Pembroke Dockyard


Pembroke Dockyard and originally called Pater Yard was a former Royal Navy Dockyard in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

History

It was founded in 1814, although not formally authorized until the Prince Regent signed the necessary Order in Council on 31 October 1815, and was known as Pater Yard until 1817. The Mayor of Pembroke had requested the change 'in deference to the town of Pembroke some distant'.
The site selected for the dockyard was greenfield land and the closest accommodations were in Pembroke. Office space was provided by the old frigate after she was beached. The Royal Marine garrison was housed in the hulked 74-gun ship,, after she was run aground in 1832. Many of the workmen commuted by boat from nearby communities until Pembroke Dock town was built up.
After the end of the First World War, the dockyard was closed by the cash-strapped Admiralty as redundant in 1926. The Royal Air Force, however, built its RAF Pembroke Dock on the site during the 1930s to house its flying boats, demolishing many of the existing buildings to make room for the necessary hangars and other facilities.

Administration of the dockyard

The admiral-superintendent was the Royal Navy officer in command of a larger Naval Dockyard. Portsmouth, Devonport and Chatham all had admiral-superintendents, as did some other dockyards in the United Kingdom and abroad at certain times. The admiral-superintendent usually held the rank of rear-admiral. His deputy was the captain of the dockyard.
Some smaller dockyards, such as Sheerness and Pembroke, had a captain-superintendent instead, whose deputy was styled commander of the dockyard. The appointment of a commodore-superintendent was also made from time to time in certain yards.
The appointment of admiral-superintendents dates from 1832 when the Admiralty took charge of the Royal Dockyards. Prior to this larger dockyards were overseen by a commissioner who represented the Navy Board.

Resident Commissioner of the Navy, Pater Yard (1830-1832)

Included:
Included: