Historic Dockyards, Chatham, Kent - Part 3

 Wrapping up this particular posting

Here we are having a look around the lifeboat museum

the inside of an ancient craft 

To think there was a time when the only craft available was a rowing boat

and the time when the boat had to be pulled down the slipway by a horse

pretty old steam engines which were exciting for a little boy

We are now at the Commissioner,s house and even the criss crossing of the box hedges proves another adventure for a child 

The Commissioner of the dockyard lived here

now used for weddings and the like

and in the garden the old ice-house

This dockyard has been used for dozens and dozens of films and TV productions - currently being used for

'Call the Midwife' (Oliver does not quite fit the bicycle)

The Historic Dockyard Chatham has been used for many cinema and television productions - ranging from Les Miserables (2012) and The Golden Compass (2007) to Call the Midwife and The Antiques Roadshow.

Cinema

• Les Miserables (2012)
• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
• Veer (2010)
• Sherlock Holmes (2009)
• The Bank Job (2008)
• Pierrepoint (2005)
• The Golden Compass (2007)
• Amazing Grace (2006)
• Children of Men (2006)
• Vanity Fair (2004)
• The World is Not Enough (1999)
• The Mummy (1999)
• Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Television

Drama

• Call the Midwife (series 1-3 plus Christmas specials 2012 and 2013)
• Mr Selfridge (series 1 and 2)
• Downton Abbey
• Crimson Petal and the White
• Foyles War
• Oliver Twist
• Vanity Fair
• Victoria & Albert
• Tipping the Velvet
• Our Mutual Friend
• Mill on the Floss
• A Christmas Carol
• Around the World in 80 Days
• Foyles War
• Canterbury Tales
• No Bananas
• Cats Eyes
• Wish me Luck 

 General TV & Documentaries    

• The Antiques Roadshow (2 episodes)
• Countryfile
• The One Show (2 episodes)
• Football Focus
• Pub Dig
• Mud Men 
• Countrywise
• Coast (2 episodes)
• Lost Routes of Britain
• Time Team
• How Britain Worked with Guy Martin
• The British at Work with Kirsty Young
• Ackroyds London
• Dunkirk
• Great British Railway Journeys with Michael Portillo
• Most Haunted

Children's

• Art Attack
• 
  
• The Ropery is a special attraction here where one can see rope being made just as it was centuries ago and the length is mesmerising - the building needing to be just as long

That is something we did on our last visit

The Historic Dockyards, Chatham, Kent Part 2

Now down into the HM Submarine Ocelet 1962

Some of these photos taken  on my phone are a little blurred

Although you don't see them here visitors go through in batches with an escort and we need to keep moving

I made sure that I was at the front!

Every compartment is assessed through a hole like this

beds everywhere

Can you imagine trying to sleep with men walking up and down these narrow passage ways!

Tiny kitchen area

Yes, I am holding someone up!

and now we move onto HMS Gannet 

an 1878 sailing ship 

can see here how the ship is constructed

Oliver having a go at steering again!

Captain's sleeping quarters

the crew probably slept in hammocks

This hole was not for fishing but for doing some essential task at the bottom of the ship 

More to come

There is 400 years of history in this dockyard

It was a Royal Navy Shore Support - to build, repair and maintain the fleet

Anti-slavery patrols left from here and the epic voyages of people

like Cook and Darwin left from here

sailing off down the River Thames

The Historic Dockyards, Chatham, Kent - Part 1

Looking back to August here we are taking Grandson Oliver to this most interesting and historic place. There is far more to do here than one can manage in a day and even the day we spent here with Oliver is going to take up several posts. Even after several visits over the years, we never find it boring.
There is quite a Maritime history in my family.
both Grandfathers and one Great Grandfather were in the navy.
My Father was at sea for a time during the war. My son was for a time in the Royal Navy, my husband was in the Merchant Navy and I went to sea with him.

My photos were taken on my phone (a life saver)

Could you believe I left my camera at home

HMS Cavalier - a world war 2 Destroyer

the ratings sleeping quarters take up every nook and cranny

Here the dining seats on the right would turn into beds

Note the Hammocks

You can see by the slope that these double bunks are right against the bulk head 

map room

Officers Mess

Captain's room

an officer's bedroom

where it all happens

Oliver on the bridge

A fun thing on this ship is that it can be used for youth groups to spend a night here. They pay £25 for 'bed' or Hammock and breakfast in the restaurant.

http://www.thedockyard.co.uk/Home

For anyone interested the above site is full of history and information

More to come!

Next time we will take you down into a submarine