Jamaica Dockyard also known as Port Royal Dockyard[1] was a British Royal Navy Dockyard located at Port Royal, Jamaica. It was established 1675 and closed in 1905. The dockyard was initially administered by the Navy Board then later the Board of Admiralty.
History
In 1675 the British first made use of a wharf at Port Royal and assigned a resident Naval Officer to superintend these facilities;.[2] Following the 1692 earthquake, Port Royal never fully recovered from its preeminent position as a major commercial center. Despite this the dockyard served as the headquarters of the British Royal Navy in the Caribbean. From the eighteenth century until the nineteenth century, various refurbishments and upgrade work were undertaken to improve its docks, facilities fortifications and. From 1735 new wharves and storehouses were built at this time, as well as housing for the officers of the Yard. Over the next thirty years, more facilities were added: cooperages, workshops, sawpits, and accommodation (including a canteen) for the crews of ships being careened there.[3] by the end of the 18th century, a small Victualling Yard had been added to the east of the yard, prior to this ships had had to go to Kingston and other settlements to take on supplies) and in 1817 a Royal Naval Hospital was constructed the west of the yard. The dockyard and continued to be an important naval base until 1905 when it was closed. .[3]
Administration of the dockyard and other key officials
Port Royal and Kingston Harbours (map of 1774)
The Master Shipwright was usually the key official at the royal navy dockyards until the introduction of resident commissioners by the Navy Board who were responsible for administrating naval yards; after which he became deputy to the resident commissioner. In 1832 the post of commissioner was usually replaced by the post of admiral superintendent. However, the commissioner was replaced later by a Commodore-in-Charge, Jamaica.
^Archives, National (1708–1802). "Royal Naval dockyard staff: Port Royal Dockyard, Jamaica". The National Archives. London, England: The National Archives. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
^"Royal Museums Greenwich research guide". Archived from the original on 2013-11-03. Retrieved 2019-01-09.
^ a bCoad, Jonathan (2013). Support for the Fleet: architecture and engineering of the Royal Navy's bases 1700–1914. Swindon: English Heritage.
^ a b c d e f g h i j kCundall, Frank (1915). Historic Jamaica : With fifty-two illustrations. England: London : Published for the Institute of Jamaica by the West India Committee. p. xxii.
^Harrison, Simon (2010–2018). "Superintendant [sic] of the Dockyard at Jamaica Dockyard". threedecks.org. S, Harrison. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
^Harrison, Simon (2010–2018). "Resident Commissioner at Jamaica". threedecks.org. S. Harrison. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
^Clowes, Sir William Laird (1897–1903). The royal navy, a history from the earliest times to the present Volume III (1763-1792). London, England: S. Low Marston. p. 327.
^Office, Admiralty (December 1814). The Navy List. London, England: John Murray. p. 132.
^Office, Admiralty (January 1820). The Navy List. London, England: John Murray. p. 121.
^Office, Admiralty (December 1827). The Navy List. London, England: John Murray. p. 122.
^Office, Admiralty (March 1828). The Navy List. London, England: John Murray. p. 122.
^Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (11 November 2018). "Jamaica - The Dreadnought Project". dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
^Great Britain, Admiralty (October 1904). "Dockyards". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 552.
^Great Britain, Admiralty (May 1903). "Dockyards". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 436.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k lMackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865: Commodore, Jamaica" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie,p.172. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
^Harrsion, Simon (2010–2018). "Master Shipwright at Jamaica Dockyard". threedecks.org. S. Harrison. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
^ a b cNavy List 1814
^ a b cNavy List 1820
^ a b cNavy List 1827
^ a b cNavy List 1828
^Knight, C. (January 1932). ""Carpenter" Master Shipwrights". The Mariner's Mirror. 18 (4): 411–422. doi:10.1080/00253359.1932.10655674.
^Harrison, Simon (2010–2018). "Master Attendant at Jamaica Dockyard". threedecks.org. S. Harrison. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
^Navy List 1903
^Harrison, Simon (2010–2018). "Storekeeper at Jamaica Dockyard". threedecks.org. S. Harrison. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
^Day, John Frederick (23 April 2012). "British Admiralty Control and Naval Power in the Indian Ocean (1793-1815)". University of Exeter. p. 49. Retrieved 12 January 2019.
^ a bNavy List 1904
Sources
Archives, National (1708–1802). "Royal Naval dockyard staff: Port Royal Dockyard, Jamaica". The National Archives. London, England: The National Archives.
Coad, Jonathan (2013). Support for the Fleet: architecture and engineering of the Royal Navy's bases 1700–1914. Swindon: English Heritage
Clowes, Sir William Laird (1897–1903). The royal navy, a history from the earliest times to the present Volume III (1763-1792). London, England: S. Low Marston.
Cundall, Frank (1915). Historic Jamaica : With fifty-two illustrations. England: London : Published for the Institute of Jamaica by the West India Committee.
Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (2018). "Jamaica - The Dreadnought Project". dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell.