The third and final talk in our Bath at War series, examining how the city fared during World War 2 (other talks are Making War and The Bath Blitz).

The Admiralty in Bath – they came in 1939 and stayed… and stayed.

A sizable part of the Admiralty moved from London to Bath as a planned precaution when war broke out in 1939. The move was envisaged only to be for the duration of hostilities, but the Admiralty ended up staying until 1964.

The story of how the main departments involved which found a new home in many temporary locations in Bath is a fascinating one. The creation of three large hutment sites ensured the continuation of the Admiralty presence up to the formation of the Ministry of Defence and for many subsequent years. This talk explores the impact upon the citizenry of Bath, and its legacy.

David Verghese, Naval Researcher and Biographer