EMAS TOUR OF THE ROYAL HISTORIC DOCKYARD
AT CHATHAM
Saturday, 21st March 2015
On Saturday, 21st March, Dr Chris Ware will lead a tour around the Historic Dockyard at Chatham.
He is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History at Greenwich University and he was formerly at
the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. Some of you remember the splendid tour he gave us
there a couple of years ago.
Before its closure in 1984, the Royal Naval Dockyard on the River Medway was responsible for the
construction of some of our most famous sailing ships such as HMS Victory, which EMAS has
previously visited at Portsmouth. The dockyard covered some 400 acres and has shipbuilding records
going back to 1646. The far eastern part of the dockyard is still a commercial port, but a very
significant part of the old dockyard has been restored and opened up as a “museum” to commemorate
the period when sailing ships ruled the waves.
Chris Ware will introduce us to the geography of the Historic Dockyard and explain how the site
functioned. Our tour will include Wooden Walls, where the working life of the 18 th century dockyard
is recreated; The Big Store a covered slipway that displays large objects from the dockyard; the
Officers’ Houses that can only be viewed from the exterior; the Smithery and the Ropeyard which is in
fact a Georgian and Victorian rope-making factory. There are other areas to explore, but we will not
have time to include the three historic warships in our tour.
We will spend the morning touring the Historic Dockyard and then break for lunch which is available
at the Dockyard. After lunch we will re-assemble for a special tour of the Ropeyard. Afterwards there
will be a little time for people to explore on their own. Obviously this tour will involve a fair amount
of walking, though it will all be on the flat.
A small coach will pick us up from beside the EMBANKMENT TUBE STATION at 8am.
The cost of this tour, including entry fees which are quite substantial, is £34.00 for EMAS members
and £37.40 for non members. Cheques payable to EMAS.
If you wish to join this tour please fill in the attached slip and return it to Rosemary Yeaxlee as soon
as possible, as numbers have to be limited.
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EMAS Tour of Chatham Historic Dockyard
Saturday, 21st March 2015
EMBANKMENT TUBE STATION 8:00am
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I/We enclose cheque for £ ___________________
R.Y’s mobile no. 07931 998469
(Cheques made payable to EMAS).
Please send to: Rosemary Yeaxlee, 50 School Lane, Gerrards Cross, Bucks SL9 9BB.