Royal Naval Dockyard

The Royal Naval Dockyard in Gibraltar is still in use but is now considerably smaller than it was during the 1850 to 1956 period.  Developed from the 1700s onwards the Royal Navy Dockyard first of all developed around the North Mole but it slowly spread further.  In 1871 Captain Augustus Phillimore proposed a new R.N. Dockyard at Gibraltar, but his plans were to lie dormant until 1895.  Then in a flurry of activity the dockyard was extended as per his plans and this cost about 1.5 Million GPB.  Additional works were added, totalling some 4.5 Million GPB.  In 1905 the Gibraltar authorities were still passing enabling legislation for this large dockyard with breakwaters.

In 1902 the British moved a barge with an airlock diving-bell plant to Gibraltar to fist moorings on the sea, which was rock rather than sand.  Three graving docks were built and these were given the following names:

Number 1 Dock

Named initially Prince and Princess of Wales then King George V and Queen Mary in 1907

Capacity 100,000 tons of water

Number 2 Dock

Named Alexandra Dock 1906

Capacity 60,000 tons of water

Number 3 Dock

Named King Edward VII in 1903

Capacity 50,000 tons of water

The Dockyard passed to civilian ownership in 1984 and still functions as Gibdock.