Records of Works Departments

Records of Works Departments relating to building projects carried out in Britain and overseas.

Maps and plans are in ADM 140. Photographs of works are in ADM 195. Papers of the civil engineer in chief are in ADM 214 and some records of the Navy Works Department, Bermuda in ADM 215

Maps and plans are in WORK 41

Photographs of works are in AIR 59

• Board of Admiralty, Architectural and Engineering Works Department, 1837-1919
• Board of Admiralty, Civil Engineer in Chiefs Department, 1919-1960
• Board of Admiralty, Navy Works Department, 1960-1963
• Board of Admiralty, Surveyor of Buildings, 1832-1837
• Navy Board, Inspector General of Naval Works, 1796-1813
• Navy Board, Surveyor of Buildings, 1813-1832

Topics

Maps and plans

Navy

Americas

An Inspector General of Naval Works was appointed in 1796 to superintend for the Navy Board civil engineering works in the dockyards. In 1813 the title was changed to Surveyor of Buildings and the emphasis shifted to architectural works. In 1837 the department, now under Admiralty control, became the Architectural and Engineering Works Department under a Director of Works responsible to the Civil Lord. In 1919 the department was renamed the Civil Engineer in Chief's Department and in January 1960 it became the Navy Works Department under a Director General. In April 1963 the department ceased to exist when responsibility for building and civil engineering works for the armed services was transferred to the Ministry of Public Building and Works, later Department of the Environment.