The Surveyor of Buildings[1] also known as the Department of the Surveyor of Buildings was the civil officer initially a member of the
Navy Board then later the
Board of Admiralty responsible for superintending, maintaining and improving the British
Royal Navy Dockyards, Naval Buildings, and Architectural Works [2] of the
Admiralty from 1812 to 1837.
History
The office holder evolved out of an earlier post in 1796 when an Inspector-General of Naval Works was appointed to superintend the
Naval Works Department[3] then under the
Board of Admiralty with responsibility for all civil engineering works in the royal naval dockyards.[4] In 1806 the Commissioners of Enquiry for Revising and Digesting the Civil Affairs of the Royal Navy produced a fourth report (since 1785) in which they recommended the abolition of the Inspector-Generals Department as a semi-autonomous function and recommended the role be re-styled and its responsibilities broadened.[5] In 1807 the title was changed to the Civil Architect and Engineer of the Navy his department then reported directly to the
Navy Board.[6] In 1813 the title and role was changed to Surveyor of Buildings whose responsibilities shifted focus towards architectural works. In 1827 the Surveyors department was expanded to include the duties of managing the buildings belonging to the
Victualling Department and including its various yards and stations.[7] In 1832 the Navy Board was abolished and its role and responsibilities were merged into the
Admiralty. In 1837 following restructuring the surveyors department was abolished and its functions merged into a new
Architectural and Engineering Works Department[8] under a Director of Naval Works who then reported to the
Civil Lord of the Admiralty.[9]
^Sainty, J.C. (1975). Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4, Admiralty Officials 1660-1870. University of London, Institute of Historical Research, London. pp. 91–94.
^Sainty, compiled by J.C. (1975). Admiralty officials, 1660-1870. London: Athlone Press [for] University of London, Institute of Historical Research. pp. 91–94.
ISBN9780485171440.
^Collinge, J.M. (1978). Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 7, Navy Board Officials 1660-1832. University of London, Institute of Historical Research. pp. 32–33.
^al.], edited by A. W. Kempton ... (et) (2002). A biographical dictionary of civil engineers in Great Britain and Ireland (1. publ. ed.). London: Thomas Telford, on behalf of the Institution of Civil Engineers. p. 329.
ISBN9780727729392. {{
cite book}}: |first1= has generic name (
help)
Clowes. Laird. William. (1899), The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to Present, Volume IV, and Volume V, Sampson Lowe Marston and Co, London.
Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 7, Navy Board Officials 1660-1832, ed. J M Collinge (London, 1978), British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol7 [accessed 9 June 2017].
Naval works department, in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4, Admiralty Officials 1660-1870, ed. J C Sainty (London, 1975), pp. 91–94. British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol4/pp91-94 [accessed 14 July 2017].
Rodgers N.A.M. (1979), The Admiralty, Offices of State, Terrance Dalton Ltd, Lavenham, England.
ISBN0900963948
Skempton A. W. (2002). A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland: 1500-1830, Volume 1 of A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland. Thomas Telford, England.
ISBN9780727729392
The Surveyor of Buildings[1] also known as the Department of the Surveyor of Buildings was the civil officer initially a member of the
Navy Board then later the
Board of Admiralty responsible for superintending, maintaining and improving the British
Royal Navy Dockyards, Naval Buildings, and Architectural Works [2] of the
Admiralty from 1812 to 1837.
History
The office holder evolved out of an earlier post in 1796 when an Inspector-General of Naval Works was appointed to superintend the
Naval Works Department[3] then under the
Board of Admiralty with responsibility for all civil engineering works in the royal naval dockyards.[4] In 1806 the Commissioners of Enquiry for Revising and Digesting the Civil Affairs of the Royal Navy produced a fourth report (since 1785) in which they recommended the abolition of the Inspector-Generals Department as a semi-autonomous function and recommended the role be re-styled and its responsibilities broadened.[5] In 1807 the title was changed to the Civil Architect and Engineer of the Navy his department then reported directly to the
Navy Board.[6] In 1813 the title and role was changed to Surveyor of Buildings whose responsibilities shifted focus towards architectural works. In 1827 the Surveyors department was expanded to include the duties of managing the buildings belonging to the
Victualling Department and including its various yards and stations.[7] In 1832 the Navy Board was abolished and its role and responsibilities were merged into the
Admiralty. In 1837 following restructuring the surveyors department was abolished and its functions merged into a new
Architectural and Engineering Works Department[8] under a Director of Naval Works who then reported to the
Civil Lord of the Admiralty.[9]
^Sainty, J.C. (1975). Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4, Admiralty Officials 1660-1870. University of London, Institute of Historical Research, London. pp. 91–94.
^Sainty, compiled by J.C. (1975). Admiralty officials, 1660-1870. London: Athlone Press [for] University of London, Institute of Historical Research. pp. 91–94.
ISBN9780485171440.
^Collinge, J.M. (1978). Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 7, Navy Board Officials 1660-1832. University of London, Institute of Historical Research. pp. 32–33.
^al.], edited by A. W. Kempton ... (et) (2002). A biographical dictionary of civil engineers in Great Britain and Ireland (1. publ. ed.). London: Thomas Telford, on behalf of the Institution of Civil Engineers. p. 329.
ISBN9780727729392. {{
cite book}}: |first1= has generic name (
help)
Clowes. Laird. William. (1899), The Royal Navy, A History from the Earliest Times to Present, Volume IV, and Volume V, Sampson Lowe Marston and Co, London.
Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 7, Navy Board Officials 1660-1832, ed. J M Collinge (London, 1978), British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol7 [accessed 9 June 2017].
Naval works department, in Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4, Admiralty Officials 1660-1870, ed. J C Sainty (London, 1975), pp. 91–94. British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol4/pp91-94 [accessed 14 July 2017].
Rodgers N.A.M. (1979), The Admiralty, Offices of State, Terrance Dalton Ltd, Lavenham, England.
ISBN0900963948
Skempton A. W. (2002). A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland: 1500-1830, Volume 1 of A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland. Thomas Telford, England.
ISBN9780727729392