 1869 – 25 May, 1870
• Rear-Admiral William H. Stewart, 20 November, 1871 – 29 April, 1872
• Rear-Admiral Fitzgerald A. C. Foley, 30 April, 1877 – 1 May, 1882
• Rear-Admiral Frederick A. Herbert, 1883
• Rear-Admiral John O. Hopkins, 1 November, 1886 – 6 August, 1888
• Rear-Admiral William E. Gordon, 6 August, 1888 – 20 May, 1891
• Rear-Admiral John A. Fisher, 21 May, 1891 – February, 1892
• Rear-Admiral Charles G. Fane, 1 February, 1892
• Vice-Admiral Ernest Rice, 1 February, 1896 – 1 September, 1899
• Rear-Admiral Pelham Aldrich, 1 September, 1899 – 1 September, 1902
• Rear-Admiral Reginald F. H. Henderson, 1 September, 1902 – 24 February, 1905
• Rear-Admiral Henry D. Barry, 24 February, 1905 – 10 November, 1906
• Vice-Admiral Charles G. Robinson, 9 November, 1906
• Rear-Admiral F. Alban A. G. Tate, 10 May, 1909 – 10 May, 1912
• Rear-Admiral Herbert L. Heath, 10 May, 1912 – 5 August, 1915
• Rear-Admiral Arthur W. Waymouth, 5 August, 1915 – 18 January, 1917
• Vice-Admiral Sir Charles L. Vaughan-Lee, 19 January, 1917 – 1 April, 1920
• Vice-Admiral Edwyn S. Alexander-Sinclair, 8 April, 1920 – 3 October, 1922
• Vice-Admiral Edmund P. F. G. Grant, 30 September, 1922 – 13 January, 1925
• Vice-Admiral Bertram S. Thesiger, 13 January, 1925 – 13 May, 1927
• Vice-Admiral Leonard A. B. Donaldson, 13 May, 1927 – 13 May, 1931
• Vice-Admiral Henry K. Kitson, 13 May, 1931 – 13 September, 1935
• Vice-Admiral Robert R. Turner, 13 September, 1935 – 14 January, 1941
• Rear-Admiral Marshal L. Clarke, 30 November, 1940 – 8 November, 1945
• Vice-Admiral Llewellyn V. Morgan, 8 November, 1945 – 28 July, 1949

Captains of the Dockyard

Dates of appointment given:

• Captain George A. Callaghan, 21 October, 1903
• Captain Francis R. Pelly, 4 May, 1905 – 19 December, 1905  (and as King's Harbour Master)
• Captain F. Alban A. G. Tate, 20 December, 1905 – 1 July, 1907
• Captain William B. Fawckner, 31 March, 1909 – 1 February, 1912  (and as King's Harbour Master)
• Rear-Admiral Cyril E. Tower, 1 February, 1912 – 29 June, 1916
• Rear-Admiral Edward H. Moubray, 29 June, 1916 – 1 May, 1918
• Captain Alfred H. Norman, 15 February, 1923 – 9 March, 1925  (and as Deputy Superintendent and King's Harbour Master)
• Captain Alexander R. W. Woods, 16 December, 1926 – 3 December, 1928  (and as Deputy Superintendent and King's Harbour Master)
• Captain Reginald St. P. Parry, 3 December, 1928 – 18 January, 1931  (and as Deputy Superintendent and King's Harbour Master)
• Captain Edward B. Cloete, 13 February, 1933 – 3 May, 1935  (and as Deputy Superintendent and King's Harbour Master)
• Captain Peter Skelton, 12 December, 1950  (and as Deputy Superintendent and King's Harbour Master)

Assistant Captains of the Dockyard

• Captain Peter W. E. Hill, 7 May, 1919 – 10 May, 1921
• Captain George B. W. Young, 10 May, 1921 – 1 February, 1923
• Commander Edward C. Stubbs, 1 February, 1923 – 23 February, 1925
• Commander Sydney K. Smyth, 14 January, 1927 – 10 August, 1929
• Commander (retired) Albert E. Sercombe,  – 17 March, 1947
• Commander Walter W. Sitwell, 17 March, 1947 – 8 November, 1949

Commanders of the Dockyard

Dates of appointment given:

• Commander John Fawcett, 9 February, 1929 – 2 January, 1930
• Commander Andrew Johnstone, 2 January, 1930 – 2 October, 1930

Captains of the Dockyard Reserve

Dates of appointment given:

• Captain Albert H. Markham, 14 November, 1889 – 31 July, 1891
• Captain Armand T. Powlett, 1 August, 1891 – 25 January, 1892
• Captain John C. Burnell, 25 January, 1892 – 15 January, 1895
• Captain Alexander G. McKechnie, 15 January, 1895
• Captain Reginald F. H. Henderson, 15 January, 1898 – 28 June, 1899
• Captain Alfred A. C. Parr, 28 June, 1899
• Captain George A. Callaghan, 2 May, 1903

See Also

• Portsmouth
• Portsmouth Station
• Plan of Dockyard at GWPDA.org
• Clowes, Sir Wm. Laird (1903). The Royal Navy: A History From the Earliest Times to the Death of Queen Victoria. Vol. VII. London: Sampson Low, Marston and Company Limited.