OLD DEVONPORT . UK
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©  Brian Moseley, Plymouth
Webpage created: June 16, 2019
Webpage updated: June 22, 2019

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ROYAL NAVY IN OLD DEVONPORT

NAVY WEEK, 1929

Plymouth's second Navy Week ran from Saturday August 17th 1929 until August 24th 1929.

Admission was again one shilling and children under the age of 14 years could buy a ticket for sixpence.

Amongst the attractions were HMS "Rodney", HMS "Renown", HMS "Tiger", HMS "Walker", HMS "Warwick", HMS "Watchman", HMS "Valhalla", HMS "Vidette", HMS "Westcott", the cruiser HMS "Exeter", the aircraft carrier HMS "Glorious", and submarines "L52", "L53", "L69", "L71" and HMS "Oswald", which had not long been commissioned.

Visitors could enter the Floating Dock and walk beneath HMS "Ramilies", which was under refit.  HMS "Walker", in Basin 4, discharged a torpedo and dummy depth charges from a thrower at 2.30pm, 3.45pm and 5pm.  At number 5 Wharf, alongside HMS "Renown", were displayed mines, torpedoes, and guns, while at North Lock divers could be seen at work.  Two Southampton flying boats were also in North Lock but it is not clear whether or not they were open to the public. 

Naval bands from HMS "Renown", HMS "Rodney", HMS "Tiger", were in attendance on or near their ships while the Bluejacket Bands of the Commander-in-Chief and the Royal Naval Barracks played on the terrace in front of the Drill Shed.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Plymouth, Alderman and Mrs Ambrose Andrews, accompanied by the Deputy Mayor and Mayoress, Mr and Mrs Pillar, paid an official visit on Tuesday August 20th 1929.  They were welcomed and escorted around by Commodore O E F Bedford.

As before, cameras had to be deposited at the gate leading from the Royal Naval Barracks to the Royal Dockyard.

It was reported that some twenty special trains were run by the Great Western Railway Company and the Southern Railway Company in connection with the event and a motor coach from Rochdale was noted in the coach parking area on one of the days and a motorcycle from Germany in the car  park on another day.

Attendance figures were given as: Saturday August 17th 1929, 8,239; Monday August 19th 1929, 9,643; Tuesday August 20th 1929, 15,042; Wednesday August 21st 1929, 13,745; Thursday August 22nd, 17,256; Friday August 23rd 1929, 9,863; and Saturday August 24th 1929,13,285.  Total, 87,073.

Navy Week was held again in 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, and 1935, after which there was a break until 1938, the last one before the Second World War (1939-1945).  When the event recommenced in May 1948 it had been reduced to Navy Days.