"Chatham Historic Dockyard" Once a thriving Naval Base with History spanning 400 years. 2012.

This was mostly taken on 31st Aug 2012, though some Photos and Video are from previous visits, A cracking day out.
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Chatham Dockyard, located on the River Medway and of which two-thirds is in Gillingham and one third in Chatham, Kent, England, came into existence at the time when, following the Reformation, relations with the Catholic countries of Europe had worsened, leading to a requirement for additional defences. For 414 years Chatham Dockyard provided over 500 ships for the Royal Navy, and was forefront of shipbuilding, industrial and architectural technology. At its height, it employed over 10,000 skilled artisans and covered 400 acres (1.6 km²). Chatham dockyard closed in 1984, and 84 acres (340,000 m2) of the Georgian dockyard is now managed as a visitor attraction by the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust.

[@rogerg3321]

This bought back memories of working in the ropery in the 60s most notably in 1963 during one of the worst winters when the river Medway froze over , I also saw the submarines launched one was for the Canadian navy and was called the Okinawa I think, Happy days.

[@nigeloldman3370]

I lived in Gillingham until 1965 and my father was apprenticed as a shipwright at Chatham from 1939. I went to the launch of 2 submarines as a young boy and , whilst the names are forgotten now, one of them may well have been the Ocelot (the timing is about right-I was 9 at the time.)

[@pickup66]

Last time I was there was 80/81 intially with the Juno and later with the Falmouth , you were right it was a thriving place and I recall spending time helping to strip down the wardroom on the Triumph

[@attackdog6824]

my father was in the navy in 1975 and this is here he was posted

[@Calvertfilm]

Enjoyed watching this. I visit Chatham very often since I first discovered it in 2011. See something new each time. Laurie.

[@rpm1796]

Nice work throughout Mr. Kilpatrick.

[@johnmanning2300]

We basically wanted to stop at a place on our way from northants to whitstable and chose chatham historic docks(this is a few miles out of chatham itself). We arrived around 3.30 pm on a weekday( mid april 2018) and parked free at the historicdocks.Because of the lateness of our arrival we felt we did not want to pay and rush around to visit the main attractions .So we used the cafe in the chatham historic dockyard centre and also viewed a few interesting shipping history rooms for free in certain parts of the historic dockyard centre.We also stretched our legs on the medway path- having used another car park at a very nearby restaurant/riverside shopping area(3 hours free parking there). it is a very clean area all around, and worth taking in. On closing, we will definately visit the main attraction next time.

[@hla27b]

Excellent work

[@Timcot24]

Didn't think it was that busy in 1980, I was there with HMS Achilles.

[@timebandit9469]

Sorry mate but the submarines name is Ocelot not Ocolet. My last boat, and I was on it for the Tigerfish test firings. Those wire guided torps had a bad habit of going rogue in the tests.

[@markmay184]

Fantastic .. Bravo Zulu

[@garethjudd5840]

The RNLI. Britain's new Taxi service.

[@bulletproofguy5112]

We should put a type 23 in Chatham, would be great to visit, and in 100 years we will have no modern warships saved! Not even Hms Bristol I bet! And she’s one of a kind, and we have no type 21s no type 22s

[@CamcorderSteve]

Lovely video - wish I had a speaking voice that was suitable for narration.

[@Siemianowiceee]

+63myvidsteve Not such a great voice, has some accent in it and it is a bit theatrical, which he is intending to do, I suppose. I wouldn't like to be his misses (or hubby). Could get on the nerves. . Nice to hear though, that there is so much to see in that Chatham Dock area. o0o

[@harry4468]

I didn't know the turrets were nearly fully operational.

[@PXCBIKES]

why do you have to talk like that?

[@lancer235]

playback at 1.25 speed and it sounds normal

[@danw1374]

Sounds like he's been on the brandy lol

[@paulkazjack]

It wasn,t 'thriving' that's why it closed.

[@jean-paul7251]

Still absolutely booooooooring