It’s a week to go until we unveil our latest exhibition at No.1 Smithery. The team have been busy behind the scenes,  putting everything into place for the new exhibition –Michael Foreman, Painting with Rainbows – originated by Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books’. So what is this exhibition all about? Michael Foreman is one of Britain’s best-known and internationally acclaimed creators of books for children. A multi award winning author, he has been ...

A treasure house of maritime treats, No.1 Smithery is a joint project between the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, Royal Museums Greenwich and Imperial War Museums that encourages visitors to unearth incredible stories through objects, paintings and play. No.1 Smithery is also home to National Museums: Collection and Research, a state-of-the-art, environmentally controlled storage space for over 3,000 models and artefacts. At the heart of No.1 Smithery is The Courtyard, a large open space that a ...

We hope you’re enjoying the Christmas break albeit a little different to what we all expected at the beginning of this year. To celebrate the festive season we thought we would bring you the 12 days of Christmas but with a dockyard twist. Enjoy following along on our social media channels each day and discovering something new about our historic site … On the 1st day of Christmas my true love gave to me…  … a Partridge in a mulberry tree In Commissioners Garden, youR ...

A model fit for a King On display in No. 1 Smithery is an incredible scale model showing the Dockyard as it was in 1774. The model was commissioned by John Montagu who became the First Lord of the Admiralty in 1771. One of his priorities was to get King George II more interested in the Royal Navy. He commissioned models including this one of Chatham, to be made for the exclusive use of the king and his eldest son. It is of the highest quality and attention to detail, a model truly fit for a Kin ...

Can you believe we are in the last week of February already?!  Time is flying by and our calendar of events are growing by the week! We thought it would be a nice re-cap of what to expect here at the Dockyard this year… Have your diaries at the ready… Doc.Yard Secret Lab – until 1st May (weekends and school holidays only) Young scientists experience a 45-minute hands-on, electrifying visit to the eccentric Doc. Yard’s Secret Lab in the company of equally eccentric assistant Bunsen. Th ...

New Netflix series Bridgerton has captured audiences across the nation since its much-anticipated release on Christmas Day. Whilst it has provided brilliant escapism from the reality of lockdown life and allowed us all to live vicariously in high society, some of the show’s key characters have a solid foundation in history. Queen Charlotte (played by Golda Rosheuvel) is one of Bridgerton’s most formidable figures, adorned with lavish gowns, elaborate wigs and a constant desire to be entertai ...

“Hidden Heroines: the untold stories of the women of the Dockyard” is a new temporary exhibition set to open in No.1 Smithery at The Historic Dockyard in Spring 2021. The exhibition explores the valuable roles women played throughout the Dockyard’s 400-year history, right up to present day. From the women of the Spinning Rooms and Sail and Colour Loft, to tales of stowaways, women masquerading as men and the extraordinary women whose impact left a lasting legacy. The exhibition ...

Hey Wally fans! Once upon a time Wally embarked upon a fantastic journey through the tides of time. He stowed away on a sloop, snuck into a saloon coach and sailed through 400 years of maritime history. Not only can you use your best navigation skills to find his hiding places around the Dockyard this October, you can delve a little bit deeper with some of his behind the scenes adventures. There are hundreds of stories of search and find associated with the Dockyard for Wally-watchers to enjoy, ...

As a continuation of the work we produced supporting Mental Health Awareness Week, we have decided to publish a weekly blog dedicated to wellness.  We’ve asked a few of our staff, volunteers and organisations we work closely with to write a journal post and diary a day in lock down. These blogs will provide a snapshot of the everyday lives, experiences and well-being of our people. Sammy Edwards Catering Manager Receiving the phone call about returning to work was the just the best feeling! I ...

The major temporary exhibition, Tattoo: British Tattoo Art Revealed, was installed at The Historic Dockyard Chatham in March. A week before it was due to open, Britain went into COVID-19 lockdown and The Dockyard had to close to the public. The exhibition has been sat in the dark for four months but, this week, The Historic Dockyard Chatham is thrilled to announce the incredible exhibition is now open. On display in the No.1 Smithery gallery until September 2020, this exhibition offers a ground- ...

In the Georgian period, the expansion of the British Empire rested on the power of the Royal Navy. Every sailor was proficient with a needle and some turned from mending sails and darning socks to marking each other, presumably using gunpowder and urine for ink. It was thought that gunpowder offered the mystical powers of protection and long life. Improved record keeping by the Royal Navy began to note descriptions of distinguishing marks on sailors’ bodies, including tattoos. These records sh ...

Q&A with our Exhibitions and Collections Officer, Helen Brown Helen has worked at The Historic Dockyard Chatham for nearly 8 years and her most recent title as Exhibitions and Collections Officer, means she assists with the logistics and installations of our temporary exhibitions, predominantly in No.1 Smithery. With our latest exhibition, Tattoo: British Tattoo Art Revealed, almost here, we used the opportunity to catch up with Helen to discuss what she has to do to ensure the exhibition i ...

Bill Ferris, Chief Executive, Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust   After 19 years of exceptional service to Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, the Chief Executive, Bill Ferris OBE DL, will retire from his role later this year. Trained as an accountant, Bill gained a 1st Class Honours Degree in Managerial and Administrative Studies. His involvement in the operational management and leadership of the heritage sector commenced in 1988 when he became the first Commercial Manager of the Yorkshire Mi ...

Throughout November 2019, the National Lottery is celebrating its 25th anniversary – a landmark achievement and one that has seen National Lottery players raise an incredible £10.3 billion for charities across the UK. Support from National Lottery players (through the National Lottery Heritage Fund) has been truly transformational for Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust. We simply would not have been able to achieve what we have over the past 25 years without their support.  In total, the Nation ...

It’s all hands on deck for our teams here at The Dockyard as we are busy preparing for quite the summer!KIDS GO FOR A QUID! Children from 5-15 years can get their entry tickets for just £1 this summer with every full paying adult or concession (1 child per adult/concession ticket) Available online now!  We don’t just have 1 activity, we have 3! PLUS the whole dockyard is open as usual to explore – including our 2 guided tours. The best bit of all of this we hear you ask? & ...