Naval Stores Department (Royal Navy)

The Naval Stores Department  also known as the Department of the Director of Naval Stores was the British Admiralty department responsible for managing and maintaining naval stores and the issuing of materials at naval dockyards and establishments for the building, fitting and repairing of Royal Navy warships from 1869 to 1966,

History
The Naval Stores Department was first established in April 1869 initially under the control of a Superintendent of Stores as chief of the department, he took over the store keeping and distribution duties previously administered by the Department of the Storekeeper-General of the Navy who post was abolished following restructuring within the Admiralty Department. In 1876 the Superintendent of Stores was renamed as the Director of Stores as its principle officer, The Naval Stores Department was responsible for the storing and provisioning of materiel stores for the Royal Navy, and for supplying all naval establishments and yards at both home and abroad including all foreign stations. It managed the stores for the Department of Dockyards, the Department of Naval Construction and the Department of Naval Ordnance including all Royal Naval and Engineering Colleges the department was superintended by the office of the Third Sea Lord. In 1961 the Victualling Department was amalgamated within the Naval Stores Department, though remained autonomous. In 1964 the department survived amalgamation of the Admiralty into the new Ministry of Defence until 1966 when it was integrated with three other departments (Armament Supply, Movements and Victualling) to form the new Royal Naval Supply and Transport Service.

Directors duties
Included:
 * Issue stores for all ships both in commission and reserve.
 * Issue stores for naval dockyards both at home and abroad.
 * Manage all stores and storage facilities for the Department of Dockyards.
 * Manage all stores and storage facilities for the Department of Naval Construction.
 * Manage all stores and storage facilities for the Department of Naval Ordnance.
 * Manage all stores and storage facilities for Royal Naval and Engineering Colleges.
 * Prepare all estimates for the department.
 * Pass departments purchase requests to the Director of Navy Contracts.
 * Receive stores for royal naval vessels both in commission and reserve.
 * Regularly examine all stores accounts and financial transactions.
 * Superintend the department including all supporting staff heads.

Heads of Department
Included:

Superintendents of Naval Stores
 * Mr. Nelson Girdlestone,  13 April 1869 – 23 January 1872
 * Mr. Coghlan McLean Hardy, 23 January 1872– 1876

Directors of Naval Stores
 * Mr. Coghlan McLean Hardy., 1876 – 1 April 1889
 * Mr. William G. P. Gilbert., 1 April 1889 – 1 April 1895
 * Mr. Gordon William Miller, 1 April 1895 – 1900
 * Mr. David Evans, 1900- May 1902
 * Sir. Frederick W. Black, 1902 – 1906
 * Sir John Forsey, 1906 - 1914
 * Mr G. H, Ashdown, 1919 - 1921
 * Mr J. W L. Oliver, 1921 - 1926
 * Sir William J Glick 1935 - 1940
 * Mr. Ernest Stephen Wood 1940 - 1951
 * Mr. G. F. R. Marsh, 1951 - 1956
 * Mr R. Henderson 1956 - 1959
 * Mr F. C. Wilkins 1962 -1964

Structure of Department
Included:
 * Office of the Deputy Director of Naval Stores
 * Office of the Assistant Director of Naval Stores
 * Departments of the Senior Naval Store Officers, Yards
 * Offices of the Superintending Naval Store Officers Depots
 * Departments of the Senior Naval Store Officers, Yards at.


 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Bermuda Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Chatham Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Deptford Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Devonport Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Gibraltar Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Haulbowline Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Lyness Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Malta Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Pembroke Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Portland Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Portsmouth Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Rosyth Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Scapa Flow Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Sheerness Flow Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Simonstown Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Singapore Yard.
 * Department of the Senior Naval Store Officer, Trincomalee Yard.
 * Offices of the Superintending Naval Store Officers at:


 * Naval Store Depot, Almond Bank.
 * Naval Store Depot, Carfin.
 * Naval Store Depot, Copenacre.
 * Naval Store Depot, Coventry.
 * Naval Store Depot, West India Docks.
 * Naval Store Depot, Eaglescliffe.
 * Naval Store Depot, Lathalmond.
 * Naval Store Depot, Llangennech.
 * Naval Store Depot, Londonderry.
 * Naval Store Depot, Park Royal.
 * Naval Store Depot, Trecwn.
 * Naval Store Depot, Woolston.


 * Note: The Victualling Department was amalgamated with the Naval Stores Department in 1961 but remained autonomous under the control of the Director of Victualling.


 * Victualling Department

Timeline

 * Navy Board, Controller of Storekeepers Accounts, 1671-1796
 * Navy Board, Stores Department, 1796-1829
 * Navy Board, Store-Keeper General of the Navy, 1829-1832
 * Board of Admiralty, Department of the Store-Keeper General of the Navy, 1832-1869
 * Board of Admiralty, Superintendent of Stores, 1869-1876
 * Board of Admiralty, Director of Naval Stores, 1876-1966