Hello

[Maureen Knight]

Hello to you all

I expect it will take me a while to find my way around but hope I can help as well as receive help. 20 Years spent on genealogy has taught me a few things except the life of a Mariner!

I have my grandfather's service record cards but I would like to find out what life would have been like for a 16 year old enlisting a 100 years ago. If that's possible !

Bye for now
Maureen

[Red Lead Ted]

Hi, Maureen, Post as much info as you can Discharge book number full name D.O.B. Place of birth , If he was Royal Navy and you have it his CRS Number someone will find him Regards Terry.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Terry, she already has her grandfather's records

Maureen though many of us are in our eighties with a few in their nineties I don't think there is anyone on site who can give you personal experience of what it was like to start at 16 at 100 years ago, as that would make them a 116 !! Although our friend Eric in Canada is getting close to three figures

I can tell you that health and safety would not have been the ship's or company's first concern for these fledglings who started way before 16 years old, more probably in the 12 - 16 year old age group, I myself started at the age of 13 on Deep sea trawlers sailing out of Hull on my first trip to the Arctic Circle and it was not unusual as Hull had 250+ distant water trawlers at that time, 12 to 16 hour days once in the fishing grounds were not unusual, the older seasoned hands put in longer days without rest, but us youngsters our bodies could not just take it. Joining the Merchant Navy at 16 yrs old as a cadet also found that your health and safety were not a prime factor in the company I joined, although there were other companies who looked after their future officers better, again 12 hour days were the norm for us youngsters and when working on cargo operations 16 - 18 hour days were not unusual on ships with five cargo hatches and only 4 cadets, as soon as the first hatch was finished, they were sent down the one which was being attended by an AB or sometimes the Radio Officer, as these people were on overtime, cadets didn't receive overtime payments, as their £6 per month was considered adequate for all the hours they worked, cheaper to use the cadet and shipping companies in the 40'/50's were all about saving money for the owner.

As a cadet you were supposed to be trained in the art of navigation and safe carriage of cargo, but most companies used their cadets (apprentices) as cheap labour chipping and painting..............but we survived

[j.sabourn]

Ivan a couple of hours ago it was brought home to me how others see us. Was hiring a car from a uk company and they have finally informed me I can’t drive in uk as the insurance for the hire company won’t cover , however my wife who is not yet 80 can drive. So I have cancelled the car. Out here At 80 the Dr. examines you for fitness to drive and is usually at 86 a stricter examination. Hope the public transport is ok in the uk. Talk about feeling old and decrepit. JWS

[Ivan Cloherty]

. Hope the public transport is ok in the uk. Talk about feeling old and decrepit. JWS

If you are in Londonistan you should be okay, when in London I always use the buses as by the time you have gone down this escalator up another set of stairs, down another set of escalators etc, caught the tube, been squashed to hell like a sardine and then followed the escalator scenario again to egress to daylight, you may as well have caught the bus and seen more of London and its in built no go areas as you pass thro. As for the provincial cities/towns guess its pot luck, crap in Torquay unless you live on Route 12 (I don't) bus every 10 minutes, where I live, top of a hill, bus once an hour, service ceases at 1700, none existent on a Sunday, so people in their 80's, 90's and 100's still driving in Torquay. But you wouldn't need a car in Torquay, you'd have me

Some hire companies do hire to over 80's, so I'm told, I think Europcar is one of them

[eric fisher]

Maureen, My first trip when I was 17 in 1942 was a dangerous adventure, but I didn't think about that at the time.

Ivan, What a nerve, I'm batting a century, but have seven to go yet !! Any questions from my days in the M.N. and the Army just ask this 'HasBeen' I'll oblige.

Cheers, Eric

[Ivan Cloherty]

Ivan, What a nerve, I'm batting a century, but have seven to go yet !! Any questions from my days in the M.N. and the Army just ask this 'HasBeen' I'll oblige.

Cheers, Eric

Eric all said 'In the best possible taste' as the comedian would say, cheers! from another has been (but younger!!)

[Ron B Manderson]

Welcome to the site .
Put in a lot and be amazed at the outcome on this site .
Ron the batcave

[Red Lead Ted]

Terry, she already has her grandfather's records


As a cadet you were supposed to be trained in the art of navigation and safe carriage of cargo, but most companies used their cadets (apprentices) as cheap labour chipping and painting..............but we survived

Well aware of that Ivan, My wife's grandfather was put ashore after signing articles on the Lusitania at the age of 14, He would have sailed on her down below only that a sharp eyed skipper found 2 Peter Casey,s same address had signed on and investigated the other one was his father in his 40s. And that wasn't his first ship. Terry.

[Bill Morrison]

Hi Maureen. As you may gather from the replies we are all on the young side to give you an answer to your query. If I may suggest, you can try to obtain copies of the memoirs of those who started a career at sea in the early 1900's.
I have a few myself and make interesting reading.
Regards Bill