Admiral-superintendent

{{Navalranks}}

The admiral-superintendent{{cite web|title=Royal Naval dockyard staff|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-naval-dockyard-staff/|website=nationalarchives.gov.uk|publisher=The National Archives, UK, 2016|accessdate=3 November 2016}} 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 (or captain of the port from 1969).

Some smaller dockyards, such as Sheerness and Pembroke,{{cite book|last1=Carradice|first1=Phil|title=The Ships of Pembroke Dockyard|date=2013|publisher=Amberley|location=Stroud, Gloucs.}} had a captain-superintendent{{cite web|title=Royal Naval dockyard staff|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-naval-dockyard-staff/|website=nationalarchives.gov.uk|publisher=The National Archives, UK, 2016|accessdate=3 November 2016}} instead, whose deputy was styled commander of the dockyard. The appointment of a commodore-superintendent{{cite book|last1=Stewart|first1=William|title=Admirals of the World: A Biographical Dictionary, 1500 to the Present|date=2009|publisher=McFarland|location=Jefferson, N.C.|isbn=9780786438099|page=47|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZFeQBQAAQBAJ&q=commodore+superintendent&pg=PA47|language=en}} was also made from time to time in certain yards.

The appointment of admiral-superintendents (or their junior equivalents) 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.

In the Royal Naval Dockyards, admiral-superintendents ceased to be appointed after 15 September 1971, and existing post-holders were renamed port admirals.{{cite web|title=Portsmouth Royal Dockyard Historical Trust|url=http://portsmouthdockyard.org.uk/timeline/details/1971-admiral-superintendents-become-port-admirals}} This followed the appointment of a (civilian) Chief Executive of the Royal Dockyards in September 1969{{cite web|title=House of Commons 15 October 1969|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1969/oct/15/naval-dockyards-chief-executive|date=15 October 1969|website=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)}} and the creation of a centralised Royal Dockyards Management Board.{{cite web|title=House of Commons 27 July 1971|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1971/jul/27/royal-dockyards|date=27 July 1971|website=Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)}}

Admiral-superintendents

List of admiral-superintendents by first appointment date. Appointed by the Navy Board until 1832 and the Board of Admiralty thereafter.

  • Admiral-Superintendent, Plymouth, 1707–1712, 1832–1966{{cite web|title=Naval Biographical Database|url=http://www.navylist.org/risk.htm|website=navylist.org|publisher=Navylist.org, 2004|accessdate=4 November 2016}}
  • Admiral-Superintendent, Chatham, 1879–1951{{cite web|title=Naval Biographical Database|url=http://www.navylist.org/risk.htm|website=navylist.org|publisher=Navylist.org, 2004|accessdate=4 November 2016}}
  • Admiral-superintendent, Malta, 1832–1897{{cite web|title=Naval Biographical Database|url=http://www.navylist.org/risk.htm|website=navylist.org|publisher=Navylist.org, 2004|accessdate=4 November 2016}}
  • Admiral-superintendent, Portsmouth, 1832–1996{{cite web|last1=Harley|first1=Simon|last2=Lovell|first2=Tony|title=Admirals Superintendent of Portsmouth Dockyard|url=http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Portsmouth_Royal_Dockyard|publisher=The Dreadnought Project, 26 September 2016|accessdate=3 November 2016}}{{cite web|title=1832 - First Admiral Superintendent Appointed|url=http://portsmouthdockyard.org.uk/timeline/details/1832-first-admiral-superintendent-appointed|website=portsmouthdockyard.org.uk/|publisher=Portsmouth Royal Dockyard Historical Trust, 2015|accessdate=4 November 2016}}
  • Admiral-Superintendent, Naval Reserves, 1875–1903{{cite web|title=Naval Biographical Database|url=http://www.navylist.org/risk.htm|website=navylist.org|publisher=Navylist.org, 2004|accessdate=4 November 2016}}
  • Admiral-Superintendent, Devonport, 1846–1970
  • Admiral-Superintendent, Gibraltar, 1898–1945
  • Admiral-Superintendent, Rosyth Dockyard, 1915–1944
  • Admiral-Superintendent of Esquimalt Dockyard (Victoria, British Columbia)
  • Admiral-Superintendent of Halifax Dockyard
  • Admirals-Superintendent on the Clyde

Commodore-superintendents

List of commodore-superintendents by first appointment date. All appointed by the Board of Admiralty.

  • Commodore-Superintendent, Halifax, 1759-1905?{{cite book|last1=Mayne|first1=Richard O.|title=Betrayed: Scandal, Politics, and Canadian Naval Leadership|date=2011|publisher=UBC Press|isbn=9780774840132|page=117|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OymFnRbB2IUC&q=Commodore+superintendent%2C+Halifax&pg=PA117|language=en}}
  • Commodore-Superintendent, Bermuda, 1795-1834?{{cite book|title=The Navy List 1834|date=26 Sep 2006|publisher=Originally H.M. Stationery Office, Digitized by University of Michigan|page=137}}

Captain-Superintendents

List of captain-superintendents by first appointment date. Appointed by the Navy Board until 1832 and the Board of Admiralty thereafter.

  • Captain-Superintendent, Sheerness, 1799-1934
  • Captain-Superintendent, Pembroke, 1882-1926
  • Captain-Superintendent, Haulbowline, 1869-1923
  • Captain-Superintendent, Woolwich, 1512-1869

References