Napoleonic Newsdesk

Naval Dockyards Society

by Paul Chamberlain

Portsmouth Dockyard in the Age of Nelson - Conference & Tour Friday 29 April-Monday 2 May 2005 In March 1805 Marc Brunel’s final set of block-making machines began manufacturing the largest rigging blocks required by the navy, enabling the Block Mills to supply its total needs within two years and save thousands of pounds a year. This two-day conference, celebrating dockyard innovations in steam power, mass production, machine tooling and power transmission, will explore Portsmouth Dockyard’s support for the Royal Navy at and beyond the Battle of Trafalgar. Sir Neil Cossons OBE, Chairman of English Heritage, will present a monograph on the Block Mills, the result of two year’s archival and structural research. The tour will explore the dynamic relationship between Portsmouth Dockyard and Portsmouth Harbour. Friday 29 April Evening reception, Portsmouth City Museum Saturday 30 April Portsmouth Dockyard in the Age of Nelson - the Built Environment Morning Princess Royal Gallery, Royal Naval Museum - Chairman Alan Aberg SNR Sir Neil Cossons will present the English Heritage monograph on the Block Mills. Jonathan Coad ‘Introduction of Steam Power into the Royal Dockyards: the Genesis of the Block Mills’ Dr Susan Wilkin ‘Portsmouth Royal Dockyard: It’s Contribution to Royal Navy Success in the French & Napoleonic Wars 1793-1815’ Dr Ray Riley ‘Marc Isambard Brunel: his machinery’ Dr James Thomas ‘Portsmouth Yard & Town in the Age of Nelson: a Relationship Examined’ Afternoon Tour of the Block Mills, Basin & Docks Sunday 1 May Portsmouth Dockyard in the Age of Nelson -- Serving the Fleet Morning Institute of Maritime & Heritage Studies, Boathouse Six. Dr Ann Coats ‘The Wood Mills: new Labour Practices for new Machines?’ Matthew Sheldon ‘Victualling in Portsmouth in the Age of Nelson’. Dr Roger Morriss ‘The Office of the Inspector General of Naval Works and Technological Innovation in the Royal Dockyards, 1796-1807’. Peter Goodwin ‘HMS Victory - Preparation for 1805’. Professor Andrew Lambert ‘Legacy of Trafalgar: Sir Robert Seppings, the Royal Society and Re-engineering the Wooden Warship’ Afternoon Tour of Storehouse 10 & the Naval Academy Monday 2 May 11am-5pm Harbour Tour Priddy’s Hard/Explosion! Weevil/Royal Clarence Victualling Yard For further information contact: Dr Ann Coats, Naval Dockyards Society, 44, Lindley Avenue, Southsea, PO4 9NU T&f 02392 863799 Email: ann@dockyards.org Website: www.hants.gov.uk/navaldockyard Napoleonic News Desk Remembering Prisoners of War New Gallery Design Revealed at The Museum of Naval Firepower Naval Dockyards Society Forthcoming Books from Spellmount David Chandler Obituary Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire # 80 Back to First Empire List of Issues Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2004 by First Empire. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other articles from military history and related magazines are available at http://www.magweb.com