Victualling Board

In 1665 a Surveyor General and local surveyors had been appointed to check the standard of provisions provided by contractors, but in 1684 dissatisfaction with supplies led to the appointment of four Commissioners who were to organise and control each stage of victualling operations. From the Victualling Board at Tower Hill contracts were made for the supply of provisions, most of which were prepared and packed in the yard there. Transports were hired by the Board, except between 1690 and 1724 and again between 1794 and 1817 when this responsibility was taken over by the Transport Board. Victuals were delivered to depots at Portsmouth, Plymouth, Chatham and Dover, to yards abroad and to ships at sea. Soon after 1742 the Board purchased land at Deptford to found a victualling yard there. In 1787 the Victualling Office was moved to Somerset House. The Board was abolished in 1832 and its duties assigned to the Controller of Victualling.