Admiralty in the 16th century


The Admiralty and Marine Affairs Office originally known as the Admiralty Office was a government office of the Kingdom of England and the English Navy's central command. It was first established in 1414 when the remaining regional admiralties, the Northern and Western were abolished and their functions were unified under a single centralized command. It was administered by the Office of the High Admiral of England, Ireland and Aquitaine later called the Lord Admiral of England. During the sixteenth century it oversaw the creation of standing "Navy Royal", with its own secretariat, dockyards and a permanent core of purpose-built warships, originated in the early 16th century during the reign of Henry VIII. Under Elizabeth I England became involved in a war with Spain, which saw privately owned ships combining with the Royal Navy in highly profitable raids against Spanish commerce and colonies.
In 1588, Philip II of Spain sent the Spanish Armada against England to end English support for Dutch rebels, to stop English corsair activity and to depose the Protestant Elizabeth I and restore Catholicism to England. The Spaniards sailed from Lisbon, planning to escort an invasion force from the Spanish Netherlands but the scheme failed due to poor planning, English harrying, blocking action by the Dutch, and severe storms. A Counter Armada, known as the English Armada, was dispatched to the Iberian coast in 1589, but failed to drive home the advantage England had won upon the dispersal of the Spanish Armada in the previous year. The Admiralty of England existed until 1707 when Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland united to form the single Kingdom of Great Britain when it then became known as the Admiralty Department or Admiralty of Great Britain.

Historical overview

first established a navy for England in the ninth century. Navies during the very early Middle Ages were temporary naval formations of merchant ships requisitioned by the monarch as a feudal duty. In 1050 King Edward the Confessor established a framework for naval service to the crown by assigning ports located on the English Channel the name given to them was the Cinque Ports that consisted of a readily available Cinque Port Fleet. The King's council controlled naval matters until the institution of a Lord Admiral or High Admiral formed after 1360. Prior to 1414 naval and judicial administration and operations was divided into specific geographical areas each commanded by an admiral responsible for one of the three seas, North, South and West that surround the British Isles. They were Northern Admiralty, the Northern and Southern Admiralty, the Northern and Western Admiralty,, the Western Admiralty, and the Southern Admiralty,, and the Southern Northern and Western Admiralty,. In 1414 these remaining regional admiralty North and West was abolished and its functions and jurisdiction were centralized under a single Admiralty Office. However regional commands didn't entirely disappear such as the Narrow Seas Admiralty, established in 1412 it remained within the navy as a sub-commands to the higher office of the Lord High Admiral usually administered by a vice-admiral.
The English experiment of different types of government began to develop during this period. The monarch's leading advisers became the Privy Council of England, the central body of the government of the Tudors and the Stuarts. Originally, this was a select group of the full royal council, but in time, the full council became too large for effective government. The monarch's principal private secretary was responsible for all administrative functions of the crown whilst the Treasurer of the Royal Court was in effect its chief of finance and responsible for all functions of finance relating to accounting and auditing.
In 1546 as the English Navy was expanding there was at this point no official body set up the manage it effectively this led to the creation of council of advisers to the Lord Admiral of England known as the 'Council of the Marine' formed by group of court officials with the consent of King Henry VIII that would act as an advisory committee, this council would evolve into the Navy Board. This new Navy Office would be the first permanent attempt to establish effective naval administration the board's remit was the construction of ships, the maintenance of ships including repairs and the control and administering the Royal Dockyards
The origins of the Navy Board really date in the first quarter of the 16th century when the Keeper of the King's Ships the predecessor then later subordinate office of the Lord Admiral of England was joined by a Keeper of the King's Storehouses. As management of the navy began to expand he was joined by a third officer the Treasurer of Marine Causes. In 1545 a fourth officer was created about this time the group worked as a body called the Council of the Marine. The Navy Board was officially appointed by letters patent by Henry VIII on the 24 April 1546 that was initially directed by the Lieutenant of the Admiralty until 1557. the board was charged with overseeing the administrative affairs of the navy, they effectively would provide the money for the Royal Navy, however financial spending and financial administration would remain the responsibility of the Navy Board.

Organization sixteenth century

Note: This article primarily deals with the structure of the English Navy during the sixteenth century however certain offices or units illustrated were established from much earlier dates.

Commander in chief's armed forces of England, (1500-1599)

Civil and military advisers to the commander-in-chief

Privy Council of England (1066-1707)

The Privy Council of England, also known as His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, was a body of advisers to the sovereign of the Kingdom of England. Its members were often senior members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, together with leading churchmen, judges, diplomats and military leaders.
The Privy Council of England was a powerful institution, advising the Sovereign on the exercise of the Royal prerogative and on the granting of Royal charters. It issued executive orders known as Orders in Council and also had judicial functions. The Lord Admiral of England was a member of the privy council.

High Admirals/Lord Admirals of England, (1385-1638)

The office of the Lord High Admiral of England was first established in 1385 with the title High Admiral of England, Ireland and Aquitaine by 1406 the post was now national and permanent the title was re-styled Lord Admiral of England during the sixteenth century before becoming known as the Lord High Admiral from the seventeenth century onward. He is the titular head of the English Navy. Most have been courtiers or members of the Royal Family, and not professional naval officers. The office of Lord High Admiral is one of the nine English Great Officers of State. His official duties were the Vice-Admiral of England created in 1410 initially in charge of civil and judicial administration of the admiralty courts and he served as head of the High Court of Admiralty but also naval operations. In 1545 the Council of the Marine was established to take over responsibilities for civil administration of the navy this was to be directed by a second assistant to the Lord Admiral known as the Lieutenant of the Admiralty he assumed the civil responsibilities of the Vice-Admiral of England leaving him to just concentrate on judicial administration.

High Admiral of England, Ireland and Aquitaine, 1500-1512">List of Lord High Admirals (United Kingdom)#High Admirals of England, Ireland and Aquitaine 1385 to 1512">High Admiral of England, Ireland and Aquitaine, 1500-1512

Lord Admirals of England, 1512-1638">List of Lord High Admirals (United Kingdom)#Lord Admirals of England, 1512-1638">Lord Admirals of England, 1512-1638

Vice-Admiral of England, 1500-1599">Vice-Admiral of England">Vice-Admiral of England, 1500-1599
Lieutenant of the Admiralty, 1545-1599">Lieutenant of the Admiralty">Lieutenant of the Admiralty, 1545-1599
This office is merged with Vice Admiral of England in 1672.

English Navy/Navy Royal

The English Navy is the branch of a Kingdom of England's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or sea and ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It was administered by the Admiralty of England. By 1536 it was referred to as the "Navy Royal", and other modern historians often refer to it as the Tudor Navy during this period.

Admiralty of England

The Admiralty of England during the 16th century consisted of the Office of the Lord Admiral of England as Admiral of the English Navy and directing first the Admiralty Office the later the Admiralty and Marine Affairs Office he was supported by two deputies the Vice-Admiral of England and the Lieutenant of the Admiralty they were responsible for the control and direction of the navy in matters of naval operations, civil administration, administering logistical support and judicial administration of the navy in relation to admiralty law and the admiralty courts. In order to achieve this they were supported by the following offices and organizations.
Subordinate organizations
Prior to formation of the Council of the Marine in 1545 carrying out the civil administration of the English Navy in support of the Vice-Admiral of England responsibility originally lay with of four appointed Clerks of the Kings Marine. They were variously responsible for naval finance, ship building, safekeeping of ships and ship yards, storehouses and victualling they were the:
Offices of the Clerks of the Kings Marine, were established between
#OfficeDatesNotes/Ref
1Clerk of the Kings Ships
2Clerk Comptroller
3Keeper of the Kings Storehouses
4Treasurer of Marine Causes

#OrganizationDatesNotes/Ref
1High Court of the Admiralty
2Office of Ordnance

These officers were later joined by another three officers to formally the Kings Council of the Marine.
#OrganizationDatesNotes/Ref
1Council of the Marinecouncil members styled Chief Officers of the Admiralty
2Navy Office

Naval operations

Admirals/Vice-Admirals commanding, squadrons

Flag officers of the commanding geographic areas

The English Navy has organized the fleet into squadrons from at early 13th century and certainly during the 16th century. In 1560 three squadrons were operating in the Channel, Irish Sea and North Sea Until the 16th century, admirals were high officials under kings, and were charged with protecting the realm from sea attack.

Narrow Seas squadron (1412-1688)

The English navy's Narrow Seas Squadron also called as the Eastern Squadron mainly operated in the two seas which laying between England and Kingdom of France and England and the Spanish Netherlands later the Dutch Republic.
#PostDatesNotes/Ref
1Admiral of the Narrow Seas1552-53, 1563
2Vice-Admiral of the Narrow Seas1412, 1523–52, 1558–59, 1563, 1588-91
3Rear-Admiral of the Narrow Seas1587, 1599

Irish Sea squadron (1335-1644)

#PostDatesNotes/Ref
1Admiral of the Irish Squadron1335-1644

North Sea squadron (1543–1815)

Include:
#PostDatesNotes/Ref
1Vice-Admiral in the North Sea1543-1654

Channel squadron (1512-1746)

Included
#PostDatesNotes/Ref
1Vice-Admiral in the Channel1512-1649

Before 1864 the entire fleet of the Navy Royal was usually divided into squadrons.

Shore commands

Vice-Admiralties of the coast of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales (1536-1947)

The Vice-Admiralties of the Coast were shore commands established in maritime counties of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales in 1536. The office holders, designated as "Vice-Admirals of the Coast", were responsible for the naval administration, defence, judicial administration and recruitment of naval personnel in each of their respective counties and were deputies of the Lord High Admiral. In 1660 they came under direct control of the Board of Admiralty by the 19th century the posts were gradually phased out.

England

Ireland

Wales

#PostDatesNotes/Ref
1Vice-Admiral North Wales1565-1560
2Vice-Admiral Glamorgan1559-1576

Administrative and logistical support, (1500-1599)

Before the formation of the Council of the Marine in 1545, court officials of various monarchs of England responsible for administering the king's ships were called 'Clerks of the Kings Marine'. In 1545 a memorandum was issued by Henry VIII outlining a new organization to be called the 'Council of the Marine, formalized by Letters Patent in April 1546, and consisting of the Chief Officers of the Admiralty as they were then called. In 1578 The council of Marine is renamed the Navy Office and administered by the Navy Board. The chief officers become later known as principal officers and commissioners.

Offices of the clerks of the kings marine, (1320-1545)

Council of the marine, (1545-1578)

Navy office, (1578-1832)

Included:
#Chief OfficerDatesNotes/Ref
1Treasurer of Marine CausesHead of the council.
2Clerk Comptroller of the NavyHead of naval spending became head of the navy board in 1660
3Clerk of the Kings Ships1320-1796Head of Administration of ships of the Crown
4Keeper of the Kings StorehousesHead of Naval Stores for the navy
5Master of Naval Ordnancespecial officer assigned to the Admiralty from the Office of Ordnance
6Surveyor of Marine VictualsHead of victualling for the navy
7Surveyor and Rigger of the NavyHead ship building and design and the dockyards renamed Surveyor of the Navy in 1611

Below this organisation was all HM Naval bases and dockyards each yard was administered by a Master Shipwright who was responsible for the management of their yards until the early 17th century when the navy board starts to introduce a more qualified naval administrator called Resident Commissioners of the Navy to manage the individual dockyards as the navy expands. In 1832 when the Navy Board is abolished Resident Commissioners were re-styled Admiral-superintendents.
Naval bases and dockyards
Organization of Home Naval Base and Dockyards
#Officers of the DockyardResponsibilities
1Master Shipwright
2Master Attendant
3Storekeeper
4Clerk of the Cheque
5Clerk of the Survey

Note: Shipbuilding storehouses during this period were mainly used for masts, rigging and 'Cooperage’.
Portsmouth dockyard, (1496-present)
#LocationPostDatesRef
1Portsmouth DockyardMaster Shipwright, Portsmouth Dockyard
Woolwich dockyard, (1496-present)
#LocationPostdatesnotes/ref
1Woolwich DockyardMaster Shipwright, Woolwich Dockyard

Woolwich Dockyard first established during the reign of Henry VIII in 1512, and continued to be an operational yard until 1869. In the 16th century an historically important ship was built at the “Henry Grace a Dieu” or “Great Harry” constructed in 1514.
Deptford dockyard, (1513-1869)
Notes: Deptford dry dock, had been in regular use from the early years of Henry VIII's reign. Then known for innovative ship designing resulting in the production of a race-built warship the first of which was HMS Dreadnought launched in 1573 this led to a new phase in naval warfare. The dry dock was rebuilt in 1574.
Erith dockyard, (1514-1521)
Chatham, dockyard, (1567-1960)

Office of ordnance, (1415-1597)

Office of Ordnance
Notes:An Office of Ordnance was first created in 1415 in 1683 the Board of Ordnance was formed. In 1685 it became a civil Department of State.

Officers of the Ordnance

Office of ordnance, (1597-1599)

Notes: Below this organisation were H.M. Ordnance yards and stores each had its on Senior Ordnance Officers.
Ordnance yards and stores
Home Ordnance Yards
#LocationPostDatesNotes/Ref
1The Gun Wharf, Chatham DockyardStorekeeper of the Gun Wharf Chatham Dockyard

Gunpowder Magazines Stores
#LocationPostDatesNotes/Ref
1Tower of London, LondonStorekeeper of the Powder Stores, Tower of London
2Square Tower, PortsmouthStorekeeper of the Powder Stores Portsmouth Dockyard

Judicial administration

In the 19th and 20th centuries referred to as the Justice Department of the Royal Navy.

High court of the admiralty

England's Admiralty courts date to at least the 1340s, during the reign of Edward III. At that time there were three such courts, appointed by Admirals responsible for waters to the Admiral of the North, Admiral of the South and Admiral of the West of England. In 1483 it absorbed the jurisdiction of the deputies and courts these regional courts eventually amalgamated into a single High Court of Admiralty, administered by the Lord High Admiral of England. The Lord High Admiral directly appointed judges to the court, and could remove them at will. From its inception in 1483 until 1657 the Court sat in a disused church in Southwark, and from then until 1665 in Montjoy House, a private premises leased from the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral. The function of an admiralty court initially in the 14th century was to deal with piracy and other offences committed upon the high seas. However, it did not take long for those early courts to seek to manifest control over all things to do with shipping, such as mercantile matters. This led to a running battle between the admiralty courts and the common law courts as to which court had jurisdiction over particular issues.
#PostDatesNotes/Ref
1Lord Admiral of England1360-currentAppointed the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty
2Vice-Admiral of England and Deputy High Admiral1410-currentAssisted the Lord Admiral and responsible for administering the Vice-Admiralty courts
3High Court of the Admiralty1340-1875

Vice-admiralty courts

As a Vice-Admiral, the post holder was the chief of naval administration for his district. His responsibilities included, deciding the outcome of the Prize court, dealing with salvage claims for wrecks, acting as a judge in relation to maritime issues.
The Vice Admiralty Court was a prerogative court established in the early 16th. A vice-admiralty court is in effect an admiralty court. The word “vice” in the name of the court denoted that the court represented the Lord Admiral of the United Kingdom. In English legal theory, the Lord Admiral, as vice-regal of the monarch, was the only person who had authority over matters relating to the sea. the holder of the post Vice-Admiral of the Coast was responsible for the defence of one of the twenty maritime counties of England, the North and South of Wales. The Lord Admiral would authorize others as his deputies or surrogates to act. Generally, he would appoint a person as a judge to sit in the court as his surrogate.