Royal Navy: Administration

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0064 ADL/L-U
Held at	: National Maritime Museum   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://collections.rmg.co.uk/ ›
Full title	: Royal Navy: Administration
Date(s)	: [1648-1855]
Level of description	: Subfonds View parent record
Extent	: 190 items
Name of creator(s)	: Royal Navy

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

This category consists of official personal documents of officers and men of the Royal Navy, seventeenth to twentieth centuries. The first group of five documents relates to pay and allotments of ordinary seamen. An example is a certificate entitling Jane Smith, widow of Charles Smith, to his pay and effects, 1855. A further five documents relate to health at sea; among these is an unsigned essay on scurvy, c 1770; an order signed by Admiral Hawke concerning portable broth, 1757; and a memorial of 1822 to the Admiralty concerning a wound received in action. Two documents concern naval uniform: one is an illustrated list of French naval rank badges, 1844; the other is notes made in 1891 on changes in naval uniform by Admiral F G D Bedford. There is a further group on medals, awards and ceremonials. Of the two documents in this group one is on vellum conferring the Freedom of the Borough of Thetford on Lord Nelson, 1798. The largest group (125 documents) in this category consists of individual officers' commissions and warrants. Examples include the appointment of the captain to the bark THOMAS, signed by Sir Francis Drake ([1540]-1596); one signed by Sir Walter Raleigh, 1616; the appointment of Sir William Penn as Admiral od the Fleet, 1653; some pursers' bonds, 1651 to 1660; Nelson's commissions as Captain of the AGAMEMNON, 1793, Rear-Admiral of the Blue, 1797, of the Red, 1799, Vice-Admiral of the White, 1804, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, 1803. There are also a small numberof foreign and army commissions. The next group consists of service documents of petty officers and ratings; examples include a warrant appointing Jacob Capell as a master cook to a frigate building, 1646; three service certificates of James Gilham, leading signalman, 1890 to 1919. There are also seven Service and Discharge Certificates of Royal Marines, dating between 1784 and 1833. There are seventeen documents issued by Greenwich Hospital, including examples of Smart Tickets and out-pensioners' certificates, 1804 to 1827; and an account of John Clarke, the receiver of Sixpences, 1716. Also included in this section is a warrant to the High Constables of Alstowe in Rutland for collectiong money for maimed seamen, 1648. Finally, in a group of eight wills and legal documents is a certificate of annuity due to Sir Cloudesley Shovell, signed by Elizabeth Shovell, 1714; and a document of 1778 signed by Vice-Admiral John Byron (1723-1786) making over power of attorney to his wife.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

Arranged in groups by subject.

Conditions governing access:

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Please contact the Archive for further information.

Finding aids:

Detailed catalogue online at the: National Maritime Museum website .

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Allied Materials

Related material:

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:
Edited by Sarah Drewery, Sep 2011.

Rules or conventions:
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions:
2010-08-26