The Admiralty Compass Observatory, originally known as the Compass Branch (1842–1917) and later known as the Compass Department (1917–1968) and Compass Directorate (1968–1971) was established in 1842 to provide the Royal Navy with services for the design, development, inspection, testing and repair of compasses and certain other instruments. It subsequently undertook requirements for the other services as appropriate. It existed until 1971 when it was absorbed within the Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment.

History

In 1795, the post of Hydrographer of the Navy was created. He became responsible to the First Naval Lord for producing charts, 'Sailing Directions', 'Notices to Mariners', tide tables and light lists and for supplying chronometers, compasses and other scientific instruments to HM ships. He was also responsible for naval meteorology and for the Admiralty's links with the Meteorological Office. In 1820, the Hydrographer was responsible for the Observatory, being advised by a Board of Visitors. In 1842, a Compass Branch as part of the

Hydrographic Department Hydrographics may refer to: *Hydrography, the measurement of physical characteristics of waters and marginal land *Hydrographics (printing), a printing technique for three-dimensional objects * Hydrographic Department, UK agency for providing hyd ...

was established. In 1911, The Compass Branch was affiliated to the Controller of the Navy's Department. Its work in connection with terrestrial magnetism was transferred to the Royal Observatory Greenwich when it was renamed the Compass Observatory. In 1917, it moved to

Ditton Park Ditton Park, Ditton Manor House or Ditton Park House was the manor house and private feudal demesne of the lord of the Manor of Ditton, Slough, Ditton, and refers today to the rebuilt building and smaller grounds towards the edge of the town of S ...

and used the house and its immediate grounds when the compass branch was elevated to a department. The Radio Research Station of the

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, abbreviated DSIR was the name of several British Empire organisations founded after the 1923 Imperial Conference to foster intra-Empire trade and development. * Department of Scientific and Industria ...

was co-located at Ditton Park, and provided basic information in this field. By 1968 it formed part of the Controllers Department and was renamed the Compass Directorate. In 1971, it was merged as part of the

Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment The Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment (ASWE) and later known as the Admiralty Research Establishment (ARE) was a department of the British Admiralty and later Navy Department (Ministry of Defence) responsible for research and development, ...

(ASWE) within the navigation division. The site was later renamed as

Admiralty Research Establishment The Admiralty Research Establishment (commonly known as ARE) was formed on 1 April 1984 from various Admiralty establishments. It became part of the Defence Research Agency on 1 April 1991. Constituent parts on formation * Admiralty Surface We ...

(ARE) Slough, and in its final years its became part of the Defence Research Agency (DRA) from 1991, and the

Defence Evaluation and Research Agency The Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) was a part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) between 1995 and 2 July 2001. At the time it was the United Kingdom's largest science and technology organisation. It was regarded by its official h ...

(DERA) from 1995. After its release from Defence use, the whole site was bought by

Computer Associates CA Technologies, formerly known as CA, Inc. and Computer Associates International, Inc., is an American multinational corporation headquartered in New York City. It is primarily known for its business-to-business (B2B) software with a product po ...

(now CA Technologies) in 1997.

Head of Branch/Department

Superintendent of Compasses

Incomplete list of post holders included: # 1842–1843 Commander Edward John Johnson # 1844–1847 Captain Edward John Johnson # 1855–1860 Captain Sir Frederick John Owen Evans # 1860 Captain Edward John Johnson # 1868–1885 Captain Ettrick William Creak # 1914–1919 Captain Frank O. Creagh-Osborne (rtd).

Assistant Superintendent of Compasses

# 1868–1867, Lieutenant E. W. Creak # 1909–1913 Commander Frank Osborne Creagh-Osborne # 1913–1915 Commander Stanley B. Norfolk

References

External links

{{Admiralty Department, state=collapsed Admiralty departments Admiralty during World War I Admiralty during World War II 1842 establishments in the United Kingdom 1971 disestablishments in the United Kingdom