1665-1957, naval dockyard, Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England

1665 - founded at the mouth of the River Medway, initially for storing and refitting ships.

1673 - first dry dock completed.

1691 - Sheerness launched – small fifth rate of 32 guns.

1739 - a large fire occurred, started by the sale of spirits within the yard.

1720 - a second dry dock was built and it became a ship construction yard, mainly for fourth- and fifth-rate ships.

1815 – dockyard rebuilding commenced.

1823 - dockyard modernisation completed and opened by the, then, Duke of Clarence, soon to be King George IV.

1830 - a riot broke out when a dock worker was accused of 'being in possession of the King's stores' by a Warden.

1832 - the steam powered paddle sloop Salamander launched.

1854 - a steam yard was established. 1859 - the iron-framed Boathouse built.

1905 - The Actaeon was commissioned at Sheerness as a Torpedo School.

1915 - while work was being completed on the Princess Irene, a badly primed mine exploded, causing a chain reaction, which killed 170 dockyard workers and ripped the docked fleet of submarines and destroyers apart.

1957 - the yard closed.