Comptroller of the Navy (Navy Board)

(Redirected from Clerk Comptroller of the Navy) Position in the Royal Navy This article is about the period from 1561–1832. For the article about the new Controller of the Navy, see Third Sea Lord.

Office of the Comptroller of the Navy
Navy Board Flag
Department of the Admiralty
Member of	Navy Board (1546–1832)
Reports to	First Lord of the Admiralty
Nominator	First Lord of the Admiralty
Appointer	Prime Minister Subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council
Term length	Not fixed (usually for life)
Inaugural holder	John Hopton
Formation	1512–1832

The Comptroller of the Navy originally called the Clerk Comptroller of the Navy was originally a principal member of the English Navy Royal, and later the British Royal Navy, Navy Board. From 1512 until 1832, the Comptroller was mainly responsible for all British naval spending and directing the business of the Navy Board from 1660 as its chairman. The position was abolished in 1832 when the Navy Board was merged into the Board of Admiralty. The comptroller was based at the Navy Office.

History

The post was originally created in 1512 during the reign of Henry VIII of England when the post holder was styled as the Clerk Comptroller until 1545. In 1561 the name was changed to Comptroller of the Navy. The Comptroller presided over the Board from 1660, and generally superintended the business of the Navy Office, and was responsible for the offices dealing with bills, accounts and wages during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. By the eighteenth century the principal officer responsible for estimating annual stores requirements, inspecting ships' stores and maintaining the Fleet's store-books and repair-bills was the Surveyor of the Navy; however, the Surveyor's duties passed increasingly to the Comptroller of the Navy during the latter half this period. The office of Surveyor did not altogether disappear. In 1832 the Comptroller's department was abolished following a merger of the Navy Board with the Board of Admiralty and the Surveyor was made the officer responsible under the First Naval Lord for the material departments, and became an adviser to the Board of Admiralty. In 1860, the name of the office was changed to Controller of the Navy, and in 1869 was merged with the office of the Third Naval Lord, then becoming known as Third Naval Lord and Controller of the Navy. The Third Naval Lord and Controller of the Navy was independent of the First Naval Lord and was themself a member of the Board of Admiralty.

Office holders

Included:

Clerk Comptrollers of the Navy

John Hopton, 1512-1524
Vice-Admiral, Sir Thomas Spert, 1524-1540
John Osborne, 1540-1545
William Broke, 1545-1561

Comptrollers of the Navy

Vice-Admiral William Holstocke, 1561–1580
William Borough, 1580–1598
Sir Henry Palmer 1598– 20 November 1611
Sir Guylford Slingsby, 1611–1618

Post in commission 1618–1628

Sir Guylford Slingsby 1628–1631
Sir Henry Palmer, 1632–1641
Vice-Admiral Sir George Carteret, 1641–1642
Sir Robert Slingsby, 31 August 1660 - 26 October 1661
Vice-Admiral Sir John Mennes, 28 November 1661 – 18 February 1671
Admiral Sir Thomas Allin, 15 April 1671 – 28 January 1680
Thomas Hayter, 28 January 1680 - 2 February 1682
Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Haddock, 2 February 1682 – 17 April 1686

Post vacant 1686-1688

Admiral Sir Richard Haddock, 12 October 1688 – 26 January 1715
Rear-Admiral Sir Charles Wager, 16 March 1715 – 23 April 1718
Thomas Swanton, 23 April 1718 - 9 February 1723
Vice Admiral James Mighells, 9 February 1723 – 21 March 1734
Captain Richard Haddock, 27 April 1734 – 27 March 1749
Captain Savage Mostyn, 27 March 1749 – 28 February 1755
Commodore Edward Falkingham, 28 February 1755 - 25 November 1755
Captain Charles Saunders, 25 November 1755 – 24 June 1756
Captain Digby Dent, 24 June 1756 - 29 December 1756
Captain George Cockburne, 29 December 1756 – 20 July 1770
Captain Sir Hugh Palliser, 6 August 1770 – 12 April 1775
Captain Maurice Suckling, 12 April 1775 – 14 July 1778
Admiral Charles Middleton, 7 August 1778 – 29 March 1790
Captain Sir Henry Martin, 29 March 1790 – 1 August 1794
Captain Sir Andrew Hamond, 25 September 1794 – 3 March 1806
Captain Henry Nicholls, 3 March 1806 – 20 June 1806
Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Thompson, 20 June 1806 – 24 February 1816
Admiral Sir Thomas Byam Martin, 24 February 1816 – 2 November 1831
Rear-Admiral Hon. George Dundas, 2 November 1831 - June 1832

In 1832 the post of Comptroller of the Navy was abolished and duties passed to the Surveyor of the Navy.

References

Parliament, Great Britain (1803). Reports from committees of the House of Commons: which have been printed by order of the House, and are not inserted in the journals; reprinted by order of the House. House of Commons. p. 831.
^ Childs, David (2009). Tudor Sea Power: The Foundation of Greatness. Seaforth Publishing. p. 298. ISBN 9781473819924.
Colling, J. M. "Principal officers and commissioners, Navy Board, British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. University of London, 1978. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
"Navy Board, In-Letters And Orders, 1688–1815 – National Maritime Museum". collections.rmg.co.uk. Royal Museum Greenwich. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
Archives, The National. "Records of the Surveyor of the Navy and successors". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives, 1620–1979. Retrieved 5 June 2017. This article contains text from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
^ Collinge, J.M. (1978). Navy Board officials, 1660-1832 Volume 7 of Office-holders in modern Britain. London: University of London, Institute of Historical Research. pp. 18–25.

Sources

Childs. David (2009). Tudor Sea Power: The Foundation of Greatness. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 9781473819924.
Collinge, J.M. (1978). Navy Board officials, 1660-1832 Volume 7 of Office-holders in modern Britain. London: University of London, Institute of Historical Research.

External links

Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 7, Navy Board Officials 1660–1832, ed. J M Collinge (London, 1978), British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/office-holders/vol7 .

v t e Navy Board
Principal officers	Lieutenant of the Admiralty, (1546-1564) Treasurer of Marine Causes, (1546-1564) Comptroller of the Navy, (1546-1660) Surveyor of the Navy, (1546-1832) Clerk of the Navy, (1546-1660) Master of Naval Ordnance, (1546-1589) Keeper of the Storehouses, (1546-1560) Surveyor of Marine Victuals, (1550-1679) Treasurer of the Navy and Senior Commissioner, (1564-1660) Comptroller of the Navy and Chairman of the Board, (1660-1832) Treasurer of the Navy, (1660-1832) Clerk of the Acts, (1660-1796) Controller of Treasurer Accounts, (1667-1796) Controller of Victualling Accounts, (1667-1796) Controller of Storekeepers Accounts, (1671-1796) Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services, (1800-1832) Commissioners for Current Business, (1686-1688) Commissioners for Old Accounts, 1686-1688) Commissioners for Examining Accounts (Incurred), (1688-1689) Deputy Comptroller of the Navy, (1793-1813), (1829-1832) Pay Commissioner, (1796-1814) Civil Architect and Engineer of the Navy, (1808-1812) Surveyor of Buildings, (1813-1832) Surveyor of Dockyards, (1813-1832) Accountant-General of the Navy, (1829-32) Superintendent of Transport, (1829-1831) Storekeeper-General of the Navy, (1829-32)
Subsidiary boards	Sick and Hurt Board Transport Board Victualling Board
Resident Commissioners of the navy home yards	Resident Commissioner, Chatham Dockyard, (1631-1829) Resident Commissioner, Portsmouth Dockyard, (1649-1829) Resident Commissioner, Woolwich Dockyard,(1688-1828) Resident Commissioner, Plymouth Dockyard, (1691-1822) Resident Commissioner, Deptford Dockyard, (1714-1823) Resident Commissioner, Sheerness Dockyard, (1793-1822) Resident Commissioner, Devonport Dockyard, (1823-1832)
Resident Commissioners of the navy overseas yards	Resident Commissioner, Jamaica Yard, (1675-1832) Resident Commissioner, Cadiz Yard, (1694) Resident Commissioner, Bombay Yard Resident Commissioner, Kinsale Yard, (1694-1713) Resident Commissioner, Gibraltar Yard, (1704-1832) Resident Commissioner, Antigua Yard, (1707-1832) Resident Commissioner, Ascension Yard, (1728-1832) Resident Commissioner, Port Mahon Yard, (1742-1763) Resident Commissioner, Halifax Yard, (1759-1832) Resident Commissioner, Barbados Yard, (1779-1783, 1810) Resident Commissioner, Kingston Yard, (1783-1832) Resident Commissioner, Ajaccio Yard, (1794-1799) Resident Commissioner, Bermuda Dockyard, (1795-1832) Resident Commissioner, Amherstburg Yard, (1796-1813) Resident Commissioner, Quebec Yard, (1804-1826) Resident Commissioner, Malta Dockyard, (1805-1832) Resident Commissioner, Madras Yard, (1808-1817) Resident Commissioner, Cape of Good Hope Yard, (1808-1822) Resident Commissioner, Bombay Dockyard, (1808-1816) Resident Commissioner, Trincomalee Dockyard, (1810-1832)
Offices under the principal officers	Navy Office Navy Pay Office Sick and Hurt Office Transport Office Victualling Office

v t e 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 Admiralty buildings
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 Combined Operations Division Communications Division Convoy Section Directorate of Defence Plans (Navy) 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) Operations Division (Mining) Plans Division Plans Division (Q) Press Division Signal Division Signal Section Standardisation Division 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 Area Cash Offices 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 Labour Department Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment Admiralty Materials Laboratory Admiralty Mine Design Department Admiralty Mining Establishment Admiralty Naval Aircraft Materials Laboratory Admiralty Record Office Admiralty Regional Offices Admiralty Research Laboratory Admiralty Signal Establishment Admiralty Signals and Radar Establishment Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment Admiralty Surveying Service Admiralty Torpedo Experimental Establishment Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment Admiralty Underwater Weapons Launching Establishment Architectural and Engineering Works Department Air Equipment and Naval Photography Department Air Department Air Materiel Department Air Personnel Department Amphibious Warfare Headquarters Armament Supply Department Board of Invention and Research Board of Longitude Boom Defence Department Boom Defence and Marine Salvage Department Britannia Royal Naval College Chemical Board Chemical Department Civil Catering Department Civil Engineer in Chiefs Department Coastguard and Reserves Branch Combined Operations Headquarters Commissioner for Property and Income-tax for the Naval Department Compass Department Contract and Purchase Department Council of Naval Education Dental Examining Board Department of Radio Equipment Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy Department of Aeronautical and Engineering Research Department of Miscellaneous Weapons Development Department of Naval Assistant (Foreign) to Second Sea Lord Department of Naval Education Operational Research Department of Personal Services and Officer Appointments Department of Physical Research Department of Physical Training & Sports Department of Radio Equipment Department of Research Programmes and Planning Department of Superintendent of de-magnetisation Department of the Admiral of the Training Service Department of the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance Department of the Chief of Naval Information Department of the Chief Scientist Department of the Civil Engineer-in-Chief Department of the Comptroller of Steam Machinery Department of the Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services Department of the Controller of the Navy Department of the Controller-General of Merchant Shipbuilding Department of the Controller for Navy Pay Department of the Deputy Controller for Auxiliary Shipbuilding Department of the Deputy Controller for Dockyards and Shipbuilding Department of the Director Contract-Built Ships Department of the Director-General Aircraft Department of the Director-General of Manpower Department of the Director-General, Supply and Secretariat Branch Department of the Director of Aircraft Maintenance and Repair Department of the Director of Contract Labour Department of the Director of Dockyards Department of the Director of Electrical Engineering Department of the Director of Manning Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs Department of the Director of Merchant Ship Repairs Department of the Director of Naval Construction Department of the Director of Naval Equipment Department of the Director of Naval Recruiting Department of the Director of Naval Weather Service Department of the Director of Personal Services Department of the Director of Physical Training and Sports 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 Director of Unexploded Bombs Department of the Director of Warship Production Department of the Director of Welfare and Service Conditions Department of the Director of Wreck Dispersal Department of the Flag Officer Sea Training Department of the Engineer in Chief Department of the Paymaster Director-General Department of the Inspector of Anti-Aircraft Weapons Department of the Inspector of Dockyard Expense Accounts 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 Dockyard Expense Accounts Department Dockyard Schools Electrical Engineering Department Engineer Branch Engineering Department Experimental Department Fire Control Group Greenwich Hospital Department Inspector of Telegraphs Inspector of Repairs Joint Warfare Establishment Medical Consultative Board Medical Examining Board Historical Section Hydrographic Department Marine Department Marine Pay Department Materials and Priority Department Medical Consultative Board Medical Department Medical Examining Board Movements Department Nautical Almanac Office Naval Artillery and Torpedo Department Naval Engineering College Naval Equipment Department Naval Historical Branch Naval Construction Department Naval Intelligence Department Naval Medical Service Naval Law Division Naval Manpower Department Naval Mobilisation Department Naval Ordnance Department Naval Ordnance Inspection Department Naval Ordnance Stores Department Naval Personnel Services and Officer Appointments Department Naval Publicity Department Naval Regional Offices Naval Reserve Department Naval Security Department Naval Stores Department Naval Training Department Naval Works Department Navy, Army and Air Force Institute Navy and Army Canteen Board Navy Works Department Navigation Department Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope Office of the Admiral Commanding Coast Guard and Reserves Office of the Admiral Commanding, Reserves Office of the Admiralty Chemist Office of the Adviser on the Naval Construction to the Board of Admiralty Office of the Assistant Controller Office of the Assistant Controller Research and Development Office of the Clerk of the Journals Office of the Chief Polaris Executive Office of the Deputy Controller of Navy Office of the Deputy Controller Production Office of Extra Naval Assistant to Second Sea Lord Office of the Inspector Gun Mountings Office of the Keeper of Records Office of the Senior Psychologist (Naval) Office of the Senior Psychologist of the Navy Office of the Translator of French and Spanish Languages Office of the Vice Controller Air Office of the Vice Controller of the Navy Organisation and Methods Department Packet Service Regional Organisation for Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs 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 Aircraft Workshops Royal Naval Air Service Royal Naval Air Stations Royal Naval Armaments Depot Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Royal Naval Cordite Factories 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, Keyham Royal Naval College, Osborne Royal Naval Engineering College Royal Naval Film Corporation Royal Naval Hospital Royal Naval Medical Depot Royal Naval Minewatching Service Royal Naval Mine Depot Royal Naval Patrol Service Royal Naval Scientific Service Royal Naval Sick Quarters Royal Naval Torpedo Depot Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal Naval War College Royal Naval War College, Portsmouth Royal Navy Dockyard Royal Navy Medical Service Royal Navy Shore Signal Service Royal Observatory, Greenwich Royal School of Naval Architecture Salvage Department School of Mathematics and Naval Construction Scientific Research and Experiment Department Sea Transport Branch Sea Transport Department Sea Transport Division Ship Department Ship Design Department Signal Department Signal School Sixpenny Office Statistics Department Steam Department Superintendent of De-magnetisation Torpedo Experimental Establishment Transport Department Undersurface Warfare Department Victualling Department Volunteer Boys and Cadet Corps Weapons Department Weapons Department (Naval) Women's Royal Naval Service Wireless Telegraphy Board
Direction/Command 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
Naval formations after 1707	1st Fleet 2nd Fleet 3rd Fleet Commander-in-Chief, Africa Atlantic Fleet Commodore, 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 Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland Cork Station Coast of Scotland Commander-in-Chief, China Commander-in-Chief, Dover Flag Officer, East Africa East Indies Station East Indies and China Station Eastern Fleet Far East 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 Mediterranean Fleet Medway Newfoundland Station New Zealand Division New Zealand Naval Forces 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 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, South Atlantic South East Coast of America Station Commander-in-Chief, Thames and Medway West Africa Squadron Flag Officer, West Africa Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches
Naval formations before 1707	Lisbon Station West Indies Station Western Squadron Thames, Medway and Nore Commander-in-Chief, Thames Narrow Seas Downs Station
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 Central Copying Branch Admiralty Central Registry Branch Admiralty Record Office Admiralty Library 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 Contract and Purchase Department Department of the Director of Contract Labour Department of the Surveyor of Buildings Department of the Director of Works Greenwich Hospital Department Works Loan Department
Legal	Admiralty 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 Marshall High Court of the Admiralty Office of the Admiralty Advocate Office of the Admiralty Proctor 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 Deputy Judge Advocate of the Fleet Office of the Receiver of Droits High Court of Admiralty Office of the Registrar High Court of 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 Office of the Counsel to the Admiralty Court of Admiralty for the Cinque Ports King's Bench Division (Admiralty) Queens's Bench Division (Admiralty) Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division Vice Admiralty courts Colonial Courts of Admiralty

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