The Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was a

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...

training establishment between 1873 and 1998, providing courses for naval officers. It was the home of the Royal Navy's

staff college Staff colleges (also command and staff colleges and War colleges) train military officers in the administrative, military staff and policy aspects of their profession. It is usual for such training to occur at several levels in a career. For e ...

, which provided advanced training for officers. The equivalent in the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurkha ...

was the

Staff College, Camberley Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army and the presidency armies of British India (later merged to form the Indian Army). It had its origins in the Royal Military College, High Wycombe, founded in 1799, whic ...

, and the equivalent in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

was the RAF Staff College, Bracknell.

History

The Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was founded by an

Order in Council An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council (''Kin ...

dated 16 January 1873. The establishment of its officers consisted of a President, who was always a Flag Officer; a Captain, Royal Navy; a Director of Studies; and Professors of Mathematics, Physical Science, Chemistry, Applied Mechanics, and Fortification. It was to take in officers who were already Sub-Lieutenants and to operate as "the university of the Navy". The Director of Studies, a civilian, was in charge of an Academic Board, while the Captain of the College was a naval officer who acted as

chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

. The

Royal Naval War College The Royal Naval War College was a training establishment for senior officers of the Royal Navy that existed from 1900 to 1914. It was based originally at Greenwich, then Plymouth, then Portsmouth, and then Greenwich again. Branch colleges were ...

, which had been established at Greenwich in November 1900 before being removed to first Devonport and then Portsmouth, transferred its activities to the college at Greenwich in 1914. During the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

the Royal Naval College was requisitioned as a barracks and for scientific experiments. The training of officers was not resumed until 1919. On 30 October 1939 the college began to train officers of the Women's Royal Naval Service. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, the College increased the number of officers of both sexes trained for an expanded Navy. Its major task was the training of fighting officers, and around 35,000 men and women graduated during that period. In 1943, the beautiful Admiral's House on the north wing of King Charles Court was damaged by a direct hit from a German bomb; another bomb hit the front of the building. The Navy's Department of Nuclear Science and Technology opened on the college premises in 1959, and

JASON Jason ( ; ) was an ancient Greek mythological hero and leader of the Argonauts, whose quest for the Golden Fleece featured in Greek literature. He was the son of Aeson, the rightful king of Iolcos. He was married to the sorceress Medea. He ...

, the department's research and training reactor, was commissioned in the King William building in 1962. In 1967

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

knighted

Francis Chichester Sir Francis Charles Chichester KBE (17 September 1901 – 26 August 1972) was a British businessman, pioneering aviator and solo sailor. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for becoming the first person to sail single-handed around the worl ...

on the river steps of the College, honouring his achievement in circumnavigating the world as a solo yachtsman, using the old route of the

clipper A clipper was a type of mid-19th-century merchant sailing vessel, designed for speed. Clippers were generally narrow for their length, small by later 19th century standards, could carry limited bulk freight, and had a large total sail area. "Cl ...

s, becoming the first to do so. His was also the fastest such circumnavigation, taking nine months and one day. The

Royal School of Naval Architecture The first School of Naval Architecture opened in 1811 in Portsmouth. The school was principally established to offer a deeper study of the principles of ship design than had traditionally been retained through the apprenticeship model. To this ...

, which had been part of the College since 1873, transferred to

University College London , mottoeng = Let all come who by merit deserve the most reward , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £143 million (2020) , budget = ...

in 1967. The Royal Naval College continued to train women until 1976, when their courses were transferred to the

Britannia Royal Naval College Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC), commonly known as Dartmouth, is the naval academy of the United Kingdom and the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy. It is located on a hill overlooking the port of Dartmouth, Devon, En ...

. From 1983 the relocated Joint Services Defence College also occupied much of the King Charles building.National Maritime Museum Archive
/ref> With a shrinking Royal Navy, the decision was taken to close RNC Greenwich in 1998. All initial officer training is now carried out at the

, and the new

Joint Services Command and Staff College Joint Services Command and Staff College (JSCSC) is a British military academic establishment providing training and education to experienced officers of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence Civil Service, and serving offic ...

, created in 1997, took over the

functions.

Buildings

The college was established in buildings designed by

Sir Christopher Wren Sir Christopher Wren PRS FRS (; – ) was one of the most highly acclaimed English architects in history, as well as an anatomist, astronomer, geometer, and mathematician-physicist. He was accorded responsibility for rebuilding 52 churche ...

and built between 1696 and 1712, then intended to serve as the Greenwich Hospital, a home for disabled sailors. This closed in 1869, when the pensioners were transferred to other places, leaving the buildings available for a new use. The site of the former hospital had once been occupied by the medieval

Palace of Placentia The Palace of Placentia, also known as Greenwich Palace, was an English royal residence that was initially built by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, in 1443. The palace was a pleasaunce; a place designed for pleasure, entertainment and an escape ...

, or "Palace at Greenwich", begun by

Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester Humphrey of Lancaster, Duke of Gloucester (3 October 139023 February 1447) was an English prince, soldier, and literary patron. He was (as he styled himself) "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of Henry IV of E ...

, in 1428. After the Royal Navy departed in 1998 the buildings were opened to the public as the

Old Royal Naval College The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as being of "outstanding ...

Presidents

:''See also'' :Admiral presidents of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich The President of the College was a full-time post until 1982 when it became an honorary role held by the

Second Sea Lord The Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (formerly Second Sea Lord) is deputy to the First Sea Lord and the second highest-ranking officer to currently serve in the Royal Navy and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establish ...

(and from 1994 an honorary role held by the

Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff The Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (A.C.N.S.) is a senior appointment in the Royal Navy usually a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7. History The Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff was originally directly responsible to the Fir ...

).Royal Navy Senior Appointments
at gulabin.com, accessed 9 October 2013 Presidents included: * Vice-Admiral Sir Astley Cooper Key (1873–1875) *

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet ...

Sir Edward Gennys Fanshawe (1875–1878) *Admiral Sir Charles Frederick Alexander Shadwell (1878–1881) *Admiral Sir Geoffrey Phipps Hornby (1881–1882) *Admiral William Garnham Luard (1882–1885) *Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Brandreth (1885–1888) *Admiral Sir William Graham (1888–1891) *Admiral Sir Richard Vesey Hamilton (1891–1894) *Admiral Sir Walter James Hunt-Grubbe (1894–1897) *Admiral Sir Richard Tracey (1897–1900) *Admiral Sir Robert More-Molyneux (1900–1903) *Admiral Sir Robert Hastings Penruddock Harris (1903–1906) *Admiral Sir Arthur Dalrymple Fanshawe (1906–1908) *Admiral Sir John Durnford (1908–1911) *Admiral Sir Frederic William Fisher (1911–1914) *Vice-Admiral The Hon. Sir Alexander Edward Bethell (1914–1915) *Vice-Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly (1915–1916) *Admiral Sir Henry Bradwardine Jackson (1916–1919) *Vice-Admiral Sir William Christopher Pakenham (1919–1920) *Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick Tudor (1920–1922) *Rear-Admiral

Herbert Richmond Admiral Sir Herbert William Richmond, (15 September 1871 – 15 December 1946) was a prominent Royal Navy officer, described as "perhaps the most brilliant naval officer of his generation." He was also a top naval historian, known as the "Briti ...

(1922–1923) *Admiral Sir George Hope (1923–1926) *Admiral Sir Richard Webb (1926–1929) *Vice-Admiral John McClintock (1929) *Vice-Admiral Sir William Henry Dudley Boyle (1929–1932) *Vice-Admiral Sir Barry Domvile (1932–1934) *Vice-Admiral Sir Ragnar Colvin (1934–1937) *Vice-Admiral Sir Sidney Bailey (1937–1938) *Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Kennedy-Purvis (1938–1940) *''Vacant'' (1940–1943) *

Commodore Commodore may refer to: Ranks * Commodore (rank), a naval rank ** Commodore (Royal Navy), in the United Kingdom ** Commodore (United States) ** Commodore (Canada) ** Commodore (Finland) ** Commodore (Germany) or ''Kommodore'' * Air commodore ...

Augustus Agar Commodore Augustus Willington Shelton Agar, (4 January 1890 – 30 December 1968) was a Royal Navy officer in both the First and the Second World Wars. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the ...

(1943–1946)'Agar, Captain Augustus Willington Shelton', in ''Who Was Who 1961–1970'' (London: A. & C. Black, 1979 reprint, ) *Vice-Admiral Sir Patrick Brind (1946–1948) *Vice-Admiral

Geoffrey Oliver Admiral Sir Geoffrey Nigel Oliver (22 January 1898 – 26 May 1980) was a Royal Navy officer during the Second World War. Early career The oldest son of a botanist, Professor Francis Wall Oliver, Geoffrey Oliver was educated at Durnford Prepara ...

(1948–1950) *Admiral Sir Harold Kinahan (1950–1952) *Vice-Admiral Sir Aubrey Mansergh (1952–1954) *Admiral Sir William Andrewes (1954–1956) *Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Barnard (1956–1958) *Rear-Admiral

David Cairns, 5th Earl Cairns Rear-Admiral David Charles Cairns, 5th Earl Cairns, (3 July 1909 – 21 March 1989), was Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps in the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom from 1962 to 1971. Naval career Cairns joined the Royal Navy ...

(1958–1961) *Rear-Admiral Sir Alexander Gordon-Lennox (1961–1962) *Rear-Admiral

Morgan Morgan-Giles Rear-Admiral Sir Morgan Charles Morgan-Giles, (19 June 1914 – 4 May 2013) was a Royal Navy officer, decorated during the Second World War, who later served as a Conservative Member of Parliament. At the time of his death, he was the oldest li ...

(1962–1964) *Vice-Admiral Sir Ian Lachlan Mackay McGeoch (1964–1965) *Rear-Admiral

Patrick Bayly Vice Admiral Sir Patrick Uniacke Bayly & Two Bars (4 August 1914 – 1 May 1998) was a Royal Navy officer who became President of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. Naval career Born the son of Lancelot Francis Sanderson Bayly and educated at ...

(1965–1967) *Vice-Admiral Sir Horace Lyddon (1967–1968) *Rear-Admiral Edward Gueritz (1968–1970) *Rear-Admiral Martin Noel Lucey (1970–1972) *Rear-Admiral Edward William Ellis (1972–1974) *Rear-Admiral Derek Willoughby Bazalgette (1974–1976) *Rear-Admiral Charles Weston (1976–1978) *Rear-Admiral

Anthony John Cooke Anthony John Cooke FRCO (29 January 1931 – 6 October 2012) was a British organist and composer. Life Born in Birmingham in 1931, he was educated at King Edward VI Aston School, where he later taught. In 1949 he went up to Keble College, Ox ...

(1978–1980) *Rear-Admiral John Hildred Carlill (1980–1982) *Admiral Sir Simon Cassels (1982–1986) *Admiral Sir Richard George Alison Fitch (1986–1988) *Admiral Sir Brian Brown (1988–1991) *Admiral Sir Michael Livesay (1991–1993) *Admiral Sir Michael Henry Gordon Layard (1993–1994) *Admiral Sir John Richard Brigstocke (1994–1995) *Vice-Admiral Sir Jeremy Joe Blackham (1995–1997)

Directors of Studies

The following individuals served as Director of Studies:

Notable professors

William Burnside :''This English mathematician is sometimes confused with the Irish mathematician William S. Burnside (1839–1920).'' __NOTOC__ William Burnside (2 July 1852 – 21 August 1927) was an English mathematician. He is known mostly as an early res ...

, Professor of Mathematics (1885–1919) *

Bernard Parker Haigh Bernard Parker Haigh, MBE (8 July 1884 – 18 January 1941) was a Scottish mechanical engineer. Haigh was educated at Allan Glen's School and the University of Glasgow He served as professor of applied mechanics at the Royal Naval College in Gr ...

, Professor of

applied mechanics Applied mechanics is the branch of science concerned with the motion of any substance that can be experienced or perceived by humans without the help of instruments. In short, when mechanics concepts surpass being theoretical and are applied and e ...

, known for the Haigh diagram (appointed 1913) *

Peter Stanley Lyons Peter Stanley Lyons (6 December 1927 – 28 November 2006) was an English Marxist choral conductor and a headmaster of Witham Hall School. Early life Peter Stanley Lyons was born in Atherfold Road, London, SW9, to Harold Lyons, who was the ...

, Director of Music (1950–1954) *

John Knox Laughton Sir John Knox Laughton (23 April 1830 – 14 September 1915) was a British naval historian and arguably the first to delineate the importance of the subject of Naval history as an independent field of study. Beginning his working life as a mathe ...

, Head of Department of

Meteorology Meteorology is a branch of the atmospheric sciences (which include atmospheric chemistry and physics) with a major focus on weather forecasting. The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did no ...

and Marine Surveying (1873–1885) *

Christopher Lloyd Christopher Allen Lloyd (born October 22, 1938) is an American actor. He has appeared in many theater productions, films, and on television since the 1960s. He is known for portraying Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown in the ''Back to the Future'' tril ...

, Professor of History (1962–1967) * Bryan Ranft, Professor of History and International Affairs (1967–1977) * Arnold William Reinold, Professor of Physics (1873–1908)

Notable students

Rear-Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

Abul Kalam Azad Abul Kalam Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed bin Khairuddin Al-Hussaini Azad (; 11 November 1888 – 22 February 1958) was an Indian independence activist, Islamic theologian, writer and a senior leader of the Indian National Congress. Following In ...

, Bangladeshi Naval officer and current Chairman

Mongla Port Authority Mongla Port Authority is an autonomous organisation responsible for Mongla Port and is located in Mongla, Bangladesh. The Chairman of Mongla Port Authority is Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa, OSP, NPP, rcds, afwc, psc, PhD. History The port autho ...

. *

(1890–1968) * Admiral of the Fleet

David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty Admiral of the Fleet David Richard Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty (17 January 1871 – 12 March 1936) was a Royal Navy officer. After serving in the Mahdist War and then the response to the Boxer Rebellion, he commanded the 1st Battlecruiser Squadro ...

(1871–1936) * George Richard Bethell (1849–1919), Royal Navy officer and Conservative politician *Admiral

Hugo Biermann Hugo Hendrik Biermann, (6 August 1916 – 27 March 2012) was a senior officer in the South African Navy. He served as Chief of the Navy from 1952 to 1972 and Chief of the South African Defence Force from 1972 until 1976, the only naval offic ...

(1916–2012), Chief of the South African Navy and the South African Defence Force * Basil Charles Barrington Brooke (1895–1983), admiral and first-class cricketer * Sir Henry Harvey Bruce (1862–1948), admiral *Admiral of the Fleet Lord Cunningham of Hyndhope (1883–1963) * Vice Admiral A. H. Asoka de Silva (1931–2006), Commander of the Navy of Sri Lanka from 1983 to 1986 * Vice Admiral Henry George DeWolf (1903–2000), Canadian naval officer *

John Sholto Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry John Sholto Douglas, 9th Marquess of Queensberry (20 July 184431 January 1900), was a British nobleman, remembered for his atheism, his outspoken views, his brutish manner, for lending his name to the " Queensberry Rules" that form the basis of ...

(1844–1900), after whom the Marquess of Queensberry Rules are named * Admiral Sir Frederic Charles Dreyer (1878–1956) *Admiral Sir William Wordsworth Fisher (1875–1937) *H.R.H. Prince Charles, Count of Flanders, Prince-Regent of Belgium * Admiral D. Basil Gunasekara (born 1929), Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy from 1973 to 1979 * Admiral Henry Perera, Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy from 1979 to 1983 * Hugh Alfred Vernon Haggard (1908–1991), Royal Navy submariner *Admiral of the Fleet Lord Hill-Norton (1915–2004) * Vice Admiral Sir J. G. T. Inglis (1906–1972), Head of Naval Intelligence * Prince Abhakara Kiartivongse (1880-1923), of the Siamese royal family, a founder of modern Royal Thai Navy * Admiral of the Fleet Lord Lewin (1920–1999) * Rear-Admiral Simon Robert Lister (born 1959), Royal Navy officer, now Director, Submarines * Dudley Leigh Aman, 1st Baron Marley (1884–1952), soldier and Labour politician * Rear Admiral Sir David Martin (1933–1990), Royal Australian Navy officer and Governor of New South Wales *Vice Admiral Mark Mellett,

Chief of Staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

of the Irish Defence Forces *Admiral of the Fleet

Earl Mountbatten of Burma Earl Mountbatten of Burma is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 28 October 1947 for Rear Admiral Louis Mountbatten, 1st Viscount Mountbatten of Burma. The letters patent creating the title specified the following r ...

(1900–1979), last Viceroy of India, First Sea Lord, Chief of the Defence Staff *

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Arthur Ernest Percival Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more w ...

(1887–1966) * Marshal of the Royal Air Force

Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford Marshal of the Royal Air Force Charles Frederick Algernon Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford, (21 May 1893 – 22 April 1971) was a senior Royal Air Force officer. He served as a bomber pilot in the First World War, and rose to become f ...

(1893–1971), Chief of the Air Staff *Admiral Sa Zhenbing (1859–1952), Premier of the Republic of China, Chief of the Republic of China Navy *

Prince Arisugawa Takehito was the 10th head of a cadet branch of the Japanese imperial family and a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy. Early life Prince Takehito was born in Kyoto as a scion of the house, one of the ''shinnōke'' branches of the Imperial ...

(1862–1913), of the Japanese imperial family, a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy *Rear Admiral

David Watson Taylor David Watson Taylor (March 4, 1864 – July 28, 1940) was a U.S. naval architect and an engineer of the United States Navy. He served during World War I as Chief Constructor of the Navy, and Chief of the Bureau of Construction and Repair. Ta ...

(1864–1940), naval architect and engineer of the United States Navy *Admiral of the Fleet

Tōgō Heihachirō Marshal-Admiral Marquis , served as a '' gensui'' or admiral of the fleet in the Imperial Japanese Navy and became one of Japan's greatest naval heroes. He claimed descent from Samurai Shijo Kingo, and he was an integral part of preserving ...

(1848–1934), Imperial Japanese Navy *Admiral of the Fleet Lord Tovey (1885–1971) * Sir Patrick Wall (1916–1998), Royal Marines commando and Conservative politician *

Josiah Wedgwood, 1st Baron Wedgwood Colonel Josiah Clement Wedgwood, 1st Baron Wedgwood, (16 March 1872 – 26 July 1943), sometimes referred to as Josiah Wedgwood IV, was a British Liberal and Labour politician who served in government under Ramsay MacDonald. He was a promine ...

(1872–1943), Liberal and later Labour politician

Since decommissioning

Now known as the

, the college's former buildings are open to the public and are the home of three attractions; the

Painted Hall The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as being of "outstanding ...

, the Chapel, and the Discover Greenwich visitor centre. The site has also been used as a film location, appearing in ''

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

'' (2009) and ''The Foreigner'' (2017) and as the setting for the final clash on Earth in '' Thor: The Dark World''.