The Seamans Mission Cardiff

[Hugh]

If anybody can post my grandfather’s CR1 and 2 I would be very grateful.

Hi Christopher,

Unfortunately, only post war CR1 cards contained a mugshot ID photo. Here are the cards for him.

Regards
Hugh

[Doc Vernon]

Just possibly of interest

https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/302127

[Christopher MJ]

Thank you very much for the information. I am trouble deciphering his rate , I think that it say ? room boy.

[Hugh]

I am trouble deciphering his rate , I think that it say ? room boy.

It is Mess Room Boy. I am sure others will fill you in on duties etc.

Regards
Hugh

[Doc Vernon]

Yes it is a Mess Room Boy!
Catering Dept. of course.

Although this Link gives a good detail of the Duties n, i think its an American Version, however the Duties given are just about dead correct on most any Ship. Keeping in mind that this was possibly earlier on in the Years, as now things have changed a bit! They call it Messman. We used to call it Messroom Boy.

What Does a Messman Do? - Seafarer Jobs - Martide

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Christopher.
He could have been a deck boy who's duty's when he first starts off is a Peggy, that is, to look after the crew mess room and toilets, sometimes called a Mess Boy, if you haven't any later evidence of him being a Steward that is.
Des

[Christopher MJ]

As a messboy in the Merchant Navy what would have been his role in the Royal Navy? Was mess boy an avenue into becoming a seaman?

[Doc Vernon]

Of Interest only.

Promotion and advancement within the 18th and 19th century Royal Navy varied depending on the status of the sailor in question. At the lower levels, most inexperienced sailors began in the rank of landsman – those joining ships at a very young age were typically entered in the navy as cabin boys or officers' servants.^{[citation needed]}
After a year at sea, landsmen were normally advanced to ordinary seaman. Three more years, with appropriate ability displayed, would see a sailor advanced to able seaman. For the "common seaman", this level is where the career path usually ended, and many sailors spent their entire Royal Navy careers as able seaman on various vessels


Boy seaman - Wikipedia

[j.sabourn]

In the army the last equivilant to officers servant would be Batman . I wonder what his companion Robins title was, maybe today would be wife or sexual companion. JS

[j.sabourn]

#19.. During the war Danny La Rue and a chief steward I sailed with in John I Jacobs were officers batmen . The Chief Steward was Reggie Asplin a very nice bloke if anyone ever sailed with him. Both of them appeared in the
Stage Show “ Soldiers in Skirts “ at the Newcastle Empire after the war. Think both are now dead . Don’t know what they would think of the Sydney Mardi Gras today , as was not the thing to do in those days .JS