Historic Dockyard Chatham

31/05/2023

Look at all the amazing things you can see and do all weekend at

There's only a few weeks left, so follow the link and grab yourself a ticket!

https://facebook.com/events/s/medway-gaming-festival-2023-mg/3232673210282640/

30/05/2023

🐙Don't forget Monsters of the Deep exhibition showing until November.

On entering the exhibition you are met with over 150 specimen jars from the National Oceanography Centre Discovery Collections on display in an impressive case.

Each jar has been carefully positioned by Dr. Tammy Horton, the scientist responsible for the Discovery Collections specimens and the keeper of the real-life monsters of the deep.

Get up close and personal with a variety of deep-sea specimens from the NOC’s vast collection that was started in 1925.
https://bit.ly/3Sy5CkS

29/05/2023

🎭 Following This Is My Theatre‘s previous touring production of The Railway Children in 2022, we are delighted to welcome them back this year with another family-friendly Summer adventure - The Wind in the Willow.

🎭Doors open: 18:00
🎭Show: 18:30

➡️ Find out more & book: https://bit.ly/3Wycrov

28/05/2023

The crew of HMS DOCKYARD took part in their inaugural Dragon Boat Race today organised by Medway Sunlight Rotary. The Dockyard team was made up of staff and volunteers from all departments.

Team spirit was strong but sadly not speedy enough to make the final. Well done to all the teams taking part today ⚓️

Chatham Maritime Trust Chatham Maritime Food & Drink Festival

28/05/2023

We were delighted to welcome Dame Pippa Harris DBE, Executive Producer of Call the Midwife to the Historic Dockyard for the launch of the new Call the Midwife Official Location Tour last month.

👶 Do you want to walk in the footsteps of your favourite midwives? Find out more and book your Call the Midwife experience: https://bit.ly/2PxmA3Z

28/05/2023

⚓Half Term: FREE Relaxed Opening Afternoon, Tuesday 30 May

Join us for a relaxed afternoon at the Historic Dockyard. This session has been designed for visitors with autism, learning disabilities or sensory and communication needs, along with their siblings, families and carers.

➡️ You will have access to the whole museum between 3pm and 5pm and have the opportunity to take part in the Octonauts Deep Sea Adventure and Crafty Creatures activity.

The afternoon will have fewer visitors across the Dockyard and a quieter atmosphere.

This afternoon is perfect for anyone who would benefit from a more relaxed environment.

To book your place click here: https://thedockyard.co.uk/whats-on/relaxed-opening/

27/05/2023

Events and Experiences Manager - Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust

⚓Job Opportunity - Events & Experiences Manager

We are looking to recruit a dynamic and entrepreneurial individual to fulfil the exciting new role of Events and Experiences Manager. The Historic Dockyard Chatham offers a diverse and exciting programme of activity, including, annual fundraising events such as the ‘Salute to the ‘40s’ weekend, as well as a wide range of commercially led experiences such as our popular Call the Midwife Official Location Tour and Mission Christmas event.

👉 Find out more and apply:

We are looking to recruit a dynamic and entrepreneurial individual to fulfil the exciting new role of Events and Experiences Manager.

27/05/2023

Sound the Octo-Alert! Today we welcome Captain Barnacles to the Historic Dockyard!

He'll be climbing aboard HMS GANNET from 10am - 3pm and we still have a few spaces available to meet him.

➡️ You must have a valid admission ticket to The Historic Dockyard Chatham to participate in the Meet & Greet.
➡️ Meet & Greet tickets are per family, not per individual family member.
➡️ Meet & Greet tickets are free
➡️ Book now: https://bit.ly/3VXsQ5D

26/05/2023

🎉Schools out! Tomorrow we kick off our half term family activities:

🐙 Octonauts Deep Sea Adventure - your favourite Octonauts characters have hidden clues around the Historic Dockyard - can you help them identify the strange creature from the deep?

🐙Crafty Creatures - create your own underwater crafts and mini Monsters of the Deep.

Times: Running throughout the day
Booking: Not required
Cost: Included in your ticket to The Dockyard

Book your Dockyard ticket here: https://bit.ly/3zYqpVS

26/05/2023

On this day in 2016 we opened Command of the Oceans.
Who remembers how it all looked before? The photos below show the Mast Houses before their make-over to become home to a vast range of historical objects and stories.

Walk around the fascinating, larger than life model of HMS VICTORY, exploring the 100 objects recovered from the 1758 wreck of HMS INVINCIBLE and discovering HMS NAMUR, the ‘ship beneath the floor.

➡️ You can find out more about this Scheduled Ancient Monument here: https://thedockyard.co.uk/explore/history-buildings/historic-buildings/wood-sail-iron/

25/05/2023

The Kids Zone Stage will be full of engaging fun activities for younger kids

There will be lots of build battles, wacky races, crazy games and more.

Tons of fun all weekend.

Find our events page here: https://fb.me/e/2m6KliaoL

For Tickets head here: https://thedockyard.co.uk/whats-on/medway-gaming-festival/

25/05/2023

📣Sound the Octo-Alert!
This weekend we're inviting a special guest onboard HMS GANNET...

We’re very excited to welcome Captain Barnacles and Kwazii who will make special appearances on selected dates throughout the summer.

You can meet Captain Barnacles this weekend on: Saturday 27 May

➡️ You must have a valid admission ticket to The Historic Dockyard Chatham to participate in the Meet & Greet.
➡️ Meet & Greet tickets are per family, not per individual family member.
➡️ Meet & Greet tickets are free for this event
➡️ Book now: https://bit.ly/3VXsQ5D

25/05/2023

👋 Say hello to some of our Dragon Boat race crew!

🐉 This Sunday, the Dockyard are participating in the 8th Annual Medway Sunlight Rotary Club Dragon Boat Race.
This event is held alongside the Chatham Maritime Food & Drink Festival on St. Mary’s Island.

If you're visiting the festival on Sunday, then lookout for our HMS Dockyard Crew, give them a wave and a cheer as they compete!

📣Good luck team!

24/05/2023

⚓Looking to plan your Half Term next week with the family?

See our May Half Term round-up happening here at the Dockyard below:
👣Octonauts Deep Sea Adventure
👨‍🎨Crafty Creatures
🐙Monsters of the Deep
☀️FREE Relaxed Opening Afternoon - 30 May

If you haven't visited Monsters of the Deep exhibition yet... what are you waiting for?

For all the details please visit: https://thedockyard.co.uk/whats-on/

23/05/2023

Frenzy is the Hotdrop for all Fortnite fans.

Join in and see if you can survive the storm and how many players you can drop!!

Running all weekend in our Main 'Rapture' Hall.

Find our events page here: https://fb.me/e/2m6KliaoL

For Tickets head here: https://thedockyard.co.uk/whats-on/medway-gaming-festival/

23/05/2023

☀️ Throwback to last summer here at the Dockyard.

You can join us again this summer for a NEW Octonauts adventure. Collect your Octonauts Deep Sea Diving Log and follow the Octo-Map. The Octonauts have placed clues around the Dockyard to help you identify the strange creature from the deep.

Don't forget this Saturday 27 May, we have Captain Barnacles visiting!
- Meet and greets are to be booked online
- You must have a valid ticket to The Historic Dockyard Chatham to participate in the Meet & Greet.
- Tickets are per family, not per individual family member.
- This is at no extra cost to your Dockyard ticket

Find out more and book online: https://bit.ly/3VXsQ5D
⚓The Octonauts Deep Sea Adventure is free as part of a Historic Dockyard ticket.

22/05/2023

Today marks the start of National Doughnut Week, we hope we almost tricked you scrolling past a delicious chocolate doughnut?
This is actually a doughnut shaped Gun carriage wheel (truck). The outside edge is carved. “.P.16.H”. Just to the left of this is a small carved letter that appears to be a “T”. The naval gun carriage had large ‘trucks’ at the front, and small ones at the back. This led to it being known as the ‘truck’ carriage – named after the four small wheels on which it was mounted.

If we did manage to make you a bit peckish... why not drop by our Wagon Stop Canteen or Mess Deck Restaurant on your next visit to the Dockyard to pick up a real doughnut or sweet treat!

🍩 National Doughnut week is an official fundraising week for The Children’s Trust.

21/05/2023

Last month, Jenny Agutter found Sister Julienne's habit in our new Call the Midwife Gallery. Here Jenny Agutter explains what she thought of the new gallery and finding some old props!

Will you walk in the steps of your favourite Call the Midwife characters?

Find out more and book your Call the Midwife Official Location Tours 👉 https://bit.ly/2PxmA3Z

20/05/2023

👾Eat. Sleep. Game. Repeat....

Take a look back at last year's event to discover this festival has something to appeal to every gamer...

🕹️From pro to novice, and showcases talent, art, creativity and culture, uniting players for a weekend of entertainment. Watch, play and learn about games; meet special guests; join competitions; experience new and retro gaming; as well as enjoying fun, interactive exhibits such as the Robot Battle Arena, UKPW Wrestling and Cosplay masquerade.

🎮Tickets for Rapture Gaming Festival on 1 & 2 July 2023 are now available online: https://bit.ly/35PcRkM

20/05/2023

On This Day in 1905 Chatham Dockyard's last Battleship, HMS AFRICA, was launched. HMS AFRICA was a King Edward VII Class battleship which was laid down on No 8 slip on 27th January 1904 and completed in November 1906. No 8 slip, built in 1900, was larger than earlier slips, being designed for the building of battleships.

HMS AFRICA was the largest warship ever built at Chatham. In 1912 HMS AFRICA was fitted with a temporary sloping flight deck over the forward gun turret and forecastle for seaplane trials. Lieutenant Charles Samson RN, made the first take-off from a British ship on 10 January 1912, flying a Short Brothers pusher biplane; the trials took place off Sheerness. HMS AFRICA paid off in 1919 prior to being placed on the disposal list, and was sold for breaking up in 1920.

20/05/2023

ARE YOU READY PLAYER?

We have a whole zone dedicated to multiplayer action.

There will be tournaments galor all weekend for you to enter and show skills.
with a huge range of title (to be announced) and prizes to be won!

So keep an eye out for updates and sign up details.

Keep following our social media as we'll be sharing with you everything that coming up from now till our doors open on the 1st July.

Find our events page here: https://fb.me/e/2m6KliaoL

For Tickets head here: https://thedockyard.co.uk/whats-on/medway-gaming-festival/

20/05/2023

Today is World Bee Day, and whilst the Dockyard is steeped in maritime history and is often thought of as a very industrialised site, one lesser known part of the historic estate is the Dockyard Apiary, which is teeming with life at this time of year.

🐝 Find out more about The Dockyard Apiary from our beekeeping team here with our dedicated World Bee Day blog post: https://thedockyard.co.uk/news/world-bee-day-beekeeping-at-the-dockyard/

19/05/2023

The Octonauts have returned this summer to investigate reports of mysterious creatures from the Midnight Zone setting up home here. Can you help the Octo-Crew identify these curious creatures?

Visit from Saturday 27 May to collect your Octonauts Deep Sea Diving Log and follow the Octo-Map.

The Octonauts Deep Sea Adventure is free as part of a Historic Dockyard ticket.

🎞️Checkout the highlights from Octonauts visit last summer and find out more here: https://bit.ly/3VXsQ5D

18/05/2023

🎉Happy International Museums Day!

Today we celebrate by looking back at the making of our latest exhibition: Monsters of the Deep.

This includes landmark moments such as the installation of the Orca Whale Skeleton, right the way through to the simplest of things such as repainting the gallery, all of this and more goes into helping our mysterious deep-sea friends feel at home in No.1 Smithery.

🐙 https://thedockyard.co.uk/news/the-making-of-monsters-of-the-deep-in-chatham/

18/05/2023

As part of Mental Health Awareness week, our dedicated volunteers met for a coffee morning to catch-up and meet the different teams across the departments. ☕

Pip Blackmore, Volunteer Co-ordinator says, "It's a nice chance for our volunteers to enjoy some cake, take some time out of their day and to have another opportunity to socialise and chat and for us to show our appreciation for all the work they do for the Trust".

Did you know that we have over 300 volunteers involved with us here at The Historic Dockyard Chatham, donating over 35,000 hours of their valuable time each year.

⚓If you would like to have an informal chat about volunteering opportunities, please contact Pip via email at: [email protected]

18/05/2023

As part of Mental Health Awareness week our dedicated volunteers met for a coffee morning to catch-up and meet the different teams across the departments.
This opportunity allows

it might just be an opportunity for you to take a little bit of time out of you day and enjoy good conversation and some cake, give your well being a little boost,

17/05/2023

⚓Exiting news⚓
We are pleased to announce that we are featured in Southeastern railway. Hop on Board podcast series. Listen out for the episode: on Lights, Camera, Action, as actor Ben Bailey Smith takes a train journey behind the scenes of Kent’s silver screen history, taking in legendary spy franchises, beloved wartime dramas, and more.

🚆Key stops: Sandwich, Chatham (The Historic Dockyard Chatham), Sevenoaks (Knole House).

You will hear the voice of Olivia Horner, our Director of Commercial Operations, as she explains the journey of the filming industry setting up home here at the Dockyard.

🚆You can listen to the complete series now, wherever you get your podcasts: www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/hoponboard

17/05/2023

☀️The sun is shining for the Alfa Romeo Club photoshoot today 📷

We're delighted to announce that they will be returning on Sunday 3 September as the Dockyard will become an Italian petrol heads playground when we play host to Southern Alfa Day (SAD 2023).

Organised by the Alfa Romeo Owners Club Kent & East Sussex, the Dockyard will be filled with the sights and sounds of hundreds of these stunning cars as they share the space alongside our own 400-year history.

🚘There’s a saying that goes” you aren’t a true petrol head until you’ve owned an Alfa Romeo” so if you want to check out why this is and to see what’s likely to be the largest gathering of Alfa Romeos in the South then the Historic Dockyard is definitely the place to be!

Access to the Southern Alfa Day is included in a ticket to the Historic Dockyard: https://bit.ly/3OlbIFc

16/05/2023

⚓Did you know that we have a dedicated team of volunteers focussed on cleaning the objects in our iconic No.3 Slip?

Built in 1838, the immense No. 3 Covered Slip was, when built, the largest wide span timber structure in Europe. Today it is home to a vast array of epic objects and vehicles from the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust, Imperial War Museums and Royal Engineers Museum, Library and Archive collections.

The volunteers clean the objects with brushes and hoovers with some of the objects having deposits on them so they use a mixture of conservation approved detergent and distilled water.

We have 8 volunteers doing this – we call them the '3 Slippers'. They volunteer throughout the year, working their way through the objects – from front to back. By the time they reach the back, the front already needs cleaning again, so it's a never ending job!

👏As always we thank our volunteers for their hard work and dedication

15/05/2023

⚓Have you got your half term plans sorted? ⚓

Join us from Saturday 27 May for 'Crafty Creatures'

Weigh anchor and cast your nets for some monstrously crafty fun as you create your own underwater crafts and mini Monsters of the Deep.

🐙Times: Running throughout the day
🐙Booking: Not required
🐙Cost: Included in your ticket to The Dockyard

Find out more: https://bit.ly/42nE6L6

15/05/2023

Meet our Visitor Experience Ropemaking Assistants, Robert Laine-Shaw and Nikki Lowe. These new and exciting roles will improve your Dockyard day out and expand on the collaboration between our Visitor Experience teams and our Master Ropemakers Shop . Nikki and Robert have a combined 21 years association with the Dockyard and this new position allows them to support the Master Ropemakers and guided demonstrations of the rope walk.

Find out more in our latest blog 👉 https://bit.ly/3VUINcZ

14/05/2023

Last month we shared the news that we have taken delivery of a brand NEW Call the Midwife Official Location Tour and exclusive gallery.

Be guided through the Dockyard by your very own costumed Midwife, armed with a photograph book and tales of their ‘sisters’, before being allowed to explore the sets, costumes and props in the all-new, exclusive gallery, which is twice the size of the former gallery.

👶 Have you booked your tickets yet?
Find out more: https://bit.ly/2PxmA3Z

13/05/2023

Join us for our Wedding Venue Showcase event this spring, the perfect opportunity to pop along and meet the team, soak up our spectacular setting and see our beautiful venue dressed for the big occasion.

Our exclusive Georgian style Commissioner’s House will be dressed for a wedding breakfast and civil ceremony. Our preferred wedding suppliers will be exhibiting during the day and can discuss everything you may need to make your day truly memorable.

🤍When: Sunday 28 May
🤍Time: 10am-5pm
🤍Book: Online

Click on the link to find out more and to book your appointment 👉 bit.ly/3nP71Zq

13/05/2023

Some lucky members of our team were invited to Buckingham Palace this week to represent the Trust at the Coronation Garden Party. Hosted on behalf of The King by The Prince of Wales, His Royal Highness was joined by The Princess of Wales, The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, The Princess Royal and The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Hannane Ford, Development Manager, and long standing volunteers, David and Diana Lawrence joined 8,000 other guests who were being recognised for public service and charity or community work.

12/05/2023

🔈SOUND THE OCTO-ALERT! The Octonauts have returned to The Historic Dockyard Chatham to investigate reports of mysterious creatures from the Midnight Zone setting up home here. Can you help the Octo-Crew identify these curious creatures?

From Saturday 27 May join Shellington, Captain Barnacles and your favourite Octonauts characters on an adventure into the deepest part of the ocean, all included in a Dockyard ticket. Find out more: https://bit.ly/3VXsQ5D

12/05/2023

A behind the scenes treat for any Call the Midwife fans …

12/05/2023

Did you know that we store over a thousand glass plate negatives in our climate controlled archive stack? Over the last 12 months, collections volunteers and work placement students have helped our Conservator carry out a thorough condition audit to monitor potential degradation.

So what is a glass negative? It consists of a light sensitive emulsion that is fixed to the glass plate base with a binder. They require very careful handling and a clean, cool environment. Karoline wears gloves to prevent oil from her fingers making its way into the silver, as oil is a component that will cause deterioration over time. After the condition audit is complete, the Collections Team will digitise the collection for everyone to enjoy.

If you want to find out more about our Collections team then you can read our latest blogs here: https://thedockyard.co.uk/category/collections/

11/05/2023

We are looking to recruit a Digital Marketing Assistant who can take our captivating stories, spanning over 400-years of maritime history, and deliver them to today’s diverse audiences in exciting and creative ways, engaging both young and old, to drive physical visits to The Historic Dockyard Chatham and interaction through innovative digital experiences.

This is a great opportunity for a digital savvy, highly organised, imaginative and motivated individual.

Find out more: https://bit.ly/3Bi5b6A