Fort Albert was built at roughly the same time as Fort Victoria to control Retreat Hill, which lay to the north of St Georges. A fortification at this location, then called Eastern Redoubt, was proposed in 1823. This fort was built by about 1845 with a keep in one corner, with its own dry moat and counterscarp galleries. This keep was very similar to the nearby Fort George. There were two 8-inch howitzers on the southern flank and seven 32-pdr smoothbore guns for coastal defence in the adjacent battery. Two 10-inch Mortars were mounted in the parade of the Fort. No original plans of Eastern Redoubt have survived.
The fortification was renamed Fort Albert in 1841 after Queen Victoria’s new husband. Fort Albert was one of three fortifications that occupied Retreat Hill. The principal site was Fort Victoria, supported by Fort James (West Redoubt) and Fort Albert (East Redoubt).
On the 8th March 1865 approval was given to upgrade Fort Albert to mount 10-inch RML guns. The work started on the 17th April 1865 and was not to be completed until 22nd April 1876. The total cost of construction was £6,996.