Chatham is primarily known for its long-term association with the Royal Navy; its naval dockyard at one time was one of the world’s largest employers of a civilian workforce. Yet there is much more to Chatham than being home to the Royal Navy. This book presents the history of the town of Chatham, including those who lived alongside the dockyard and those who supported the artisans and labourers employed in the yard. Chatham’s military connections also significantly influenced the way the town developed over the centuries. In the nineteenth century Chatham had an impact on Charles Dickens as he spent his early years in the town, and it influenced his writings later. This book about Chatham and its people shows how this growing community adapted to its long-term conversion into a militaryindustrial stronghold designed for the defence of the nation. Illustrated throughout, this accessible historical portrait of the transformation that Chatham has undergone through the ages will be of great interest to residents, visitors and all those with links to the town.