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...
DRAKE’S ISLAND – THE FIRST GOVERNOR, SIR FERDINANDO GORGES WHO GRANTED THE LAND PATENT FOR THE PILGRIM FATHERS
The Crown appointed Sir Ferdinando Gorges as the Governor of the Fortress of Plymouth which included the defences and...
THE LAST YEARS OF ELIZABETH I AND THE ONGOING FORTIFICATION OF THE ISLAND
Even though there was a still a threat to England from Spain battles for power between different factions continued at...
THE THREAT FROM SPAIN AND THE ARMADA
By 1583 the Spanish, through a treaty with the King of France’s brother, had access to the French coast opposite...