Combined Ship Trade Office Pp69 To Rear Of Number 8 Machine Shop

The Combined Ship Trade Office, located at the rear of No. 8 Machine Shop in Chatham Dockyard, was built in 1880. This structure features a cast-iron frame with a brick office block and ground-floor infill, covered with corrugated iron for both the cladding and the roof. The building has a rectangular plan with a northern office extension and stands two stories tall, comprising an 11-bay range. The gabled ends and sides showcase the iron frame, with three strip windows per bay that include mullion glazing bars in the upper part of each floor. A wooden eaves cornice rests on paired brackets. The northern gable of the office section has a five-window range, a plat band, kneelers, and raised verges, with segmental arches over the plate-glass sashes and a central set of double half-glazed doors. Although the interior was not inspected, it is reported to contain a timber roof supported by Queen post struts and principals that extend only to the Queen struts. The building holds group value with the Boilershop and No. 8 Machine Shop, contributing to the mid-19th century development of the northern end of the Chatham docks. There are various single-storey additions from the mid-20th century on the sides.