The Midshipman

The Midshipman (or Middie)

A Mishipman (or 'Middie')

Midshipman: a young boy who joined the navy at around ten or twelve years old although some joined later than this.

From this group of lads the Royal Navy's officers would be promoted.

Midshipman were trained in navigation and all aspects of seamanship. After serving six years at sea they could be examined for the rank of Lieutenant.

Promotion in peacetime without influence or good examination results would be very slow; some of the Midshipmen serving in the navy were thirty years old and this could be the result of not passing their exams.

William Rivers (Midshipman)

Rivers, William. Rank: Midshipman, ship’s book number S050, age 17, nationality British. At Trafalgar he was dangerously wounded in his left leg, received a Government grant of £26-6-0 and prize money of £10-14-0. Rivers joined Victory as a volunteer on 4th May 1803 and after Trafalgar he joined HMS Prince of Orange on 10th January 1806.

Midshipman Rivers was the son of the Victory’s Gunner (who was also called William Rivers).

He was born in Portsea (Portsmouth) in 1788 and was a Midshipman on the Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar 21st October 1805. He was badly wounded in the battle and had to have the lower part of his left leg removed. For his wound he received a grant from the Patriotic Fund, and an Admiralty pension of ninety one pounds and five shillings per year. (£91-5-0)

William Rivers was made a Lieutenant on 8th January 1806 and after 31 years service was admitted in 1826 into the Royal Hospital at Greenwich. He died aged 78 in 1856.

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