Robert Seppings

In 1800, when he had risen to be master shipwright assistant in the yard, he invented a device which greatly reduced the time required to repair the lower portions of ships in dry dock when compared with the laborious process of lifting then in vogue.The result was that it became possible in a comparatively short time to remove these supporting structures by knocking out the side wedges, when the workmen gained free access to the whole of the keel, the vessel remaining suspended by the shores.Seppings innovations were probably influenced by the work of William May, shipbuilder for the Dutch Navy in Amsterdam and son of John May (shipwright).[8] These stronger designs offered better protection than the old forms to the crews against the enemy's fire, permitted a powerful armament to be fitted, and better allowed the ships to be kept on-station during bad weather, since the vessel would be more able to resist the stresses consequently reducing wear on the hull and subsequent leaks and salt water damage (especially insidious and dangerous to a ship where wood and iron were in contact).[9] Seppings was appointed joint Surveyor of the Navy alongside Joseph Tucker in 1813, and held that office till his retirement in 1832.
Robert Seppings (1767–1840) ( William Bradley )
Plan of a ship (HMS Daedalus of 1826) incorporating the Seppings designed 'round stern', this strengthened the structure of the stern, made it more resistant to enemy fire and allowed more guns to fire directly aft and to the stern quarters. It was, however, unpopular on aesthetic grounds, being soon replaced by the 'elliptical stern', which was more conservative in appearance. [ 3 ]
William BradleyEnglishSurveyor of the NavyFakenhamNorfolkPlymouth Dockshipwrightdry dockChathamJohn May (shipwright)HMS Glenmoreship of the lineHMS KentstiffnesscaulkingJoseph TuckerTauntonJ.E. Gordonpublic domainChisholm, HughEncyclopædia BritannicaDictionary of National BiographyCopley MedallistsAstley CooperWilliam Hyde WollastonRichard ChenevixSmithson TennantHumphry DavyThomas Andrew KnightEverard HomeWilliam HenryEdward TroughtonBenjamin Collins BrodieWilliam Thomas BrandeJames IvoryDavid BrewsterHenry KaterHans Christian ØrstedEdward SabineJohn HerschelWilliam BucklandJohn PondJohn BrinkleyFrançois AragoPeter BarlowJames SouthWilliam ProutHenry FosterGeorge Biddell AiryMichael FaradaySiméon Denis PoissonGiovanni PlanaWilliam Snow HarrisJöns Jacob BerzeliusFrancis KiernanAntoine César BecquerelJohn Frederic DaniellCarl Friedrich GaussRobert BrownJustus von LiebigJacques Charles François SturmGeorg OhmJames MacCullaghJean-Baptiste DumasCarlo MatteucciTheodor SchwannUrbain Le VerrierJohn Couch AdamsRoderick MurchisonPeter Andreas Hansen