Admiralty Compass Observatory

Admiralty Compass Observatory
United Kingdom
Department overview
Formed 1842
Dissolved 1971
Superseding agency
Jurisdiction Government of the United Kingdom
Headquarters Admiralty Building
Whitehall
London
Parent Department Admiralty

The Admiralty Compass Observatory, originally known as the Compass Department, was established[1] in 1842[2] 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.

History

It was originally established in 1842 as the Compass Department of Admiralty.[3] In 1917, it moved to Ditton Park and used the house and its immediate grounds. The Radio Research Station of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research was co-located at Ditton Park, and provided basic information in this field. In 1971, it was merged as part of the Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment (ASWE) within the navigation division.

The site was later renamed as Admiralty Research Establishment (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 (DERA) from 1995.

After its release from Defence use, the whole site was bought by Computer Associates (now CA Technologies) in 1997.

References

  1. Duncan Sandys, Minister of Defence (29 May 1957). "Admiralty Compass Observatory, Ditton Park". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. col. 405–406.
  2. Fanning, A. E. (1 May 1980). "The Admiralty Compass Observatory". The Journal of Navigation. CUP. pp. 167–183. doi:10.1017/S0373463300035189. Retrieved 5 March 2017.
  3. Fanning, A. E. (1 May 1980). "The Admiralty Compass Observatory". The Journal of Navigation. CUP. pp. 167–183. doi:10.1017/S0373463300035189. Retrieved 5 March 2017.


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