Hydrographer of the Navy

Hydrographer of the Navy
Hydrographer of the Navy
	Incumbent; Captain Derek Rae; since 2019
	Ministry of Defence
Reports to	First Sea Lord
Nominator	Admiralty Board
Appointer	Secretary of State for Defence
Term length	1–4 years
Inaugural holder	Alexander Dalrymple
Formation	12 August 1795 (226 years ago)

The Hydrographer of the Navy is the principal hydrographical Royal Naval appointment. From 1795 until 2001, the post was responsible for the production of charts for the Royal Navy, and around this post grew the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO).

In 2001, the post was disassociated from UKHO, and the Hydrographer of the Navy is now a title bestowed upon the current captain—hydrography and meteorology—on the staff of the Devonport Flotilla at HMNB Devonport.

History[]

Before the establishment of the post, captains of Royal Navy ships were responsible for the provision of their own charts. In practice this meant that ships often sailed with inadequate information for safe navigation, and that when new areas were surveyed, the data rarely reached all those who needed it. The Admiralty appointed Alexander Dalrymple as hydrographer on 12 August 1795, with a remit to gather and distribute charts to HM Ships. Within a year existing charts had been collated, and the first catalogue published. It was five years before the first chart—of Quiberon Bay in Brittany—was produced by the Hydrographer.^[1]

Under Dalrymple's successor, Captain Thomas Hurd, Admiralty charts were sold to the general public, and by 1825, there were 736 charts listed in the catalogue. In 1829, the first Sailing Directions were published, and in 1833, under Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort—of the eponymous Beaufort scale—the tide tables were first published. Notices to Mariners came out in 1834, allowing for the timely correction of charts already in use. Beaufort was certainly responsible for a step change in output; by the time he left the office in 1855, the Hydrographic Office had a catalogue of nearly 2,000 charts and was producing over 130,000 charts, of which about half were provided to the Royal Navy and half sold.^[1]

In 1939, on the outbreak of World War II, the Hydrographic Office moved to Taunton, and the post of hydrographer moved with it. In 2001, a chief executive was appointed to run the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office as a profit-making agency of the British government, and at this time the roles of National Hydrographer and Hydrographer of the Navy were divided.^[1] The title of hydrographer devolved to Captain (hydrography and meteorology), a senior officer on the staff of the Commodore of the Devonport Flotilla, and the senior Royal Navy officer within the HM branch. As of 2010, the post has been renamed Captain (HM Ops), but continues to carry the title Hydrographer of the Navy.

List of hydrographers[]

1795–1808: Alexander Dalrymple
1808–1823: Captain Thomas Hurd
1823–1829: Rear Admiral Sir Edward Parry
1829–1855: Rear Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort
1855–1863: Rear Admiral John Washington
1863–1874: Vice Admiral Sir George Richards
1874–1884: Captain Sir Frederick Evans
1884–1904: Rear Admiral Sir William Wharton
1904–1909: Rear Admiral Sir Arthur Field
1909–1914: Rear Admiral Sir Herbert Purey-Cust
1914–1919: Rear Admiral Sir John Parry
1919–1924: Vice Admiral Sir Frederick Learmonth
1924–1932: Vice Admiral Sir Percy Douglas
1932–1945: Vice Admiral Sir John Edgell
1945–1950: Rear Admiral Arthur Norris Wyatt
1950–1955: Vice Admiral Sir Archibald Day
1955–1960: Rear Admiral Kenneth Collins
1960–1966: Rear Admiral Sir Edmund Irving
1966–1971: Rear Admiral Steve Ritchie
1971–1975: Rear Admiral Geoffrey Hall
1975–1985: Rear Admiral Sir David Haslam
1985–1990: Rear Admiral Roger Morris
1990–1994: Rear Admiral John Myres
1994–1996: Rear Admiral Sir Nigel Essenhigh
1996–2001: Rear Admiral John Clarke
2001–2003: Captain Mike Barritt
2003–2005: Captain David Lye
2005–2007: Captain Ian Turner
2007–2010: Captain Robert Stewart
2010–2012: Captain Vaughan Nail
2012–2013: Captain Stephen Malcolm
2013–2016: Captain David Robertson
2016–2017: Captain Matt Syrett
2017–2019: Captain Gary Hesling
2019–0000: Captain Derek Rae

Notes[]

References[]

^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office timeline" (PDF). UKHO. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-01-23.

External links[]

Official website

[UKHO_timeline-1] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c "The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office timeline" (PDF). UKHO. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-01-23.

[1]

show v t Department of Admiralty
Direction and control of Admiralty and Naval affairs	Office of First Lord of the Admiralty and President of the Board of Admiralty Lord High Admirals Council
Boards and offices under the First Lord	Board of Admiralty Navy Board Navy Office Navy Pay Office Office of the Naval Secretary Office of the First Naval Lord Office of the First Sea Lord Office of the Senior Naval Lord Office of the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty Office of the Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty
Direction of Admirals Naval/Sea Lords War and Naval Staff	Office of the Senior Naval Lord Office of the First Naval Lord Office of the First Sea Lord
Secretariat and staff under the First Sea Lord	Office of the Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord Office of the Additional Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord Office of the Hydrographer of the Navy Offices of the Sea Lords Admiralty Navy War Council Admiralty War Staff Admiralty Naval Staff
Operational planning, policy strategy, tactical doctrine requirements	Admiralty Navy War Council Admiralty War Staff Admiralty Naval Staff
Divisions and sections under the War and Naval Staff	Administrative Planning Department Administrative Planning Division Air Division Anti-Submarine Division Anti-Submarine and Warfare Division Anti-U-boat Division Air Warfare Division Air Warfare and Fly Training Division Air Warfare and Training Division Communications Division Convoy Section Economic Warfare Division Gunnery and Anti-Aircraft Warfare Division Gunnery Division Gunnery and Torpedo Division Historical Section Local Defence Division Division Mercantile Movements Division Naval Air Division Naval Air Organisation and Training Division Naval Artillery and Torpedoes Division Navigation and Direction Division Navigation Division Minesweeping Division Mobilisation Division Naval Intelligence Division Operations Division Operations Division (Home) Operations Division (Foreign) Plans Division Plans Division (Q) Press Division Signal Division Signal Section Tactical Division Tactical and Weapons Policy Division Torpedo Division Torpedo, Anti-Submarine and Minewarfare Division Trade Division Trade and Operations Division Training and Staff Duties Division Tactical and Staff Duties Division Undersurface Warfare Division
Offices of the Sea Lords	Office of the Second Sea Lord Office of the Third Sea Lord Office of the Fourth Sea Lord Office of the Fifth Sea Lord
Admiralty civil departments and organisations under the Sea Lords	Admiralty Central Dockyard Laboratory Admiralty Central Metallurgical Laboratory Admiralty Civilian Shore Wireless Service Admiralty Compass Observatory Admiralty Constabulary Admiralty Constabulary Headquarters Admiralty Engineering Laboratory Admiralty Experimental Station Admiralty Experiment Works Admiralty Gunnery Establishment Admiralty Interview Board Admiralty Materials Laboratory Admiralty Mine Design Department Admiralty Mining Establishment Admiralty Naval Aircraft Materials Laboratory Admiralty Record Office Admiralty Research Laboratory Admiralty Signal Establishment Admiralty Signals and Radar Establishment Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment Admiralty Torpedo Experimental Establishment Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment Admiralty Underwater Weapons Launching Establishment Architectural and Engineering Works Department Air Department Armament Supply Department Board of Invention and Research Board of Longitude Britannia Royal Naval College Chemical Department Combined Operations Headquarters Compass Department Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy Department of Miscellaneous Weapons Development Department of Naval Education Department of the Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services Department of the Director of Dockyards Department of the Director of Naval Construction Department of the Director of Naval Equipment Department of the Director of Torpedoes and Mining Department of the Director of Transports Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Materials Department of the Flag Officer Sea Training Department of the Inspector-General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets Department of the Medical Director-General of the Navy Department of the Physician of the Navy Department of the Physician General of the Navy Department of the Storekeeper-General of the Navy Department of the Surveyor of Buildings Department of the Surveyor of Dockyards Directorate-General, (Naval Manpower and Training) Directorate General Training Dockyards and Fleet Maintenance Department Dockyards Branch Experimental Department Fire Control Group Greenwich Hospital Department Joint Warfare Establishment Historical Section Hydrographic Department Marine Department Marine Pay Department Medical Consultative Board Medical Department Medical Examining Board Nautical Almanac Office Naval Historical Branch Naval Construction Department Naval Intelligence Department Naval Medical Service Naval Mobilisation Department Naval Ordnance Department Naval Ordnance Stores Department Naval Reserve Department Naval Stores Department Naval Training Department Naval Works Department Navy, Army and Air Force Institute Navy and Army Canteen Board Navigation Department Office of the Admiral Commanding Coast Guard and Reserves Office of the Admiral Commanding, Reserves Office of the Admiralty Chemist Packet Service Royal Corps of Naval Constructors Royal Flying Corps Royal Marine Police Royal Marines Office Office of the Chaplain of the Fleet Royal Naval Academy Royal Naval Air Service Royal Naval Air Stations Royal Naval Armaments Depot Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Royal Naval Propellant Factory Royal Naval College Royal Naval College and the School for Naval Architecture Royal Naval College, Dartmouth Royal Naval College, Greenwich Royal Naval College, Osborne Royal Naval Engineering College Royal Naval Hospital Royal Naval Minewatching Service Royal Naval Patrol Service Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Naval War College Royal Naval War College, Portsmouth Royal Navy Dockyard Royal Navy Medical Service Royal Observatory, Greenwich Royal School of Naval Architecture School of Mathematics and Naval Construction Sea Transport Branch Sea Transport Department Sea Transport Division Sixpenny Office Torpedo Experimental Establishment Transport Department Victualling Department
Distribution of the Fleet	Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty Office of the First Naval Lord Office of the First Sea Lord Admiralty Naval Staff
Military units distributed under the Admiralty	1st Fleet 2nd Fleet 3rd Fleet Africa Station Atlantic Fleet Arabian Seas and Persian Gulf Australia Station Cape of Good Hope Station Cape and West Africa Station Battle Cruiser Fleet Battle Cruiser Force Caspian Flotilla Channel Fleet Channel Squadron Coastal Forces Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland Cork Station Coast of Scotland Commander-in-Chief, China Commander-in-Chief, Dover Downs Station East Africa Station East Indies Fleet East Indies Station East Indies and China Station Eastern Fleet Far Eastern Fleet English Channel Grand Fleet Flag Officer Gibraltar Harwich Force Home Fleet Jamaica Station Leith Station Commander-in-Chief, Levant Levant and East Mediterranean Commander-in-Chief, Leeward Islands Lisbon Station Mediterranean Fleet Medway Newfoundland Station New Zealand Division New Zealand Naval Forces Narrow Seas Nore North America and West Indies Station Commander-in-Chief, North Sea Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands Pacific Fleet Pacific Station Admiral of Patrols Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth Portugal Queenstown Station Royal East African Navy Royal Indian Navy Flag Officer Submarines Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth Reserve Fleet Scotland and Northern Ireland Commander-in-Chief, Sheerness Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic South East Coast of America Station Commander-in-Chief, Thames Commander-in-Chief, Thames and Medway Thames, Medway and Nore West Africa Squadron Flag Officer, West Africa Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches West Indies Station Western Squadron
Direction of Naval Finance	Department of the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty
Departments under the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary	Department of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty Accountant-General's Department Comptroller of the Navy Department of the Surveyor of the Navy
Direction of Naval Administration and the Admiralty Secretariat	Department of the Permanent Secretary
Branches and offices under the Permanent Secretary	Admiralty Record Office Admiralty Secretariat Air Branch Civil Branch Legal Branch Military Branch Naval Branch Ship Branch
Civil Administration	Department of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, Department of the Additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty
Departments under the Civil Lords	Accountant-General's Department Department of the Surveyor of Buildings Greenwich Hospital Department
Legal
Legal under Judicial Department	Admiralty court High Court of Admiralty Office of the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty High Court of Justice Office of the Judge Advocate of the Fleet Office of the Admiralty Advocate Office of the Chief Naval Judge Advocate Office of the Counsel for the Affairs of the Admiralty and Navy Office of the Counsel to the Admiralty Office of the Solicitor for the Affairs of the Admiralty Office of the Solicitor to the Admiralty and Navy Office of the Solicitor to the Admiralty King's Bench Division (Admiralty) Queens's Bench Division (Admiralty) Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division Vice Admiralty courts

show Authority control
General	VIAF 1 WorldCat (via VIAF)
National libraries	Norway
Other	Microsoft Academic

Hydrographer of the Navy

Incumbent Captain Derek Rae since 2019
Ministry of Defence
Reports to	First Sea Lord
Nominator	Admiralty Board
Appointer	Secretary of State for Defence
Term length	1–4 years
Inaugural holder	Alexander Dalrymple
Formation	12 August 1795 (226 years ago) (1795-08-12)