Nathaniel Barnaby
Encyclopedia
Sir Nathaniel Barnaby, KCB
(born 25 February 1829 in Chatham
, England
; died June 16, 1915 in London
) was Chief Constructor
of the Royal Navy
from 1872 to 1885.
Barnaby began his career as a naval apprentice at Sheerness
in 1843. He won a scholarship to Portsmouth Naval School
in 1848. On qualifying in 1852, he became a draughtsman
at Woolwich
dockyard. He was invited to join the Department of Naval Construction in 1854 to take part in designing the first British ironclad warship, HMS Warrior
.
Sir Edward Reed became Chief Constructor in 1863. He was married to Barnaby's sister, and he made Barnaby head of his staff. In this post, he worked on the majority of British warships, up to the time of HMS Monarch
. When Reed retired in 1872, Barnaby was elevated to "President of the Council of Construction and Chief Naval Architect." Always referred to as the "Chief Constructor," the title was changed in 1875 to "Director of Naval Construction
" (DNC).
Nathaniel Barbaby was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1876 and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1885, the year he retired because of ill-health. In retirement, he lived to see the start of the Dreadnought era
.
During his thirteen years in office, he faced possibly more and various changes in ship design than any Director of Naval Construction before or since. He saw: main armament change from 12-inch muzzleloading rifles to 16.25-inch breechloaders
; introduction of secondary armament; armament housed in central citadels; armament housed in barbettes and in turrets; and development of the torpedo
. He also saw the end of rigging in battleship
s.
He was succeeded in the role of Chief Constructor by Sir William White
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(born 25 February 1829 in Chatham
Chatham, Medway
Chatham is one of the Medway towns located within the Medway unitary authority, in North Kent, in South East England.Although the dockyard has long been closed and is now being redeveloped into a business and residential community as well as a museum featuring the famous submarine, HMS Ocelot,...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; died June 16, 1915 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) was Chief Constructor
Director of Naval Construction
The Director of Naval Construction was a senior British civil servant post in the Admiralty, that part of the British Civil Service that oversaw the Royal Navy. The post existed from 1860 to 1966....
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
from 1872 to 1885.
Barnaby began his career as a naval apprentice at Sheerness
Sheerness
Sheerness is a town located beside the mouth of the River Medway on the northwest corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 12,000 it is the largest town on the island....
in 1843. He won a scholarship to Portsmouth Naval School
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
in 1848. On qualifying in 1852, he became a draughtsman
Technical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
at Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
dockyard. He was invited to join the Department of Naval Construction in 1854 to take part in designing the first British ironclad warship, HMS Warrior
HMS Warrior (1860)
HMS Warrior was the first iron-hulled, armour-plated warship, built for the Royal Navy in response to the first ironclad warship, the French Gloire, launched a year earlier....
.
Sir Edward Reed became Chief Constructor in 1863. He was married to Barnaby's sister, and he made Barnaby head of his staff. In this post, he worked on the majority of British warships, up to the time of HMS Monarch
HMS Monarch (1868)
HMS Monarch was the first sea-going warship to carry her guns in turrets, and the first British warship to carry guns of calibre.-Design:...
. When Reed retired in 1872, Barnaby was elevated to "President of the Council of Construction and Chief Naval Architect." Always referred to as the "Chief Constructor," the title was changed in 1875 to "Director of Naval Construction
Director of Naval Construction
The Director of Naval Construction was a senior British civil servant post in the Admiralty, that part of the British Civil Service that oversaw the Royal Navy. The post existed from 1860 to 1966....
" (DNC).
Nathaniel Barbaby was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1876 and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1885, the year he retired because of ill-health. In retirement, he lived to see the start of the Dreadnought era
Dreadnought
The dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...
.
During his thirteen years in office, he faced possibly more and various changes in ship design than any Director of Naval Construction before or since. He saw: main armament change from 12-inch muzzleloading rifles to 16.25-inch breechloaders
Breech-loading weapon
A breech-loading weapon is a firearm in which the cartridge or shell is inserted or loaded into a chamber integral to the rear portion of a barrel....
; introduction of secondary armament; armament housed in central citadels; armament housed in barbettes and in turrets; and development of the torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
. He also saw the end of rigging in battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s.
He was succeeded in the role of Chief Constructor by Sir William White
William Henry White
Sir William Henry White was a prolific British warship designer and Chief Constructor at the Admiralty....
.