Henry Albray’s Service in the Royal Navy


Henry Albray volunteered for the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class on 28th October 1862. On enlistment at the age of fourteen, his place and date of birth were given as Fareham, 17th December 1847. His mother, Elizabeth Albray, signed the form of agreement. Henry was described in 1862 as being 4 ft 10¾ ins tall, with a fresh complexion, light brown hair, grey eyes and no distinguishing marks. His service number was 23823. When he reached the age of eighteen, on 17th December 1865, he was engaged for continuous service for a term of ten years.

During the early part of his career, he served on the following Royal Navy vessels:

28 October 1862 – 10 December 1863: St Vincent, Boy 2nd Class
11 December 1863 – 5 January 1864: Resistance, Boy 2nd Class
6 January 1864 – 30 March 1864: Marlborough, Boy 2nd Class
31 March 1864 – 13 December 1867: Royal Oak, Boy 1st Class and Ordinary Seaman
14 December 1867 – 23 July 1868: Duke of Wellington, Ordinary Seaman
24 July 1868 – 19 July 1870: Warrior, Ordinary Seaman
20 July 1870 – 30 September 1871: Immortalité, Ordinary Seaman
1 October 1871 – 12 October 1872: Immortalité, Able Seaman
13 October 1872 – 31 December 1872: Excellent, Able Seaman
1 January 1873 – 26 September 1873: Excellent, Able Seaman (with instruction in Gunnery)
27 September 1873 – 15 April 1874: Clyde, Able Seaman
16 April 1874 – 21 May 1874: Excellent, Able Seaman
22 May 1874 – 16 December 1875: Druid, Able Seaman and Leading Seaman

On 17th December 1875, while serving on HMS Druid, he was re-engaged for a further ten years, with service number 55300. At that time he was 5 ft 8 ins tall, with a dark complexion, dark hair, grey eyes and no distinguishing marks, wounds or scars. During this second term of engagement, he served on the following Royal Navy vessels:

17 December 1875 – 14 December 1876: Druid, Leading Seaman and Able Seaman
15 December 1876 – 30 April 1877: Excellent, Able Seaman
1 May 1877 – 14 October 1878: Thunderer, Able Seaman and Leading Seaman
15 October 1878 – 1 November 1878: Excellent, Leading Seaman
2 November 1878 – 1 November 1881: Trincomalee, Leading Seaman
2 November 1881 – 3 April 1882: Excellent, Leading Seaman (with instruction in Gunnery)
4 April 1882 – 5 December 1885: Minotaur, Petty Officer 2nd Class
6 December 1885 – 23 December 1885: Excellent, Petty Officer 1st Class

Henry was discharged to shore and pensioned at the end of 1885. He had earned three Good Conduct badges (each representing an increase of one penny per day in pay), which were deprived and restored to him at various times. His conduct and character were recorded as Very Good or Exemplary at all times.


References

Royal Navy Service Records: National Archives, ADM 139/639/23823 and ADM 188/30/52300