Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [1932-1940] (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
4 1/2ft; 122cm
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Chatfield entered the Navy in 1886, was promoted to lieutenant in 1894 and to captain in 1909. He was captain of the Medina during the Royal Tour of King George V and Queen Mary to India, 1911 to 1912, and later Flag-Captain to Admiral Beatty (1871-1936), 1913 to 1919, combining this duty with responsibility for fleet gunnery in the Queen Elizabeth, 1917 to 1919. He was a delegate to the Washington Naval Conference of 1920, becoming a rear-admiral in that year and he subsequently held a variety of Admiralty and sea-going appointments. He was promoted to vice-admiral in 1926. In 1929 he was Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet and of the Mediterranean Fleet from 1930 to 1932. He was First Sea Lord, 1933 to 1938, became Admiral of the Fleet in 1935 and was made a baron in 1937. He was appointed Minister of Co-ordination of Defence, with a seat in the War Cabinet, by Neville Chamberlain in 1939, after serving as chairman of a committee which reported on the defence of India. In April 1940 he resigned as he felt the post was rendered redundant. During the rest of the war he was appointed to various civil defence committees. He wrote two autobiographical works: The navy and defence (London, 1942) and it might happen again (London, 1947).
Repository
Archival history
GB 0064 CHT [1932-1940] Collection 4 1/2ft; 122cm Chatfield , Alfred Ernle Montacute , 1873-1967 , Admiral Of The Fleet , 1st Baron
Chatfield entered the Navy in 1886, was promoted to lieutenant in 1894 and to captain in 1909. He was captain of the Medina during the Royal Tour of King George V and Queen Mary to India, 1911 to 1912, and later Flag-Captain to Admiral Beatty (1871-1936), 1913 to 1919, combining this duty with responsibility for fleet gunnery in the Queen Elizabeth, 1917 to 1919. He was a delegate to the Washington Naval Conference of 1920, becoming a rear-admiral in that year and he subsequently held a variety of Admiralty and sea-going appointments. He was promoted to vice-admiral in 1926. In 1929 he was Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet and of the Mediterranean Fleet from 1930 to 1932. He was First Sea Lord, 1933 to 1938, became Admiral of the Fleet in 1935 and was made a baron in 1937. He was appointed Minister of Co-ordination of Defence, with a seat in the War Cabinet, by Neville Chamberlain in 1939, after serving as chairman of a committee which reported on the defence of India. In April 1940 he resigned as he felt the post was rendered redundant. During the rest of the war he was appointed to various civil defence committees. He wrote two autobiographical works: The navy and defence (London, 1942) and it might happen again (London, 1947).
The papers were presented in 1973 by the family.
Papers of Alfred Ernle Montacute Chatfield, consisting mainly of semi-official and private letters, 1932 to 1940, from Churchill (1874-1965), Lord Lothian (1882-1940), Admirals Sir Roger Backhouse (1878-1939), Sir Frederic Dreyer (1878-1956), Sir W.W. Fisher (q.v.), Lord Beatty (1871-1936), Sir John Kelly (q.v.), Sir (William) Howard Kelly (q.v.), Sir Charles Little (1882-1973), Sir Eric Fullerton (q.v).), Sir Dudley Pound (1877-1943) and other commanders-in-chief. The topics referred to in this correspondence include the battle of Jutland, 1916, the Invergordon Mutiny, 1931, the Naval Disarmament Conference, 1935, the Abyssinia crisis, 1935, the Spanish Civil War, 1936, the problems of defence and rearmament during the 1930s, international relations and control of the Fleet Air Arm. There are also photograph albums relating to the Royal Tour of India, the Mediterranean Command and the India Mission.
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Please contact the Archive for further information.
English
Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .
Edited by Sarah Drewery, Jun 2011.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
2010-08-26 Fullerton , Sir , Eric John Arthur , 1878-1962 , Knight , Admiral Kelly , Sir , William Archibald Howard , 1873-1952 , Knight , Admiral Little , Sir , Charles James Colebrooke , 1882-1973 , naval officer Kelly , Sir , John Donald , 1871-1936 , Knight , Admiral of the Fleet Beatty , David , 1871-1936 , 1st Earl Beatty of the North Sea and of Brooksby , Admiral of the Fleet Fisher , Sir , William Wordsworth , 1875-1937 , Knight , Admiral Dreyer , Sir , Frederick Charles , 1878-1956 , Knight , Admiral Backhouse , Sir , Roger , 1878-1939 , Knight , Admiral Kerr , Philip Henry , 1882-1940 , 11th Marquess of Lothian , statesman Chatfield , Alfred Ernie Montacute , 1873-1967 , 1st Baron Chatfield of Ditchling , Admiral of the Fleet Churchill , Sir , Winston Leonard Spencer , 1874-1965 , Knight , statesman Defence State security World wars (events) Wars (events) Crime World War One (1914-1918) Mutiny Political movements Civil war Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) Pound , Sir , Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers , 1877-1943 , Knight , Admiral of the Fleet India South Asia Mediterranean Sea Seas Ethiopia East Africa
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The papers were presented in 1973 by the family.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Papers of Alfred Ernle Montacute Chatfield, consisting mainly of semi-official and private letters, 1932 to 1940, from Churchill (1874-1965), Lord Lothian (1882-1940), Admirals Sir Roger Backhouse (1878-1939), Sir Frederic Dreyer (1878-1956), Sir W.W. Fisher (q.v.), Lord Beatty (1871-1936), Sir John Kelly (q.v.), Sir (William) Howard Kelly (q.v.), Sir Charles Little (1882-1973), Sir Eric Fullerton (q.v).), Sir Dudley Pound (1877-1943) and other commanders-in-chief. The topics referred to in this correspondence include the battle of Jutland, 1916, the Invergordon Mutiny, 1931, the Naval Disarmament Conference, 1935, the Abyssinia crisis, 1935, the Spanish Civil War, 1936, the problems of defence and rearmament during the 1930s, international relations and control of the Fleet Air Arm. There are also photograph albums relating to the Royal Tour of India, the Mediterranean Command and the India Mission.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Conditions governing reproduction
Please contact the Archive for further information.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English