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Portsmouth Royal Dockyard Historic Trust
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    • Links
  • History
    • Dockyard People
    • Gallery
    • Chronology
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    • Development of Functions and Customs
  • Online Museum
    • Oral History
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Dockyard Timeline

A history in words and pictures of the Royal Dockyard Portsmouth.

Home
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  • About the Trust
    • History of the Trust
    • Members Page
    • Bibliography
    • Volunteer Support Group
    • Links
  • History
    • Dockyard People
    • Gallery
    • Chronology
    • Personal Accounts
    • Development of Functions and Customs
  • Online Museum
    • Oral History
    • Exhibitions
    • Docking Register
    • Employment Register
    • Trident Paper
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  • 1984

    1984 - Portsmouth Dockyard becomes Fleet Maintenance & Repair Organisation
    01/10/1984

    1st October. Portsmouth Royal Dockyard became Fleet Maintenance and Repair Base. Staff reduced to 2,800 (see 1981).
  • 1984

    1984 - Prince Charles Opens Mary Rose Museum
    1984

    Prince Charles opened “Mary Rose” Museum in No. 5 Boathouse (see 1882).
  • 1985

    1985 - Submarine HOLLAND 1 Salvaged
    12/1985

    In December “Holland I” salvaged of Eddystone Lighthouse and brought to the Submarine Museum Gosport (see 1902).
    1985 - Submarine HOLLAND 1 Salvaged
  • 1985

    1985 - Complement of RMAS
    10/1985

    In October it was reported that the complement of the RMAS (Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service) at Portsmouth was: Officers - 110 in various departments of Deck, Engineering, Diving and Electrical including 14... more information
  • 1986

    1986 - Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust Established
    1986

    The Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust was set up to take on the lease of the Heritage Area ( in the Naval Base) that was to become known as Portsmouth Historic... more information
  • 1987

    1987 - Arrival of HMS WARRIOR (1860)
    16/06/1987

    16th June. Arrival of HMS “Warrior”, (1860) ironclad, and the only surviving British battleship. She had suffered years of neglect since being laid up in 1883 for use as part of HMS ... more information
    1987 - Arrival of HMS WARRIOR (1860)
  • 1987

    1987 - New Grading Structure for Managerial Staff
    02/06/1987

    2nd June 1987. Change in the production system of management. The titles of Foremen, Inspectors and Chargemen of Trades were abolished; they became Professional Technical Officers (PTO’s). Foremen of Trades... more information
  • 1987

    1987 - HMS SWIFTSURE Dry-docked
    19/10/1987

    19th October. HMS Swiftsure became the First Nuclear Submarine to be dry docked at Portsmouth in C Lock. The Lock and dock side were specially adapted to cater for the... more information
  • 1988

    1988 - Round the Basin Race
    26/05/1988

    26th May. Round the Basin Race. 157 runners took part in a race around No.3 Basin ( a distance of 1½ miles) to raise money for Queen Alexandra Hospital Body Scanner Appeal. The... more information
  • 1989

    1989 - No. 7 Dock Filled-in
    1989

    No. 7 Dock filled in.
  • 1989

    1989 - Last Dockyard Diver
    21/01/1989

    21st January. The last underwater dive by a dockyard diver using the standard diving dress was made by Mr. Eric Walker in the waters of No.10 Dry Dock at the... more information
  • 1989

    1989 - Last Steam-driven RMAS Vessel Pays-off
    05/1989

    May. The last Steam driven vessel in the RMAS in this country is paid off. YC484 was a Dumb class mooring and salvage vessel built at Bolsons shipyard in Poole... more information
    1989 - Last Steam-driven RMAS Vessel Pays-off
  • 1989

    1989 - No. 2 Basin Re-opened
    05/1989

    May. No. 2. Basin re-opened. Admiral Sir William Staveley, First Sea Lord, unveiled a commemorative plaque that officially re-opened No.2 Basin. With the closure of HMS Vernon, Mine Counter Measures Vessels ... more information
  • 1990

    1990 - Closure of Priddy’s Hard
    05/1990

    May saw the closure of the Royal Naval Armaments Depot at Priddy’s Hard, ending 250 years of service. The 25 acre site was offered to the Gosport Bough Council.
  • 1990

    1990 - Sirius Sculpture in Cascades Shopping Centre
    1990

    Unveiling of “Sirius” sculpture in Cascades Shopping Centre. This sculpture was given by Ku-ring-gai Council, Australia and commemorates both the ship (see 1939-45, &1963) and the sailing of the First... more information
  • 1990

    1990 - The Gulf War - Iraq Invades Kuwait
    02/08/1990

    2nd August. Iraq invades Kuwait. 6-7th September. Parliament is recalled from the Summer recess; MPs back government’s anti-Iraq stand in the Gulf.
  • 1991

    1991 - Ships for the Gulf War
    1991

    Ships made ready for the Gulf War by Dockyard.
  • 1991

    1991 - HMS UPHOLDER Docked
    26/03/1991

    26th March. H.M. submarine Upholder was dry docked in C Lock. She was the first of the class that consisted of four boats. They were conventional submarines designated Type 2400.... more information
    1991 - HMS UPHOLDER Docked
  • 1991

    1991 - Royal Marines Leave Portsmouth
    1991

    Royal Marines leave Portsmouth after 236 years. (See 1755).
  • 1991

    1991 - F.M.R.O. Families’ Day
    19/05/1991

    19th May. The FMRO holds its first families day that proved to be a tremendous success with all the workers and their families.
  • 1992

    1992- Replacement of Clock Tower on No. 10 Store
    05/1992

    Replacement of Clock Tower on No. 10 store (destroyed by bombing in 1941) completed in May.
  • 1993

    1993 - Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust Plans
    11/1993

    In November, the Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust announce Plans to spend over £2,000,000 on The Porters Lodge, a new Visitors Centre and No 7 Boathouse.
  • 1993

    1993 - The Last Flag Officer Portsmouth Takes Over
    12/10/1993

    12th October. Rear-Admiral Neil Rankin succeeded Rear-Admiral David Bawtree as Flag Officer Portsmouth and Naval Base Commander. He was destined to be the last Rear-Admiral to hold this Office; its... more information
  • 1994

    1994 - New Victory Building Opened
    25/03/1994

    25th March. The new Victory building was opened. This was the Headquarters of the Second Sea Lord and his Staff who had been moved from London and integrated with CINCNAVHOME.
  • 1996

    1996 - Closure of HMS VERNON
    04/1996

    April. HMS Vernon the Navy’s mine and diving school closed. It had been transferred to the Royal Navy from the War Department in 1923, although the Royal Navy had made... more information
  • 1996

    1996 - Closure of HMS DAEDALUS
    31/07/1996

    31st July. HMS Daedalus, the Royal Naval Air Station at Lee-on-the-Solent, closes. It started life in 1917 during the First World War when the Royal Naval Air Service was in its... more information
  • 1998

    1998 - F.M.R.O. taken over by Fleet Support Limited
    28/02/1998

    23rd February. Vosper Thornycroft signed an agreement to begin a 125 year lease of part of the Naval Base. 28th February. The Fleet Maintenance and Repair Organisation (FMRO) was taken over... more information
  • 1998

    1998 - International Festival Of the Sea
    1998

    Portsmouth Naval Base hosts the IFOS (International Festival of the Sea).
  • 2006

    2006 - Naming of HMS CLYDE
    07/09/2006

    7th September. The Offshore Patrol Vessel (Helicopter) HMS Clyde was named by Mrs Lesley Hunt. HMS CLYDE was built in the Vosper Thornycroft shipbuilding complex on the site of No.13... more information
  • 2007

    2007 - Bow Section of DIAMOND Completed
    02/05/2007

    2nd May. Bow section of the new Type 45 destroyer Diamond leaves Portsmouth for BAE (Systems, Surface Fleet Solutions), Govan, Scotland. The 50 metre section left VT Shipbuilding Complex,Portsmouth on the ... more information
  • 2007

    2007 - Building of Two New Aircraft Carriers Announced
    25/07/2007

    25th July. Ministry of Defence confirmed the building of the two proposed super aircraft carriers to be named Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales at a cost of £3.8 billion, parts... more information
  • 2008

    2008 - Contract Signed for New Aircraft Carriers
    03/07/2008

    3rd July. The contract for building the two new super carriers, to be called Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales was signed today on board the aircraft carrier HMS Ark... more information
  • 2009

    2009 - HMS DARING Enters Service
    28/01/2009

    28th January. HMS Daring the first of the Royal Navy’s new Type 45 destroyers entered Portsmouth Naval Base at 1320. Large crowds had gathered to see her as she passed the... more information
    2009 - HMS DARING Enters Service
  • 2009

    2009 - Wreck of HMS VICTORY Found
    02/02/2009

    2nd & 3rd February. It was announced in the News that the wreck of 100 gun ship-of-the-line, HMS Victory, had been found by the Florida-based firm of Odyssey Marine Exploration. This 100... more information
  • 2010 Aug

    2010 - Last ever NAVY DAYS
    2010 Aug

    ‘Navy Days’ were a tradition dating back to the 1920’s when the Royal Dockyards were open to the public for ‘Navy Week’. These events were held every year (except during... more information
  • 2011

    2011 - Nelson’s Eye
    2011

    ​A 170 year old figurehead of naval hero Admiral Lord Nelson had it’s right eye removed during a makeover. The alteration has been made to the bust in the dockyard... more information
  • 2012

    2012 - Arson In the Dockyard Returned
    2012

    A Royal Navy chef who burgled a shop in Portsmouth Dockyard before setting light to it was sentenced to three years in military prison. ... He was charged with burglary and... more information
  • 2013

    2013 - Shipbuilding Ends in the Dockyard
    11/2013

    It was announced that ship building in the Dockyard will end. BAE Systems said they would relocate to Scotland. Almost 1,000 jobs were put at risk but workers still managed to... more information
  • 2014

    2014 - HMS M33 arrives for restoration.
    2014

    HMS M33 will be brought back to life in time to be a part of the centenary commemorations of the Gallipoli Campaign in 2015.
    2014 - HMS M33  arrives for restoration.
  • 2015

    2015 - Modifications to Middle Slip Jetty
    2015

    Work by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) to ready Portsmouth Naval Base for the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers is well underway. As part of the project... more information
  • 2016

    2016 - Mary Rose Museum Re-opens
    2016

    Mary Rose Museum Re-opens in its new building.
  • 2017

    2017 - HMS Queen Elizabeth Commissioned
    7/12/2017

    HMS Queen Elizabeth was commissioned by Her Majesty into the Royal Navy fleet on 7th December 2017.
    2017 - HMS Queen Elizabeth Commissioned
  • 2019

    2019 - UK’s newest aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales arrives in Portsmouth.
    16/11/2019

    UK’s newest aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales R09 arrives in Portsmouth, her home port, and is to be commissioned into the Royal Navy at a ceremony in Portsmouth... more information
    2019 - UK’s newest aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales arrives in Portsmouth.
  • 2020

    2020 - The National Heritage Lottery Fund Supports ‘The Triangle Girls’
    01/2020

    PRDHT is pleased to announce that, following support from a number of widely respected local and national organisations, we have received a grant of £7,000.00 from the National Heritage Lottery Fund... more information
    2020 - The National Heritage Lottery Fund Supports ‘The Triangle Girls’
  • 2020

    2020 - ‘People of Portsmouth’ by Jess McIntosh.
    6/2020

    The Trust hosted a lady called Jess who was in the middle of her University Degree and dissertation. Jess ultimately attained a First Class Degree with her film. So, Portsmouth... more information
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