1809 Negotiations at Milford

The Navy Board, which had been leasing the private Dockyard at Milford on an annual basis, now decided that they wished to purchase it. This again was an odd decision; Nelson’s victory at Trafalgar in 1805 had effectively ended the war against the French at sea so there was no longer an urgent need for new ships to be built. However, negotiations commenced and were progressing well when Charles Greville suddenly died and everything had to go back to square one with his heir, his brother Robert Fulke Greville. Robert’s demands became too exhorbitant for the Navy Board, negotiations broke down and the Board’s plans to purchase the Milford Dockyard were shelved.