?HMS Republic

[clive_hughes]

In a BT377 service sheet for an RNR seaman, his biennial training in Summer 1909 is shown as being in "Roxburgh" and "Republic".  

HMS Roxburgh is fairly easy to find, but I can't seem to identify the "Republic"?

 

Clive

[horatio2]

Can you post the rcord, please, or give details of the rating concerned?

[clive_hughes]

Hi Horatio,

He was Evan Roberts 1180D, about whom I posted recently.  I've got a screenshot from his BT377 document as follows: hope it displays properly.

In passing, do you happen to know what is the reference to one side about TM 'Carnarvon'  9.7.94?  This document chronicles his latest period of service from 18.8.94 to 1919 and beyond so it just predates that.  

 

Clive

Edited 16 August , 2021 by clive_hughes

[travers61]

There are a couple of references to HMS Republic in the Index to the British Newspaper archive.  As ever I treat with caution as the digitisation often mangles the original words & meaning.

... vessel Porcupine, Staff-Captain John Parsons, arrived here at 4 30 PM. to-day from the westward. Pontsmorra, Aug. 3.—H.M.S. Republic (e has come into harbour from Spithead. YACHT INTELLIGENCE. rraox Ore OWN CORRISPONDRNIP HOLYHEAD (NEW Ilautorst), Aug ...          Published: Thursday 04 August 1881 Newspaper: Shipping and Mercantile Gazette 

immediate use, the ammunition itself being on deck. A few men are sleeping their guns. Search lights are all ready, while H.M.S. Republic and Resolution are using their lights at intervals. Boats are hailed, and not allowed to come alongside without express ...      Published: Wednesday 08 November 1899 Newspaper: Dundee Courier 

. Romford. Mime B. Eventide', 36 Hillside Road. Buckland, Dover. Miss X Kemp. High Street. Noboru Mr. L. Wright, 12 Mess, H.M.S. Republic, Shawnees. Mr. A. Claw, 2 Old Park Cottage*, Buckland, Dover. Mr. 1 4 Salisbury Central Restaurant, 21 High Street. Evesham ...       Published: Thursday 16 August 1906 Newspaper: Pearson's Weekly 

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?basicsearch=hms republic&retrievecountrycounts=false&page=0

 

Looking at the wiki page for HMS Resolution it seems she was part of the Channel Fleet in Nov 1899.

In the 1906 article it is possible that "Shawnees" is actually Sheerness.

Wiki gives HMS Roxburgh as being assigned to the 1st Cruiser Squadron of the Channel Fleet until beginning a refit at Devonport Royal Dockyard in December 1908. Upon its completion in August 1909, she was assigned to the Reserve Third Fleet.

 

Edited 16 August , 2021 by travers61

[horatio2]

I can find no trace of HMS REPUBLIC: no log books in ADM 53 at Kew and interweb searches throw up numerous spurious ships which turn out to be RMS REPUBLIC.  REPUBLIC seems an odd choice of name for an HM Ship but travers61 seems to have had some luck with the old newspapers.  It is likely she was a hulk or 3rd Fleet hull used for training by 1909. I have to speculate whether REPUBLIC has been confused with REPULSE. REPULSE and ROXBURGH were both non-operational at Devonport in 1909.

My best guess for "T,M," is that he was graded Trained Man on that date but even that notion is thrown into doubt because the entry is apparently dated 40 days before he enrolled in the RNR on 18 August 1894.

I would be grateful for other views on these two problems.

[KizmeRD]

Clive, the records of the Caernarfon/Carnarvon Battery of the Royal Naval Reserve (up to 1904) are held at the Gwynedd Records Office. Not sure about the Holyhead unit (RN Coastguard?) - as prior to the turn of the Century, RNR records are somewhat obscure.

The fact that the Records Office in Caernarfon still holds quite a few documents should be of interest to someone like yourself, as these may hold the key to researching Anglesey men who began their service in the late-Victorian era naval reserves and who continued on into the Great War (I doubt that many people have ever requested the Archivist to see those particular records).

mailto:archifau@gwynedd.llyw.cymru

https://diogel.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/DATRhagorol/RhestrEitem.aspx?iaith=en&rhif_archif=12&rhif_rhiant=150198&rhif_tudalen=2

MB 

 

Edited 17 August , 2021 by KizmeRD

[horatio2]

Thanks, MB

A useful reminder that the RNR training and employment set-up in the 1894-1906 period was very different to the immediate pre-WW1 organisation. The concentration on seaman gunners, based on gun batteries at RNR shore establishments would, eventually, be stood down as RNR ratings were mose closely integrated into regular RN training (ashore and afloat) and they were more widely employed and their value recognised (at last!).

[clive_hughes]

Thank you all; I'd failed to find a Republic and it seems possible now that the Repulse was intended but mis-named on the record. 

He certainly had some sort of link with Caernarfon, where one of his retainer payments was made to him; and going by the rest of his record passed through HMS Excellent gunnery establishment a couple of times during the war, probably as he was chiefly allocated as gun crew on Admiralty trawlers and DAMS vessels.  

I will consider looking up the records in the Gwynedd record office in due course.  I can recall years ago seeing photos of the Naval battery outside Caernarfon Castle and wondering who on earth they were!

I'm grateful as ever for your observations,

Clive