In 1675 the British first made use of a wharf at Port Royal and assigned a resident Naval Officer to superintend these facilities;.[2] Following the 1692 earthquake, Port Royal never fully recovered from its preeminent position as a major commercial center. Despite this the dockyard served as the headquarters of the British Royal Navy in the Caribbean. From the eighteenth century until the nineteenth century, various refurbishments and upgrade work were undertaken to improve its docks, facilities fortifications and. From 1735 new wharves and storehouses were built at this time, as well as housing for the officers of the Yard. Over the next thirty years, more facilities were added: cooperages, workshops, sawpits, and accommodation (including a canteen) for the crews of ships being careened there.[3] by the end of the 18th century, a small Victualling Yard had been added to the east of the yard, prior to this ships had had to go to Kingston and other settlements to take on supplies) and in 1817 a Royal Naval Hospital was constructed the west of the yard. The dockyard and continued to be an important naval base until 1905 when it was closed. .[3]
The Master Shipwright was usually the key official at the royal navy dockyards until the introduction of resident commissioners by the Navy Board who were responsible for administrating naval yards; after which he became deputy to the resident commissioner. In 1832 the post of commissioner was usually replaced by the post of admiral superintendent. However, the commissioner was replaced later by a Commodore-in-Charge, Jamaica.
Clowes, Sir William Laird (1897–1903). The royal navy, a history from the earliest times to the present Volume III (1763-1792). London, England: S. Low Marston. p.327.
Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (11 November 2018). "Jamaica - The Dreadnought Project". dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
Archives, National (1708–1802). "Royal Naval dockyard staff: Port Royal Dockyard, Jamaica". The National Archives. London, England: The National Archives.
Coad, Jonathan (2013). Support for the Fleet: architecture and engineering of the Royal Navy's bases 1700–1914. Swindon: English Heritage
Clowes, Sir William Laird (1897–1903). The royal navy, a history from the earliest times to the present Volume III (1763-1792). London, England: S. Low Marston.
Cundall, Frank (1915). Historic Jamaica: With fifty-two illustrations. England: London: Published for the Institute of Jamaica by the West India Committee.
Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (2018). "Jamaica - The Dreadnought Project". dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell.