Chapter 19 Contractors
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CHAPTER 19 CONTRACTORS Introduction The Navy Board obtained its supplies for the Yards by inviting tenders and then contracting with firms to provide given quantities of stores at agreed prices. Warrants were issued to individual contractors nominating them as suppliers of the Navy Board. This system of obtaining supplies by advertising for tenders in the Press and awarding the contracts to the lowest bidder who had to provide guarantees by bonds and sureties continued until1869 when a separate Contract and Purchase Department was established for naval, victualling and medical stores. In 1912 the work of this Department was extended to deal with shipbuilding contracts. Contracts pre-1870 Before the end of the 17th century, the Navy Board had a number of standing contracts for a great variety of services: braziers' work, painting, block making, plumbing, etc. Often these contracts required the contractor to have a workshop near or in the Yard. The terms of the contract were usually to supply a particular Dockyard with the items required '... for one year certain' with six months' notice on either side. The Yard could indent on the contractor for supplies without delay and the latter was expected to maintain a reasonable stock. Sir Ambrose Crowley, a contractor for ironwork at the end of the 17th century, complained that at the termination of a standing contract he was left with anchors too large except for use in the Navy. The Resident Commissioner could make limited local purchases 1 of stores. In general a copy of the contract between the Navy Board and the Contractor would be sent by the Clerk of the Acts to the Yard for guidance and receipt of stores. For small items the Navy Board would accept a dealer's bid without drawing up a contract and a warrant would be sent to the Yard authorising the acceptance of delivery if they were fit for the service. A contractor might be paid in cash against certificate of delivery and satisfactory inspection in the Yard. Normally the contractor would be paid 'in course.' 2 By the Duke of York's Instructions of 8 December 1665, within four days of acceptance of a consignment of stores at a Dockyard, the local officers were to make out bills which when sent to the Navy Office were to be brought before the Board for signature at the first or second signing day thereafter. The Bills were then entered on the Comptroller's register and numbered. The contractor then took his turn for payment. Ready money payments were applied only to small local purchases. When a contractor had to pay out money for materials before he could start work, such as an anchor smith for iron, it was usual to make an advance payment by way of a Bill of Imprest. Bills of Imprest might be paid 'out of course' and were given sparingly. 1 The term 'local purchase' was still in use in recent times and denoted an order for purchase by Local Officers. In 1956 competitive tenders from competent firms had to be obtained when the expected value of the purchase exceeded £10. The upper limit of the Dockyard for machinery and electrical equipment was then £250 per purchase. Payment was made by the Cashier of the Yard. 2 See Administration of Navy in chapter 23. Chapter 19 Page 1 CONTRACTORS In some cases one man contracted to supply more than one Yard. An Admiralty Order dated 19 January 1671/2 stated: For supplying broom and reed to Chatham, Woolwich and Deptford, Humphrey Swan asks for £389 19s owing for the years 1665,1666 and 1667. The Principal Officers of the Navy are to pay this as soon as they can. In 1688 there were four anchorsmiths to supply the five Yards but only two ironmongers; Robert Foley was the Ironmonger for all eastern Yards. Sheerness and Chatham had the same glazier and painter. Chatham and Woolwich had one brazier, and one sailmaker handled the whole of the work for the Navy. Often the nature of the work was such that it had to be carried out in the Yard itself. The sailmaker, the 'colours' man and the compass maker worked in London. The Smiths' shop and forge, the Blockmakers' Loft, the shops of the Painter, the Pump Maker, Cooper and Glazier were part of the Yard which they served. In the last decade of the 17th century there were standing contracts for Chatham for: Anchorsmith, Ironmonger, Glazier and Platerer (Lantern Maker), Brazier, Plumber, Sailmaker, Cooper, Painter, Tanner, Lead and Solder. From the earliest days of the Yard specialist tradesmen were employed for making items not normally made by the shipwrights and labourers. Whilst working in the Yard these tradesmen were usually paid day wages and lodging allowance, which would be entered on the Yard Books and paid quarterly. According to the Chatham Extraordinary Accounts, Christmas Quarter 1622, there were 1 four pump makers in the Yard; one employed at 2s a day for 11 days with 4 /2d lodging allowance; 1 two at 20d a day for 45 days and 1s 6 /2d lodging allowance; and one at 17d a day for 7 days with 7d lodging allowance. There were also two plumbers, one paid at 2s a day and the other at 1s a day. In the Declared Accounts of 1621 appeared the item: Gervais and Richard Munds for making with HM materials sundry sorts of pumps, etc 1 £128 15s 9 /2d 1 In 1629 there is a record of payment to these men of £23 2s 6 /2d for making blocks, etc, and ten years after, Richard Munds and John Boake were paid £66 10s 6d for: ... making blocks, shivers ... and other turner works, labour only. An account of the pumps, including the chain pump, for pumping out the docks and for use in the ships, is given in chapter 1, Development of the Yard. Mention is also made in that chapter of the pulling down of the Locksmith's shop in the Old Dock and the setting of it in the Payhouse Field. A Navy Board letter to the Commissioner at Chatham dated 10 March 1709/10 directed that a locksmith at 2s 6d and a servant at ls 4d a day were to be entered and borne at Chatham for cleaning the arms, looking after the clock, mending locks and hinges, making and repairing keys, etc, the materials for which were to provided by the Yard. In the Dockyard List of 1711 1 there were plumbers, braziers, sailmakers, blockmakers, coopers and locksmiths in the Yard. Pepys as Secretary to the office of the High Admiral and ever watchful of expenditure, noticed in 1675 the advantage of having work done in the Yards '... by strangers upon particular bargains made 'over the system by which 'particular tradesmen' were appointed by warrant to serve the King in their respective trade 'in exclusion to others.' Enquiries at 1 See Dockyardmen in chapter 3 Chapter 19 Page 2 CONTRACTORS Deptford Yard showed that work done by private contractors was cheaper than that done by the Painter under warrant. The Navy Board compromised by: ... the keeping their liberty of choice of tradesmen enlarged for the time to come without the restraint they have hitherto lain in that particular. A fault of the Board was their tendency to extend contracts without enquiring about obtaining supplies or services from alternative and cheaper sources .I On 26 September 1699, the Navy Board wrote to Chatham Yard that Daniel Creswell, Brazier for HM Yard at Chatham, had made application that the day work performed at Chatham by him and his servants might be borne and paid by the Quarter Books of the Yard. The Commissioner was to pay 2s 6d for the master and 1s 6d for the servant per day and not to insert the wages in Creswell's bill as formerly. By 6 August 1700 the Officers of the Yard were being asked: What reward is fitting to be made to Thomas Boys for his good service in discovering the ill practices of Daniel Creswell, the late Brazier to this Yard? Another instance of trouble with the contractors is cited: On 3 July 1706, Commissioner Littleton informed the officers of Chatham Yard that Edward Brook had laid information against Robert Lawrence, Plumber of the Yard, of having embezzled government stores. It was not proved but Lawrence and his servant were to be discharged, and Thomas Pack who gave good security for satisfactory performance of plumbers' work at Chatham and Sheerness was to be entered with another of his choice. The rate of usual working hours was 2s 4d a day for each plumber, and they were to be employed. when there was occasion: ... and when they go to work at Sheerness Yard to allow them for ye days wherein they go down and come up again ye aforesaid day's wages, setting off their earnings on ye Quarterly Book as usual. The method of tendering for Dockyard work is shown by the Navy Board Letter dated 20 October 1703 addressed to Commissioner St Lo: Enclosed you will receive a Publication appointing a day for Treating for Brazier Work for Chatham and Sheerness, having received a Tender for performing the same at Lower Rates than the present Contractor, which we desire you to cause to be put up at your Gate. The contract Brazier in 1707 was Mr Pawlin; he supplied stopcocks, copper sheets, etc.2 1 The Commission appointed by the Act 42 George II c 16, to enquire into Irregularities, etc in the Navy soon discovered examples of this neglect.