The Architectural and Engineering Works Department was the main civil engineering department of the British

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were foug ...

responsible constructing, and maintaining naval buildings, dockyards, ports and managing civil engineering staff from 1837 to 1919 it was superseded by the Civil Engineer in Chief's Department.

History

A specific post with responsibility for the navies expanding civil works programs led to the creation of an Inspector-General of Naval Works in 1796 who's managed civil engineering works in the

dockyards A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...

under the supervision of the

Navy Board The Navy Board (formerly known as the Council of the Marine or Council of the Marine Causes) was the commission responsible for the day-to-day civil administration of the Royal Navy between 1546 and 1832. The board was headquartered within the ...

. In 1813 the department was renamed to Department of the Surveyor of Buildings administered by the Surveyor of Buildings. Following the abolition of the Navy Board the department was placed under Admiralty control. In 1837 the department, it was renamed the Architectural and Engineering Works Department under a then new Director of Works responsible to the Civil Lord Civil Lord of the Admiralty who managed the Royal Navy's buildings and works departments and land estates. . In 1919 the department was renamed the Civil Engineer in Chief's Department. In January 1960 it became the Navy Works Department under a Director-General, Navy Works. In April 1963 the department ceased to exist when responsibility for building and civil engineering works for the armed services was transferred to the Ministry of Public Building and Works, later

Department of the Environment An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment, ...

Head of department

Civil Architect

:Incomplete list of post holders included: *Mr. G. L. Taylor Esq. 1837–1837

Superintendent of Works, Buildings, and Machinery

:Incomplete list of post holders included: * Captain H. R. Brandreth, RE. 1840–1844

Director of Architectural and Engineering Naval Works

:Incomplete list of post holders included: *Captain H. R. Brandreth, RE. 1845

Timeline

* Navy Board, Inspector General of Naval Works, 1796–1813 * Navy Board, Surveyor of Buildings, 1813–1832 * Board of Admiralty, Surveyor of Buildings, 1832–1837 * Board of Admiralty, Architectural and Engineering Works Department, 1837–1919 * Board of Admiralty, Civil Engineer in Chiefs Department, 1919–1960 * Board of Admiralty, Navy Works Department, 1960–1963

References

Sources

* Archives, The National. "Admiralty: Architectural and Engineering Works Department, later Civil Engineer in Chief's Department: Photographs of Works". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives UK, ADM 195, 1857-1961. * Morriss, Roger (2004). Naval Power and British Culture, 1760-1850: Public Trust and Government Ideology. Farnham, England: Ashgate. . * "REVIEWS The Royal Dockyards 1690-1850: Architecture and Engineering Works of the Sailing Nav". The Mariner's Mirror. The Society for Nautical Research. Vols: 76-77: 285. 1990. {{Admiralty Department, state=collapsed Admiralty departments 1837 establishments in the United Kingdom 1919 disestablishments in the United Kingdom