British military office
The Surveyor of the Navy also known as Department of the Surveyor of the Navy and originally known as Surveyor and Rigger of the Navy [ 1] was a former principal commissioner and member of both the Navy Board from the inauguration of that body in 1546 until its abolition in 1832 and then a member Board of Admiralty from 1848 to 1859. In 1860 the office was renamed Controller of The Navy until 1869 when the office was merged with that of the Third Naval Lord's the post holder held overall responsibility for the design of British warships.
The office was established in 1546 under Henry VIII of England when the post holder was styled as Surveyor and Rigger of the Navy until 1611. Although until 1745 the actual design work for warships built at each Royal Dockyard was primarily the responsibility of the individual Master Shipwright at that Royal Dockyard. For vessels built by commercial contract (limited to wartime periods, when the Royal Dockyards could not cope with the volume of work), the Surveyor's office drew the designs to which the private shipbuilders were required to build the vessels. From 1745 design responsibility was centred in the Surveyor's office, with the Master Shipwrights in the Dockyard responsible for implementation. In 1832 the Navy Board was abolished and all of its functions were brought under the sole control of the Board of Admiralty.
Before 1832 the building, fitting out and repairing of HM ships were the responsibility of the Navy Board. Originally the principal officer most concerned was the Surveyor of the Navy, who estimated annual stores requirements, inspected ships' stores and kept the Fleet's store-books and repair-bills. In the eighteenth century his duties passed increasingly to the Comptroller of the Navy.
The office of Surveyor did not disappear, however, and after 1832, when the office of Comptroller was abolished, the Surveyor was made the officer responsible under the First Sea Lord for the material departments, and became a permanent member of the Board of Admiralty in 1848.[ 2] In 1859 the name of the office was changed to Controller of the Navy [ 3] until 1869 when the office was amalgamated with the office of the Third Naval Lord .
Surveyor and Riggers of the Navy (1546–1611)[ edit ]
In date order (note that the post of Surveyor was frequently shared, which enabled the Admiralty to have competitive designs prepared for evaluation):
Surveyors and Riggers of the Navy
Surveyors of the Navy (1611–1859)[ edit ]
Controllers of the Navy (1859-1869)[ edit ]
In 1859 the post of Surveyor of the Navy was changed to Controller of the Navy
In 1869 the post of Controller of the Navy's post was merged with the office of the Third Naval Lord
Navy Board, Surveyor of the Navy, 1546–1832
Board of Admiralty, Surveyor of the Navy, 1832–1859
Board of Admiralty, Controller of the Navy, 1859–1912
Board of Admiralty, Directorate of Naval Construction, 1913–1958
Board of Admiralty, Ship Department, Naval Construction Division, 1959–1964
^ a b c d e f Childs, David (2009). Tudor Sea Power: The Foundation of Greatness . Seaforth Publishing. p. 298. ISBN 9781473819924 .
^ Hamilton, Sir Richard Vesey (1896). Naval Administration: The Constitution, Character, and Functions of the Board of Admiralty, and of the Civil Departments it Directs . G. Bell and sons. pp. 34 to 36. Naval Administration, by Sir Vesey Hamilton, G.C.B. (1896).
^ Archives, The National. "Records of the Surveyor of the Navy and successors" . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . National Archives, 1620-1979. Retrieved 5 June 2017 . This article contains text from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 . © Crown copyright.
^ Lavery, The Ship of the Line , p96
^ a b c Lavery, The Ship of the Line , p106 and p124
^ a b c Lambert, The Last Sailing Battlefleet , p59
^ Lambert, The Last Sailing Battlefleet , p65
^ Lambert, The Last Sailing Battlefleet , p59, 65 and p66
^ Lambert, The Last Sailing Battlefleet , p65 and p66
^ Lambert, The Last Sailing Battlefleet , p67 and 68
^ Lambert, The Last Sailing Battlefleet , p56
Lambert, Andrew The Last Sailing Battlefleet, Maintaining Naval Mastery 1815-1850 , published Conway Maritime Press, 1991. ISBN 0-85177-591-8.
Childs, David (2009). Tudor Sea Power: The Foundation of Greatness. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 9781473819924.
Hamilton, Sir Richard Vesey (1896). Naval Administration: The Constitution, Character, and Functions of the Board of Admiralty, and of the Civil Departments it Directs. G. Bell and Sons. London.
Lavery, Brian (2003) The Ship of the Line - Volume 1: The development of the battlefleet 1650-1850. Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-252-8.
Principal officers and commissioners , Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 7: Navy Board Officials 1660-1832 (1978), pp. 18–25. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=16833 .
This article contains text from this source http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C712 , which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 . © Crown copyright.
Direction and control of Admiralty and Naval affairs Boards and offices under the First Lord Direction of Admirals Naval/Sea Lords War and Naval Staff Secretariat and staff under the First Sea Lord Operational planning, policy strategy, tactical doctrine requirements Divisions and sections under the War and Naval Staff Offices of the Sea Lords Admiralty civil departments and organisations under the Sea Lords
Admiralty Area Cash Offices
Admiralty Central Dockyard Laboratory
Admiralty Central Metallurgical Laboratory
Admiralty Civilian Shore Wireless Service
Admiralty Compass Observatory
Admiralty Constabulary
Admiralty Constabulary Headquarters
Admiralty Engineering Laboratory
Admiralty Experimental Station
Admiralty Experiment Works
Admiralty Gunnery Establishment
Admiralty Interview Board
Admiralty Labour Department
Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment
Admiralty Materials Laboratory
Admiralty Mine Design Department
Admiralty Mining Establishment
Admiralty Naval Aircraft Materials Laboratory
Admiralty Record Office
Admiralty Regional Offices
Admiralty Research Laboratory
Admiralty Signal Establishment
Admiralty Signals and Radar Establishment
Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment
Admiralty Surveying Service
Admiralty Torpedo Experimental Establishment
Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment
Admiralty Underwater Weapons Launching Establishment
Architectural and Engineering Works Department
Air Equipment and Naval Photography Department
Air Department
Air Materiel Department
Air Personnel Department
Amphibious Warfare Headquarters
Armament Supply Department
Board of Invention and Research
Board of Longitude
Boom Defence Department
Boom Defence and Marine Salvage Department
Britannia Royal Naval College
Chemical Board
Chemical Department
Civil Catering Department
Civil Engineer in Chiefs Department
Coastguard and Reserves Branch
Combined Operations Headquarters
Commissioner for Property and Income-tax for the Naval Department
Compass Department
Contract and Purchase Department
Council of Naval Education
Dental Examining Board
Department of Radio Equipment
Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy
Department of Aeronautical and Engineering Research
Department of Miscellaneous Weapons Development
Department of Naval Assistant (Foreign) to Second Sea Lord
Department of Naval Education
Operational Research
Department of Personal Services and Officer Appointments
Department of Physical Research
Department of Physical Training & Sports
Department of Radio Equipment
Department of Research Programmes and Planning
Department of Superintendent of de-magnetisation
Department of the Admiral of the Training Service
Department of the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance
Department of the Chief of Naval Information
Department of the Chief Scientist
Department of the Civil Engineer-in-Chief
Department of the Comptroller of Steam Machinery
Department of the Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services
Department of the Controller of the Navy
Department of the Controller-General of Merchant Shipbuilding
Department of the Controller for Navy Pay
Department of the Deputy Controller for Auxiliary Shipbuilding
Department of the Deputy Controller for Dockyards and Shipbuilding
Department of the Director Contract-Built Ships
Department of the Director-General Aircraft
Department of the Director-General of Manpower
Department of the Director-General, Supply and Secretariat Branch
Department of the Director of Aircraft Maintenance and Repair
Department of the Director of Contract Labour
Department of the Director of Dockyards
Department of the Director of Electrical Engineering
Department of the Director of Manning
Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding
Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs
Department of the Director of Merchant Ship Repairs
Department of the Director of Naval Construction
Department of the Director of Naval Equipment
Department of the Director of Naval Recruiting
Department of the Director of Naval Weather Service
Department of the Director of Personal Services
Department of the Director of Physical Training and Sports
Department of the Director of Torpedoes and Mining
Department of the Director of Transports
Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons
Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Materials
Department of the Director of Unexploded Bombs
Department of the Director of Warship Production
Department of the Director of Welfare and Service Conditions
Department of the Director of Wreck Dispersal
Department of the Flag Officer Sea Training
Department of the Engineer in Chief
Department of the Paymaster Director-General
Department of the Inspector of Anti-Aircraft Weapons
Department of the Inspector of Dockyard Expense Accounts
Department of the Inspector-General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets
Department of the Medical Director-General of the Navy
Department of the Physician of the Navy
Department of the Physician General of the Navy
Department of the Storekeeper-General of the Navy
Department of the Surveyor of Buildings
Department of the Surveyor of Dockyards
Directorate-General, (Naval Manpower and Training)
Directorate General Training
Dockyards and Fleet Maintenance Department
Dockyards Branch
Dockyard Expense Accounts Department
Dockyard Schools
Electrical Engineering Department
Engineer Branch
Engineering Department
Experimental Department
Fire Control Group
Greenwich Hospital Department
Inspector of Telegraphs
Inspector of Repairs
Joint Warfare Establishment
Medical Consultative Board
Medical Examining Board
Historical Section
Hydrographic Department
Marine Department
Marine Pay Department
Materials and Priority Department
Medical Consultative Board
Medical Department
Medical Examining Board
Movements Department
Nautical Almanac Office
Naval Artillery and Torpedo Department
Naval Engineering College
Naval Equipment Department
Naval Historical Branch
Naval Construction Department
Naval Intelligence Department
Naval Medical Service
Naval Law Division
Naval Manpower Department
Naval Mobilisation Department
Naval Ordnance Department
Naval Ordnance Inspection Department
Naval Ordnance Stores Department
Naval Personnel Services and Officer Appointments Department
Naval Publicity Department
Naval Regional Offices
Naval Reserve Department
Naval Security Department
Naval Stores Department
Naval Training Department
Naval Works Department
Navy, Army and Air Force Institute
Navy and Army Canteen Board
Navy Works Department
Navigation Department
Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope
Office of the Admiral Commanding Coast Guard and Reserves
Office of the Admiral Commanding, Reserves
Office of the Admiralty Chemist
Office of the Adviser on the Naval Construction to the Board of Admiralty
Office of the Assistant Controller
Office of the Assistant Controller Research and Development
Office of the Clerk of the Journals
Office of the Chief Polaris Executive
Office of the Deputy Controller of Navy
Office of the Deputy Controller Production
Office of Extra Naval Assistant to Second Sea Lord
Office of the Inspector Gun Mountings
Office of the Keeper of Records
Office of the Senior Psychologist (Naval)
Office of the Senior Psychologist of the Navy
Office of the Translator of French and Spanish Languages
Office of the Vice Controller Air
Office of the Vice Controller of the Navy
Organisation and Methods Department
Packet Service
Regional Organisation for Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs
Royal Corps of Naval Constructors
Royal Flying Corps
Royal Marine Police
Royal Marines Office
Office of the Chaplain of the Fleet
Royal Naval Academy
Royal Naval Aircraft Workshops
Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Stations
Royal Naval Armaments Depot
Royal Naval Auxiliary Service
Royal Naval Cordite Factories
Royal Naval Propellant Factory
Royal Naval College
Royal Naval College and the School for Naval Architecture
Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Royal Naval College, Keyham
Royal Naval College, Osborne
Royal Naval Engineering College
Royal Naval Film Corporation
Royal Naval Hospital
Royal Naval Medical Depot
Royal Naval Minewatching Service
Royal Naval Mine Depot
Royal Naval Patrol Service
Royal Naval Scientific Service
Royal Naval Sick Quarters
Royal Naval Torpedo Depot
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
Royal Naval War College
Royal Naval War College, Portsmouth
Royal Navy Dockyard
Royal Navy Medical Service
Royal Navy Shore Signal Service
Royal Observatory, Greenwich
Royal School of Naval Architecture
Salvage Department
School of Mathematics and Naval Construction
Scientific Research and Experiment Department
Sea Transport Branch
Sea Transport Department
Sea Transport Division
Ship Department
Ship Design Department
Signal Department
Signal School
Sixpenny Office
Statistics Department
Steam Department
Superintendent of De-magnetisation
Torpedo Experimental Establishment
Transport Department
Undersurface Warfare Department
Victualling Department
Volunteer Boys and Cadet Corps
Weapons Department
Weapons Department (Naval)
Women's Royal Naval Service
Wireless Telegraphy Board
Direction/Command of the Fleet Naval formations after 1707
1st Fleet
2nd Fleet
3rd Fleet
Commander-in-Chief, Africa
Atlantic Fleet
Commodore, Arabian Seas and Persian Gulf
Australia Station
Cape of Good Hope Station
Cape and West Africa Station
Battle Cruiser Fleet
Battle Cruiser Force
Caspian Flotilla
Channel Fleet
Channel Squadron
Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland
Cork Station
Coast of Scotland
Commander-in-Chief, China
Commander-in-Chief, Dover
Flag Officer, East Africa
East Indies Station
East Indies and China Station
Eastern Fleet
Far East Fleet
English Channel
Grand Fleet
Flag Officer Gibraltar
Harwich Force
Home Fleet
Jamaica Station
Leith Station
Commander-in-Chief, Levant
Levant and East Mediterranean
Commander-in-Chief, Leeward Islands
Mediterranean Fleet
Medway
Newfoundland Station
New Zealand Division
New Zealand Naval Forces
Nore
North America and West Indies Station
Commander-in-Chief, North Sea
Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands
Pacific Fleet
Pacific Station
Admiral of Patrols
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
Queenstown Station
Royal East African Navy
Royal Indian Navy
Flag Officer Submarines
Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth
Reserve Fleet
Scotland and Northern Ireland
Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic
South East Coast of America Station
Commander-in-Chief, Thames and Medway
West Africa Squadron
Flag Officer, West Africa
Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches
Naval formations before 1707 Direction of Naval Finance Departments under the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary Direction of Naval Administration and the Admiralty Secretariat Branches and offices under the Permanent Secretary Civil Administration Departments under the Civil Lords Legal
Principal officers
Lieutenant of the Admiralty , (1546-1564)
Treasurer of Marine Causes , (1546-1564)
Comptroller of the Navy , (1546-1660)
Surveyor of the Navy , (1546-1832)
Clerk of the Navy , (1546-1660)
Master of Naval Ordnance , (1546-1589)
Keeper of the Storehouses , (1546-1560)
Surveyor of Marine Victuals , (1550-1679)
Treasurer of the Navy and Senior Commissioner , (1564-1660)
Comptroller of the Navy and Chairman of the Board , (1660-1832)
Treasurer of the Navy , (1660-1832)
Clerk of the Acts , (1660-1796)
Controller of Treasurer Accounts , (1667-1796)
Controller of Victualling Accounts , (1667-1796)
Controller of Storekeepers Accounts , (1671-1796)
Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services , (1800-1832)
Commissioners for Current Business , (1686-1688)
Commissioners for Old Accounts , 1686-1688)
Commissioners for Examining Accounts (Incurred) , (1688-1689)
Deputy Comptroller of the Navy , (1793-1813), (1829-1832)
Pay Commissioner , (1796-1814)
Civil Architect and Engineer of the Navy , (1808-1812)
Surveyor of Buildings , (1813-1832)
Surveyor of Dockyards , (1813-1832)
Accountant-General of the Navy , (1829-32)
Superintendent of Transport , (1829-1831)
Storekeeper-General of the Navy , (1829-32)
Subsidiary boards Resident Commissioners of the navy home yards
Resident Commissioner, Chatham Dockyard , (1631-1829)
Resident Commissioner, Portsmouth Dockyard , (1649-1829)
Resident Commissioner, Woolwich Dockyard ,(1688-1828)
Resident Commissioner, Plymouth Dockyard , (1691-1822)
Resident Commissioner, Deptford Dockyard , (1714-1823)
Resident Commissioner, Sheerness Dockyard , (1793-1822)
Resident Commissioner, Devonport Dockyard , (1823-1832)
Resident Commissioners of the navy overseas yards
Resident Commissioner, Jamaica Yard , (1675-1832)
Resident Commissioner, Cadiz Yard, (1694)
Resident Commissioner, Bombay Yard
Resident Commissioner, Kinsale Yard , (1694-1713)
Resident Commissioner, Gibraltar Yard , (1704-1832)
Resident Commissioner, Antigua Yard , (1707-1832)
Resident Commissioner, Ascension Yard , (1728-1832)
Resident Commissioner, Port Mahon Yard , (1742-1763)
Resident Commissioner, Halifax Yard , (1759-1832)
Resident Commissioner, Barbados Yard , (1779-1783, 1810)
Resident Commissioner, Kingston Yard , (1783-1832)
Resident Commissioner, Ajaccio Yard , (1794-1799)
Resident Commissioner, Bermuda Dockyard , (1795-1832)
Resident Commissioner, Amherstburg Yard , (1796-1813)
Resident Commissioner, Quebec Yard , (1804-1826)
Resident Commissioner, Malta Dockyard , (1805-1832)
Resident Commissioner, Madras Yard , (1808-1817)
Resident Commissioner, Cape of Good Hope Yard , (1808-1822)
Resident Commissioner, Bombay Dockyard , (1808-1816)
Resident Commissioner, Trincomalee Dockyard , (1810-1832)
Offices under the principal officers
Ministerial Lords Naval Lords Staff Naval Lords Civil Lords Civil Secretaries