boys Archives - The Dear Surprise

Dispatches

[ July 23, 2021 ] July 23rd, 1759: The Construction of HMS Victory Begins Events
[ July 23, 2021 ] Career and Conservation of HMS Victory The History
[ July 19, 2021 ] The Mary Rose: A “Historical Death Star (With a Baffling Flaw)” Just For Fun
[ July 19, 2021 ] The History of the Mary Rose, 1510-1545 The History
[ July 17, 2021 ] Did Willoughby Join the Navy? Patrick O’Brian’s Thirty-Year Homage to Jane Austen PDFs

The Secret Diary of a Midshipman

May 24, 2010 The Dear Knows 0

Behold a delightful series of drawings made in 1820 by Captain Frederick Marryat (author of Mr. Midshipman Easy) about his life as a midshipman circa 1806 – 1812. They are definitely not “high art”, but […]

Naval Punishment for Boys: “Kissing the Gunner’s Daughter”

May 13, 2010 The Dear Knows 0

In the eighteenth century the Royal Navy encouraged boys as young as nine to enlist as ‘servants’ (the lower age limit was raised to 13 in 1794). They acted as cabin boys to officers and […]