Records of the Hydrographer of the Navy, and Royal Greenwich Observatory

Records of the Board of Visitors of the Observatory are in ADM 190.

Admiralty, Hydrographic Department, original artwork, is in ADM 345, ships' remark books are in ADM 346, original surveys are in ADM 352, and coastal and riverine views in ADM 344. Minute Books are in ADM 347.

Records of the Compass Observatory, while under the Hydrographer's control, were in ADM 235 but have been transferred to the National Maritime Museum.

The records formerly in ADM 235 were transferred to the National Maritime Museum in 1985 under s.4(3) of the Public Records Act 1958.

Topics

Art, architecture and design

Research

Museums and galleries

Navy

Armed Forces (General Administration)

The post of Hydrographer of the Navy was created in 1795. He became responsible to the First Sea Lord for producing charts, 'Sailing Directions', 'Notices to Mariners', tide tables and light lists and for supplying chronometers, compasses and other scientific instruments to HM ships. He was also responsible for naval meteorology and for the Admiralty's links with the Meteorological Office.

Between 1856 and 1862 there was a combined Hydrographic and Harbour Department, the work of the Harbour Branch being transferred to the Board of Trade on 1 January 1863.

A Compass Branch, associated with the Hydrographic Department was formed in 1842; in 1911 it was decided that this branch should be affiliated to the Controller's Department and that its work in connection with terrestrial magnetism should be transferred to the Royal Observatory. Since 1820 the Hydrographer had been responsible for the Observatory, being advised by a Board of Visitors.

The Hydrographer's Department at Taunton has been appointed a place of deposit for its own records under the Public Records Act 1958 while Cambridge University Library is a place of deposit for the records of the Royal Greenwich Observatory.