Chemical Department (Royal Navy) facts for kids
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| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1870 |
| Preceding Department |
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| Dissolved | 1977 |
| Superseding agency |
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| Jurisdiction | Government of the United Kingdom |
| Headquarters | Haslar, Portsmouth, England |
| Parent Department | Admiralty, Navy Department |
The Chemical Department was an important part of the British Admiralty, which managed the Royal Navy. Later, it was known as the Central Dockyard Laboratory. Its main job was to test things like oils, metals, and paints. This helped make sure everything used by the Royal Navy was strong and worked well. The department was located in Portsmouth, England, and operated from 1870 to 1977.
History of the Department
The Chemical Department started in 1867. Back then, it was just one person, called the Admiralty Chemist. By 1870, their work grew a lot. Because of this, a whole department was created. It had more researchers and office staff.
In 1956, some tasks from the Central Metallurgical Laboratory moved to this department. That's when its name changed to the Central Dockyard Laboratory. Later, in 1977, it joined with the Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment. However, it still worked as a special part of that bigger group. The department helped the Navy with many things. This included studying metals, chemicals, biology, and paint. They also researched reactor chemistry.
Admiralty Chemists
The Admiralty Chemist was the main scientist in charge of the department. Some of the people who held this important job were:
- Dr William John Hay, from 1867 to 1874
- Dr William Weston, from 1874 to 1904
- Dr Arnold Philip, from 1904 to 1926
- Dr Frank George Edmed, from 1926 to 1940
This list shows some, but not all, of the people who were Admiralty Chemists.
Department Timeline
This timeline shows how the department's name and parent organizations changed over the years:
- Board of Admiralty, Office of the Admiralty Chemist (1867-1870)
- Board of Admiralty, Chemical Department (1870-1965)
- Board of Admiralty, Central Dockyard Laboratory (1965-1977)
- Ministry of Defence, Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment (AMTE) (1977-1984)
- Ministry of Defence, Admiralty Research Establishment (ARE) (1984-1991)
- Ministry of Defence, Defence Research Agency (1991-1995)
See also
