THE BEGINNING OF THE 19TH CENTURY
1800 marked the beginning of the 19th Century, George III was on the throne and we were involved in the War of the...
LT. COL. MATTHEW DIXON RE AND THE 1780 ISLAND DEFENCE UPGRADE
In 1779 Great Britain was still embroiled in war against numerous nations across three continents. We were alone and...
DADS ARMY DEFENDS THE ISLAND DURING THE REIGN OF GEORGE III
Having taken a bit of a diversion over the last couple of weeks this week is a bit of a catch up on the years from...
JOHN DAY, THE WORLD’S FIRST SUBMARINE FATALITY
The 1700’s were a period of growing connectivity between towns, cities and countries. Empire and increased trade...
THE ISLAND’S PART IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM OF NAVIGATION AT SEA
In the early 1700s as trade and empires increased so did voyages across the great oceans and the Island would play a...
THE WARS OF GEORGE II AND HMS CONQUEROR RUNS AGROUND
George I died in 1727 of a stroke and was succeeded by his son George II. Britain unusually had been at peace for...
1716, THE ROYAL ENGINEERS AND NEW BARRACKS
In 1714, around a year after the conclusion of the War of the Spanish Succession Queen Anne died. The Act of...
WARS WITH THE FRENCH AND THE NEW DOCKYARD AT DEVONPORT
A year after the closure of the prison on St Nicholas Island in 1685 Charles II died. Although he had produced...
HMP ST NICHOLAS ISLAND – DRAKE’S ISLAND AS A STATE PRISON
Once the monarchy was restored in 1660 Charles II decided to secure the throne by changing laws to favour the Crown,...
OLIVER CROMWELL, THE PROTECTORATE AND PARLIAMENTARY YEARS
As the Civil War wound down towards a Parliamentary victory in late 1645 Colonel Ralph Weldon was appointed Parliament...
THE CIVIL WAR AND SIEGE OF PLYMOUTH – THE ISLAND NEARLY BETRAYED
Once hostilities were declared in the English Civil War Plymouth proclaimed itself for Parliament. It was quickly...
DRAKE’S ISLAND – THE ISLAND GUNS FIRE IN ANGER FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THE ISLAND PREPARES FOR CIVIL WAR
James I when he came to the Throne in 1603 largely bought peace to the new Kingdom of Great Britain. James was also...