Royal Navy Dockyard Artifacts

Although the built environment and natural cover of Point Frederick has undergone dramatic changes since the Admiralty first established its presence (1813) the original topography has remained largely the same. There has been substantive augmentation but little alteration. Despite massive infilling of Navy Bay during the mid 20^th century the original eastern shoreline and scarp of the hill which forms the northern half of the Point can still be seen clearly immediately to the west of Massey Library and the Girouard Building.

Detail from Smith map 1817 showing buildings at base of the Hill (NMC 16104)

There is evidence that the Hill was used as a place of encampment for transient military personnel, and for large work parties brought in by the British government on Royal Navy ships. (CARF background report for CSMO)

The Royal Navy Dockyard Artifacts were recovered in 2003 by the Cataraqui Archaeological Research Foundation (CARF) from the area where the Fort Brant Dormitory now stands.

114 Artifacts from BbGc-43 04-01 were conserved at CSMO’s studio in 2007 – 2008.

The four-month treatment included custom ethafoam mounts and transportation/storage boxes:

Large number of the treated artifacts are part of the War of 1812 display currently at the Royal Military College. It is based on an Exhibit “Kingston’s Warships 1812-1814” created by the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes @ Kingston in association with the Cataraqui Archeological Research Foundation and originally displayed at the Marine Museum from May 3 to November 30, 2012.

The artifacts on display at the Currie Building, Royal Military College: