Part 2 of my Stonehouse walk is a tale of Bully Beef and Biscuits washed down with Rum. We left Part 1 in Firestone Bay and now we are walking along the headland to the "back door" of Royal William Yard.
At this point we have one of the best views of Plymouth Sound and if the largest Navy warships happen to appear, one of the closest views, as they manoeuvre slowly up river to Devonport, still the largest naval base in Western Europe. This is one of those weird contraptions below which you always see in harbours and which guide shipping safely in, but unless you know your shipping they are a complete mystery.
Today the sea is calm and the only ship of any note is a Border Force vessel. In the foreground is one of the hundreds of defensive remnants which litter the whole coast around here. Just right of this spot is a memorial to the voyage of The Beagle which took Charles Darwin around the world transforming human knowledge about humanity itself. The Beagle was anchored here for 17 days awaiting good wind conditions to continue its journey. So historic is it now that it is hard to conceive that when they set sail the news was buried in the general shipping news.
Morning Post - Friday 30 December 1831
SHIP NEWS. Deal, Dec. 28. — Arrived from London and sailed, Gem, Smith, Gibraltar; Retrench, Tarrey, Teneriffe ; Euretta, Fil- more, Trinidad ; Bonne Mere, Demerara. Portsmouth, Dec. 28. — Arrived his Majesty's ships Pelorus, from Chatham ; and Wellesley, from Plymouth. Sailed his Majesty's ships Etna and Raven, for Sierra Leone. Plymouth, Dec. 27. — Arrived the Prince Regent transport. Sailed his Majesty's ship Beagle, on a cruise round the world......
Meanwhile, buried on page three of the Court Circular about half way down the page, this passing mention.
Albion and the Star - Tuesday 06 December 1831
Captain Fitzroy gave a splendid ball and supper on board the Beagle, at Plymouth, on Monday last; among the distinguished guests present were the Duke of Somerset, the Ladies Seymour, the Earl and Countess of Morley, Lord and Lady Graves, etc. etc.
Can you imagine having been at that historic party, only to be described as etc.?
At the end of the headland of Western King, when you can walk no further, tucked away in a corner is the entrance to a more recently added "back door" into Royal William Yard. The naval facility was quarried out of the peninsula and it was a blank cheque project by the richest and most powerful country ever known. This is the view that greets you before you descend the modern stairway to what was a state of the art Naval victualling yard when it was built in the 1830's.
It is a group of buildings, each of which had a particular purpose, that occupied this 16 acre site. Plymouth had been involved in the business of victualling the English fleet since the 13th century, but after the establishment of the Royal Navy Dockyard at Devonport in 1690 the victualling business grew piecemeal over many decades until it was decided to organise all the elements under one roof in this purpose built yard.
It brought together slaughtering and curing, milling and baking, brewing and cooperage, and coal supplies not to mention storage of all that was needed on board ship, like uniforms cutlery, blankets, sailmaking, furniture and the actual loading of ships.
Interestingly, one of the earliest accounts of activity at the yard that I found was this....
Berkshire Chronicle - Saturday 26 September 1846
We hear from very good authority that the mills in the Royal William Victualling Yard, at Plymouth are immediately to commence grinding, night and day, Indian corn for the supply of the distressed Irish.
The Great Famine of Ireland had started the year before.
The Clarence building was the first to be built and was originally used as a liquid store, with one floor each of spirits, vinegar and beer. Latterly as needs changed it was used for storage of spares and components. Today it contains 52 contemporary award-winning apartments. As I write this a two bedroom unit is for sale for £500,000.
The building was named for The Duke of Clarence at the time of the start of building in 1827. By the time the whole complex was complete The Duke of Clarence had become King William IV so the Clarence building and the Royal William Yard are named after the same man.
Clarence and The Brewhouse won an award from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2006.
This wall gives some idea of how much area had to be excavated to level the site before work began. Eight acres were levelled, with the rubble used to extend the area by another six acres. Much of the quarried stone was also reused for the building. William IV only reigned for seven years. He was succeeded by his niece Victoria.
Northern Daily Times - Saturday 16 August 1856
THE ROYAL VISIT TO PLYMOUTH
PLYMOUTH, Thursday.—Her Majesty the Queen landed in the dockyard yesterday morning, shortly after nine o'clock, accompanied by Prince Albert and the royal children and suite, and having inspected the works and ships in progress proceeded in a carriage to Keyham Steamyard ; and having visited the several docks and workshops, she then passed through Devonport to Mount Wise and inspected the troops in garrison. The royal party re embarked about one o'clock from Mount Wise, and at 4.20 left in the train, proceeded to Catwater Harbour and the Laird, and from thence by carriage to Saltram, the mansion of the Earl of Morley. After visiting the house and grounds the royal party returned by carriage, by way of Plymouth and Stonehouse, to the Royal William Victualling Yard; here they remained a short time, and re embarked on board the Victoria and Albert.
PLYMOUTH, Friday.—The Queen, royal family, and suite landed at the Royal William Victualling Yard at nine o'clock, and shortly after left by special train, on the South Devon Railway, and will proceed by the Great Western line, via Salisbury, on their return.
Most of the photos in this post will focus on the last remaining building to be restored which is the Cooperage. When I arrived on this walk in August 2023, work had only just begun so this part of the walk turned into a last minute record of what Royal William Yard used to look like before restoration. My timing couldn't have been better as most of this area is presently inaccessible to the public.
Glasgow Gazette - Saturday 31 May 1851
VICTUALLING THE NAVY A return, just published, relative to the sums paid for British, colonial, and foreign produce, etc., for victualling the navy in 1850-51, shows that for British articles £145,901 7s. 7d. have been disbursed; for colonial, £80,320 17s. 8d.; and for foreign, £72,363 15s 9d. The chief items of foreign supplies are, fresh beef, £11,265 16s.; biscuit, £7,750 5s. 3d.; salt pork, £16,212 19s. 9d.; preserved meats, £16,798 11s. 1d.; tea, £7,303 11s. 1d.; tobacco, £4,270 11s. 10d.
This in today's money equates to £24 million in total per year, with nearly a million being spent on beef alone and £1.3 million on pork. Tea set the Navy back £590,000 per year in today's prices.
Dublin Evening Post - Saturday 23 July 1853
CONTRACTS FOR SALT BEEF AND SALT PORK; Department of the Comptroller for Victualling and Transport Services,
Somerset-place, 21st July, 1853.
THE Commissioners for Executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland do hearby give Notice, that THURSDAY, the 15th SEPTEMBER next, at One o’clock, they will be ready to treat with such Persons as may be willing to CONTRACT for supplying and delivering into her Majesty’s Victuallings Stores at the undermentioned Ports, the following quantities of
SALT MEAT
of the cure of any country, and all of the cure of the ensuing season, viz.;—
Deptford - Navy Beef -Tierces 550 - Barrels 200
Gosport - Navy Beef -Tierces 550 - Barrels 200
Plymouth - Navy Beef -Tierces 550 - Barrels 200
Haulbowline - Navy Beef - Tierces 1550 - Barrels 500
Their Lordships reserving to themselves the power, when the Tenders are opened, of contracting either for whole, or for such part thereof only as they may deem fit, or for greater quantity, or of not contracting for any ; and also unlimited power of selection, according to quality.
Haulbowline is an island in Cork harbour in Ireland and a tierce is a size of barrel. Today's industry standard barrel of oil is what used to be called a tierce or 42 gallons. That is a lot of beef.
Bradford Observer - Friday 14 August 1874
ROYAL VISIT TO PLYMOUTH The Prince of Wales arrived at Plymouth on Wednesday night, in order to open the new Guildhall yesterday. General festivities were organised in honour of the Royal visit. On arriving at Plymouth the Prince was received by the Mayor and Corporation, the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, and Admiral the Hon. Sir Henry Keppel. His Royal Highness was warmly received by a large crowd as he was driven off in the Port Admiral's carriage- to Devonport, off which the Royal yacht, which had arrived an hour before the Prince, was lying.
The whole town was ablaze with, colours, hundreds of flags having been obtained from various Government establishments, and several triumphal arches had been erected. The Guildhall and municipal buildings, in honour of the opening of which all the preparations have been made, consist of two blocks of buildings, which have been erected at a cost, including the site, of between £60,000 and £70,000.
The Prince of Wales landed about noon at the Royal William Victualling Yard, at which time the sun was shining brightly. Royal salutes were fired as His Royal Highness left his yacht, and when he landed...... and the Prince and his suite then left in State carriages for Plymouth, at the boundary of which he was met by the Mayor, Recorder, and other dignitaries, all of whom were in carriages. The procession then moved onward amidst tremendous cheering from the spectators, and proceeded to the Hoe, where 8000 children were massed, and they sang "God bless the Prince of Wales"and the National Anthem as the procession passed down into the town. The whole route from, the Victualling Yard to the new buildings, about two, miles, was lined with troops, who presented arms as the Prince passed. On his arrival at the Guildhall the Prince visited the Council Chamber, and then went to the door of the great hall, where Mr. H. T. Cole, QC., M.P., read the address of the Corporation.
Advertisements don't come quite like this anymore.
Trinidad Chronicle - Tuesday 20 April 1869
MONTE VIDEAN
Liebig's Extractum Carnis
As approved by the heads of the Public Service:-Army Medical Department (Netley Hospital), Admiralty (Victualling and Medical), India Board (Dietary and Medical) and H.M. Commissioners of Emigration; by the French Messageries Imperiales, in their cabin cuisinerie, the Rio Plata Steam Ship Company etc. etc.
PUREST QUALITY, PREPARED BY WOOD FIRE ONLY
From the Storekeeper in Chief at Her Majesty's Royal William Victualling Yard, Plymouth -- "I have in various ways, tried the preparation, and have no hesitation in pronouncing it to be of excellent quality. It appears to me to be quite as strong as, and equal, if not superior, to any Extractum Carnis I have tested."
Liebig's Extract of Meat Company, established in the United Kingdom, was the producer of LEMCO brand Liebig's Extract of Meat and the originator of Oxo meat extracts and Oxo beef stock cubes. It was named after Justus Freiherr von Liebig, the 19th-century German organic chemist who developed and promoted a method for industrial production of beef extract.
Western Evening Herald - Saturday 22 July 1995
Local History with Chris Robinson
William Yard
Between 1825 and 1835 the population of Stonehouse grew by over 50%, from somewhere in the region of 6000 to a staggering 9500 - such was the initial impact of the Victualling Yard.
It should be remembered that part of the role of Royal William Yard was as a standby operation. To be ready to ramp up production and supplies in the case of war.
The Bakery for example was given one full production run in 1834 and was not then used for another 13 years, when it was re-equipped and kept in service until 1925......
...... In the late 1850's the following "mightly numbers" were published......the figures represent the quantities of provisions requisite for one year's consumption for a force of 35,000 seamen:- biscuit 13,000,000 lbs / 5.9 million Kg; spirits (mostly rum) 400,000 gallons / 1.5 million litres; fresh meat 7,000,000 lbs / 3,2 million Kg; sugar 1,200,000 lbs / 544,000 Kg ; peas 180,000 lbs / 82,000 Kg; cocoa 800,000 lbs / 363,000 Kg; raisins 270,000 lbs / 122,000 Kg.
At this time biscuit took the place of bread and we will find out a lot more about the biscuits in my next post. Incidentally, the peas mentioned in the list were dried peas, dried in the same biscuit drying facility.
Originally a combination of workshops, offices and storage/seasoning space (built around a pair of concentric quadrangles) the cooperage accommodated 100 coopers to make the barrels and kegs in which the produce of the Yard could be stored and transported. After the Navy decided to concentrate the majority of its barrel manufacturing work at Deptford; the number of coopers declined over time until only 12 were employed.
One can easily imagine that with the scale of the site, the number of staff and the quantity of material stored that pilfering was a problem that had to be kept in check. There follows a wry episode of a court case that addressed one of these incidents defended by a legal expert that I would definitely have wanted on my side.
Western Morning News - Wednesday 23 August 1922
CHARGES AGAINST DOCKYARD MEN DISMISSED. Prosecuting on behalf of the Excise authorities in a case heard at the Kerstreet (Devonport) Police Court yesterday, Mr. Gibson, solicitor, claimed that the facts revealed an organized plan for running tobacco out the William Victualling Yard.
There were three defendants, Cornelius Dennehy, Quarry-street, Stonehouse; Samuel Kenneford, Cromwell-road, Plymouth; and Robert Robertson, Melbourne street, Plymouth. The first named was charged with being concerned in dealing with certain uncustomed goods and with harbouring such goods at his house, with intent to defraud the Customs on May 24, and the two other men were accused of harbouring uncustomed goods.
The evidence was to the effect that when Customs officers visited the Victualling Yard, where the men were employed, Kenneford was asked if he had any uncustomed goods in his possession and he produced a quarter ounce of tobacco. When further questioned he admitted having more at home. Robertson also made a statement to the same effect.
CONDEMNED TOBACCO.
In the tobacco pressing-room where they were engaged under the direction of Dennehy, three 1lb. packages of tobacco were found in a corner covered with sacking. Dennehy said one of them belonged to him, and that he intended to take it home that evening. A press was also discovered to contain 33 packages of about 1lb. each. At his house Kenneford produced 1lb. of tobacco and Robertson 15 ounces, which he said he had brought out of the yard hidden in his stockings.
Mr. Arberry, in charge of the stores, said the tobacco was issued to ships in packages of not less than 40lb. in weight. Previous to 1921 all of the tobacco returned to the yard as condemned was destroyed, but it was now sold under contract at 2d. per lb. He had taken stock, and found there was no shortage of serviceable tobacco, and that which was referred to in the charges represented the shortage of condemned tobacco.
MAN OF IDEAS.
Mr. Elliot Square, who defended the accused men, spoke of the excellent character they had borne, and regretted that the offence alleged against them had not been met by giving them a simple warning against "fiddling" with Government stores which were practically valueless. As to the tobacco found in the press, he said that Dennehy was a man of ideas and was experimenting with the condemned tobacco with a view to ascertaining if he could save the Government money rendering a part of it serviceable. The magistrates dismissed the charges.
One wonders how many hundreds of men in the taverns of Stonehouse were "experimenting" with the tobacco in their pipes, and if any had come to any conclusion in their efforts to "save the Government money"?
The Scotsman - Tuesday 22 May 1923
........The introduction of steamships , shortening the duration of voyages, altered materially the problem of victualling the Fleet, and has almost entirely eliminated the use of salt beef , salt pork, and ship's biscuits, that formed the staple articles of food for our sailors fifty years ago. The introduction of refrigerating rooms, where fresh meat could be stored, of bakeries where bread could be made daily, and the larger concentration in recent years of the Fleet in home waters have all been contributing factors in the change, and the majority of the younger present-day naval men have probably never had salt meat and biscuits issued to them .
Meanwhile across the Stonehouse inlet in Devonport, nothing went to waste.
Shipping and Mercantile Gazette - Wednesday 22 September 1852
ADMIRALTY, SOMERSET-PLACE. September 21, 1852.
SALE OF OLD STORES AT DEVONPORT.
THE Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland hereby give NOTICE, that on TUESDAY, the 19th OCTOBER next, at Ten o’clock in the Forenoon, the Commodore Superintendent will put up to sale in her Majesty’s Dockyard at DEVONPORT several lots of
OLD STORES;
consisting of old Rope Shakings, Spun Yarn, Unlayed Yam, Hammocks, Canvas, Oakum. Hemp Bakings and Tyers, Cast Iron, &c.. &c., all lying in the said yard. Persons wishing to view the lots must apply to the Superintendent for notes of admission for that purpose. Catalogues and conditions of sale may be had here and at the yard.
Nottingham Journal - Tuesday 28 May 1918
Grog and Tobacco.
The Navy rum is famous, and the rum is supplied from this yard for Army use in the trenches. The total issue in 1917 was 1,066,000 gallons. There is storage in huge vats of 250,000 gallons, and one vat alone contains 32,817 gallons. The allowance to each man over is 20 one-eighth of a pint daily, but a very large proportion of men take a money allowance called “grog money” in lieu. While we are speaking of the seaman's “grog,” we must not forget his “baccy” which supplied to him on payment in leaf, strip, and manufactured form by the principal victualling yard duty free.
It wasn't just the men who were pilfering, the women were at it too.
Western Evening Herald - Saturday 18 December 1915
PLYMOUTH WIDOW BOUND OVER.
At Plymouth Police-court to-day, before Messrs. Isaac Pearse and W W Blight.
Florence Sobey, widow of 69, Durnford-street was charged with being unlawfully in possession of a serge jumper on December 17th, value 5s. 9d., the property of the Government.- Detective Inspector Wyborn, Metropolitan Police, said the woman had been employed at the Royal William Victualling Yard for sixteen months, folding jumpers for storing purposes. With others, she was searched on leaving work, and the jumper was discovered in her possession. She then said she was going to use it for her little boy. She pleaded guilty.
Detective Inspector Wyborn said the defendant had two children, one being in the fever hospital. She was receiving 17s per week wages. As far as he knew she was a very respectable woman. Nothing was known against her.
The Bench dealt leniently with the defendant, and bound her over in £5 to be of good behaviour for six months.
Western Morning News - Tuesday 17 January 1950
Father was 'absent'
SANTA CLAUS seems to be working overtime. He is still making appearances at local children's parties. I do not know who is the longest holder of this benevolent office, but Mr. W. E. Freeman, of Plymouth, a retired inspector of stores, must have quite a good claim.
He has been Santa Claus at Royal William Yard children's parties since 1922, with but a short break when the parties were suspended during the war.
When his daughter was a child this dual existence puzzled her considerably. Every year at Yard parties her father was always unaccountably absent just when Santa Claus arrived—and she did so want to show him to daddy.
Western Morning News - Tuesday 11 August 1942
Troop Concerts. —Among their many concerts for war workers and troops all over Devon and Cornwall. "The Livelies." a concert party organized by Mdme. Lilian Annear at the beginning of the war, entertained war workers at the Royal William Yard, Plymouth, during the lunch hour in their canteen yesterday.
Western Morning News - Tuesday 03 September 1946
RUM STILL HIDDEN IN WESTCOUNTRY CAVES
How Navy Guarded Its Stores During The War
PROBLEM OF FEEDING, CLOTHING, AND WATERING THE FLEET
WARSHIPS are a common sight to the average Westcountry resident, but relatively few have any idea of the vast organization necessary to maintain a ship at sea. It was a Napoleonic dictum that "an army marches on its stomach." How much greater were the difficulties embraced by the expansionist demands of World War 1939-45, when whole Fleets were kept at sea for protracted periods thousands of miles from a base. What marvels of organization went to the making ,of the Fleet train!
There is no more striking example of modern war logistics and the science of calculation than the magnificent work of the Royal Navy's Victualling Yards.
Against the background of some needs of only one ship one can gauge the magnitude of the task which confronted the authorities responsible for supply. On commissioning for sea, an average cruiser would need the following for an approximate period of three months: Sugar. 16,000 lb.; tea, 2,600 lb.; coffee, 400 lb.; milk, 15,000 tins; jam and marmalade, 3,000 lb.; salt, 2,000 lb-; flour, 35.000 lb.; rum, 400 gallons; cups and saucers, 1,000; plates, 2,000; knives and forks, 1,000. These are only a few of the demands which have to be met for the sustenance of the crew.
NEW DEPOTS STARTED.
The Royal William Victualling Yard, Plymouth, built by Sir John Rennie over 115 years ago, has a proud association with the Royal Navy, and, like the other main depots at Gosport and Deptford, it helped to spread a tremendous net of subsidiary depots to meet what was an unprecedented demand. Even today certain stores, including casks of rum, are hidden away in caves in the Westcountry.
Formed as part of a slate quarry in the Loveny Valley, these three artificial caves are still something to behold. Not only have their interiors been used as the cover artwork for an album by Echo and the Bunnymen, but the acoustics have made them a popular, if unusual, gig venue. But perhaps the oddest fact is that the caves were used to keep the Royal Navy's rum ration safe and secure during the Second World War.
Western Morning News - Tuesday 22 February 1921
ROYAL WILLIAM YARD AUCTION.
Nearly 7,000 ivory and electro-plate- knives and forks formed part of the miscellany of mess equipment, totalling some 29,0000 that commenced to come under the hammer of Messrs. Callaway and Co. at the Royal William Yard, Plymouth, yesterday.
There was a large attendance of would-be buyers. Brisk bidding resulted in good prices, and some lots were disposed of. To-day the remainder, comprising further cutlery, china, kitchen utensils, galvanised ware, linen, mattresses etc. will be auctioned.
In 1891 the Navy Ordnance Board transformed the Old Cooperage into a machine shop and ordnance store, and in 1916 the courtyards were roofed over.
Plymouth's Own Wicked Little Letters
Weymouth Telegram - Friday 14 January 1876
SCANDAL AT PLYMOUTH.
Some hundreds of anonymous letters and postcards containing scandalous allegations concerning several persons moving in the highest social circles of Plymouth, have recently been sent to scores of gentlemen in Plymouth and Devonport, including all the principal naval and military officers, clergymen, barristers, and physicians. A committee of the recipients have offered heavy rewards for the discovery of the writer, and have so far succeeded that they have now publicly advertised that the writer is the wife of a Plymouth solicitor of large practice, who is challenged by name to prosecute his accusers if he denies the charge. The affair is causing an immense sensation.
Plymouth Extra - Thursday 30 May 1996
Thousands take up places on yard tours
OVER 9000 people have visited the historic Royal William Yard in Plymouth since tours of the site began. More tours of the Plymouth Development Corporation site are being held this summer.
'Public access to the former Royal Navy victualling yard has been denied for most of its 160-year lifetime However the corporation has run a series of regular tour visits during the summer and autumn months since it took over development of the yard three years ago' said a corporation spokesman.
To date over 9000 people have visited the historic site which includes some of the finest examples of Nineteenth Century architecture in the country. The one-and-a-half hour guided tours will allow visitors to enjoy and learn more about the architecture and history of the site.
'Highlights include magnificent buildings such Melville the former administrative nerve centre of the yard the Brewhouse used to store the famous navy rum, the Mills and Bakery buildings and the New Cooperage which housed coopers and other tradesmen. The tours will also explain and describe the corporation's plans for the future of the yard which include a mix of new leisure tourism business and residential uses as well as forming part of Plymouth's Spirit of Discovery Millennium bid.
On exiting the Cooperage through the beautiful trident topped gates the stunning Brewhouse comes into view. During the building period many changes were developing in the way ships were stocked not the least of which was the rapid introduction of steam power. Steam power meant many changes, one of which was faster and more reliable journey times. This meant the types of food needed on board ship changed rapidly and also the need for safe beer on long journeys was not required as new technology allowed large quantities of fresh water to be carried at sea. As a consequence, this building was never actually equipped as a brewhouse. It stood empty from 1832 until 1885 when the west wing was converted into a new slaughterhouse and vegetable store, while the east wing became a rum store and power house. Today the building houses 78 apartments, together with ground floor commercial space for exhibitions, cafés and restaurants.
In Part 3, we'll walk through the rest of the complex of restored buildings.
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