Additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty
The Additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty was a member of the Board of Admiralty from 1882 to 1885 and 1912 to 1919. The office was held by a person who was neither a naval officer nor a politician.
1882 Creation
On 14 April, 1882, George W. Rendel, a noted civil engineer with Elswick Ordnance Company and the Armstrong shipbuilding concern, was appointed as an Additional Civil Lord on the Board of Admiralty. It has been claimed that "Parliament established" this appointment.[1] This is completely untrue, and was in fact a government measure. Whilst it has been claimed that ill health alone prompted his retirement from the position in 1885,[2] the fact that there had been a change of government and a customary change of Board as a result makes this claim partially suspect. That his brother was a Liberal politician, and his niece married to Gladstone's son, likely made his position untenable.
1912 Creation
The Prime Minister, Herbert H. Asquith, wrote to the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill on 26 December, 1911:
As there is no present prospect of other provision being made for Lambert, your new man will have to be an Additional Civil Lord. I do not know whether this necessitates an Order in Council, but it would be well to obtain the King's consent. Hopwood, of course, is the best man for the job, but you should be careful to get Ll. George's concurrence (as he is sensitive about the Development Commee) and to arrange with the Treasury as to fixing the rate of H's salary, which I assume will be personal to himself.[3]
Duties
| 24 April, 1882.[4] |
|---|
| Duties shared with Controller of the Navy. |
| 1.—Dockyards. |
| 2.—Steam Reserves.—as regard Ships. |
| 3.—Ship-building. |
| 4.—Constructor's Department. |
| 5.—Store Department. |
| 6.—Dock-yard Craft. |
| 7.—Inventions and Experiments in Ships and Steam. |
| 8.—Gunnery as relates to Materiel. |
| 9.—Promotions and transfers of Professional Officers and Workmen in the Dockyards. |
| 27 September, 1912.[5] |
|---|
| 1. Contracts for Matériel for the Fleet (including Ships and their Machinery, Armour, Naval Ordnance and Gun Mountings, Aeroplanes and Airships), Works, Yard Machinery, and Stores of all descriptions. Contract arrangements in connection with the disposal, salvage, or loan of vessels or stores. Superintendence of the Contract and Purchase Department. |
| NOTE.—Tenders for Ship's Hulls and Propelling Machinery, Armour, and important Gun and Air-craft Orders, will also be marked to the Third Sea Lord. |
| 2. General organisation of Dockyards, including provision of Labour and Plant, and all business questions in connection with the building and repair of ships and their machinery, whether in the Dockyards or in Private Yards. |
| August, 1916.[6] |
|---|
| 1. Contracts for Matériel for the Fleet (including Ships and their Machinery, Armour, Naval Ordnance and Gun Mountings, Aeroplanes and Airships), Works, Yard Machinery, and Stores of all descriptions. Contract arrangements in connection with the disposal, salvage, or loan of vessels or stores. Superintendence of the Contract and Purchase Department. |
| NOTE.—Tenders for Ship's Hulls and Propelling Machinery, Armour, and important Gun and Aircraft Orders, will also be marked to the Third Sea Lord. |
| 2. General organisation of Dockyards, including provision of Labour and Plant, and all business questions in connection with the building and repair of ships and their machinery, whether in the Dockyards or in Private Yards. NOTE.—Important questions relating to repair of ships and questions of general administration which may affect progress on ships building or under repair will be marked also to the Third Sea Lord. |
Additional, or Second, Civil Lords
- George W. Rendel, 18 April, 1882 – 1 July, 1885.[7]
- The Right Honourable Sir Francis J. S. Hopwood, 18 January, 1912.
- Arthur F. Pease, 10 January, 1918.[8]
Office lapsed, 31 March, 1919.[9]
Third Civil Lord
- Robert S. Horne, 17 June, 1918.[10]
Footnotes
- ↑ Walker. Ships and Shipbuilders. p. 147.
- ↑ Lane. "Rendel, George Wightwick." The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
- ↑ Asquith to Churchill. Letter of 26 December, 1911. Churchill Papers. CHAR 13/1/58.
- ↑ "Distribution of Business" in docket "Distribution of Business: Board of Admiralty" dated 24 April, 1882. The National Archives. ADM 1/6330.
- ↑ "The Board of Admiralty. Distribution of Business." Copy in Greene Papers. National Maritime Museum. GEE/2. pp. 4-5.
- ↑ "The Board of Admiralty. Distribution of Business." Copy in Greene Papers. National Maritime Museum. GEE/2. p. 4. Also the same for 14 February, 1917.
- ↑ A List of the Lords High Admiral and Commissioners for executing that Office, which have been from time to time appointed, since the year 1660. pp. 40-41.
- ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 127.
- ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 127.
- ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 126.
Bibliography
- Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division (1929). The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. Its Work and Development. B.R. 1845 (late C.B. 3013). Copy No. 8 at The National Archives. ADM 234/434.
