Marine Engineering in the Royal Navy Timeline
  • 1670   Royal Navy formed.
  • 1712   Newcommen Steam Engine built to pump water out of mines in Cornwall
  • 1775   Watts Steam Engine built
  • 1821   First steam propelled ship to be introduced into the RN - ‘MONKEY’ entered service. (212 tons/80hp paddle steamer)
  • 1826   First recorded entry of an Engineer in the RN was Thomas Brown who entered service as a Third Class Engineer on 7 August
  • 1827  First steamships commissioned into RN as "HMS".
  • 1829   Total of 12 paddlewheel steamships in RN service
  • 1829   Engineers’ Boys in steamships for 5 years' training at sea as Indentured Apprentices
  • 1836   27 steam vessels in Navy List. Built by Great Western (I. K. Brunel)
  • 1836   Naval Instructors introduced at Warrant rank
  • 1837   Engineering Branch established on 19th July , Apprentices introduced, WO’s wore a Top Hat
  • 1842   80 paddlewheel steamships in RN service as auxillaries
  • 1843   Naval Cadets introduced into the Royal Navy
  • 1868   Engine Room Artificers introduced to RN to do more of the physical work of operation, maintenance & repair in place of Engineers
  • 1873   Royal Naval College opened at Greenwich for training of engineers, constructors and military officers
  • 1880   Engineering College opened at Devonport as "training school for Engineer Students" 35 students transferred from MARLBOROUGH at Portsmouth
  • 1881   Training in electrical generation introduced for RN Engineers
  • 1884   Impulse-reaction steam turbine patented (Parsons) 
  • 1897   Turbina built
  • 1903   HMS ASIA (Portsmouth) commence training of apprenticies
  • 1903   Introduced the new rate of Mechanician selected from young and promising Leading Stoker Mechanics ( Petty Officers) and Chief Stoker Mechanics
  • 1903   Mechanicians course consisted of 2 years in shore workshops set up in each port , ratings being trained in their own depots. Consisted of fitting, turning, boilermaking, coppersmithing, moulding and enginesmithing. Lectures on marine engineering and school subjects were given for one hour daily.
  • 1904   Training of Boy Artificers commences in HMS INDUS (TORPOINT)
  • 1905   Portsmouth apprentices move out of overcrowded HMS ASIA to take up residence in FISGARD, named after a previous engineer training establishment. The Sultan Hulk was named HMS FISGARD 4
  • 1903   HMS TENEDOS (Chatham) began training the first class of 26 apprentices
  • 1906   Centralization of Mechanicians training in HMS INDUS Devonport
  • 1908   The four hulks comprising FISGARD were moved to Elson Hardway and moored alongside the newly built jetty.
  • 1910   The first stokers to reach officer rank when the first class of Mechanicians passed out
  • 1922-8    HMS FISGARD was the only home of the RN Artificer Apprentice
  • 1929    RAF GOSPORT built, also major base of the Fleet Air Arm
  • 1932   All Artificers Training now being undertaken at Chatham
  • 1937   Increase in Artificer Apprentice numbers. Training split between FISGARD at Chatham and CALEDONIA (Former Liner Majestic) at Rosyth
  • 1939   Apprentices moved ashore from CALEDONIA and housed in local school while a permanent base ashore was constructed
  • 1940   The FISGARD Apprentices were moved to temporary accommodation ashore and afloat at Portsmouth and Devonport
  • 1940   newly built training facilities at ROSYTH and TORPOINT accommodated the Artificer Apprentices.
  • 1946   RAF handed over the airfield at Gosport to the Fleet Air Arm to become a Royal Naval Air Station – HMS WOODPECKER – changed name a few days later when it was discovered that there was already a frigate of that name. Renamed HMS SISKIN
  • 1956   HMS SISKIN renamed HMS SULTAN. Commissioned as the Mechanical Training Establishment
  • 1957   Fort GRANGE accommodation renovated to accommodate ratings from Chatham and Devonport
  • 1960   Parsons Block opens as the Marine Engineering School, Installation of diesel machinery and Ships Husbandry School from Chatham
  • 1965   Boiler house, attached to WATT hangar completed
  • 1969   Title Shipwright dropped from the RN
  • 1970   Air Engineering Artificer Apprentices leave HMS CONDOR and move to HMS DAEDELUS at Lee on the Solent
  • 1979   ME sub-specialists responsible for electrical systems (was WE branch)
  • 1983   HMS FISGARD closes
  • 1984   Marine Engineering Museum established
  • 1985   HMS CALEDONIA closes, courses transferred to HMS SULTAN
  • 1988   Use of Harbour Training Ship ceases
  • 1990   Introduction of the first females as Artificer Apprentices
  • 1996   HMS DAEDELUS closes and Air Engineering School moves to HMS SULTAN
  • 2010   The Last Artificers class completed training and passed out from HMS SULTAN