At last in command of his own ship, the ten years between 1849 and 1856 show Charles Barker carrying out naval duties, first, in the Straits of Malacca and, then, off the west coast of South America, in what one might call the “workaday” peacekeeping role of the Royal Navy.
Much of naval life for Lieutenant Charles Barker in the years between 1839 and 1846 might be described as pleasant but unexciting. Excitement, when it at last came, proved more than a little dangerous. This article will attempt to show the Royal Navy acting – sometimes a little too forcefully – in its role of peacemaker in the interests of Britain overseas.
Persona Naval Press is pleased to welcome the following articles from a new contributor, Marjorie Rear, MA (Oxon) who has edited the letters of her husband’s ancestor, Captain Charles Barker RN, 1811-1860. This first article is an attempt to summarise, using the evidence of his own words, the life of a young man in the Royal Navy before that most important first achievement – a lieutenant’s commission.
Dr. Andrew Lambert – International Journal of Naval History Oliver Walton – Journal for Maritime Research Admiral Richard Hill – The Naval Review The Nautical Magazine Jonathan Seagrave – Soundings Review by Dr. Andrew Lambert, King’s College London, for the International Journal of Naval History What was life really like…
I finished reading your book this morning which gave me great pleasure. Not only because your style is very readable, but also because I learned so much about the Royal Navy and the climate of thinking in Britain in that interval of history between Nelson and the times of World…
Introduction: Chapter One: Childhood ‘…the noble boy…’ (1852-1865) Chapter Two: The Training Ship (1866-1867) ‘I wish someone would kick up a row about it…’ Chapter Three: Junior Middy (1867-1870) ‘I hope just to manage…’ Chapter Four: Senior Midshipman (1870-1873) ‘…that damned b-t-l.’ Chapter Five: Sub Lieutenant to Lieutenant (1872-1875) ‘I…
WW1 – Marx as Q ship captain Marx wrote at length to Dare giving him ‘hints about the business’ of being a Q ship Commander: It is a difficult thing …as everything one does successfully is the result of common sense action at the moment. As regards abandoning ship, in…
Commander Marx: October 1895 – The prospect of action was now getting nearer. Marx recounted events: I immediately started for Mbarak·s road, reaching there about 3pm, and having chosen a secluded spot , zerebed myself, and as the sun set, put out all fires and lights and sent the men…
Marx at Britannia: Unbeknown to Marx however, some people were beginning to take an interest in the increasing severity of birchings at Britannia and were about to ·kick up a row· about the regime. But it was not until John Marx had left that Mr. Bass, the Liberal member for…
This article centres on the experience of two naval officers serving on the Australia Station. It gives us an insight into the work of the Station in the later Victorian era. Captain Clayton wrote to his wife every day telling her of the day’s events and Lieutenant Marx kept up…
