Bart150 Posted 22 September , 2007 Share Posted 22 September , 2007 My grandfather was a marine, but before and after that he was a barber. There is a family legend that he shaved Jellicoe before Jutland. Does anyone know whether British WW1 admirals shaved themselves each morning or were shaved by a specialist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 22 September , 2007 Share Posted 22 September , 2007 The King was said [in the national anthem] to shaved by God. 'God shave the King' Hic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 22 September , 2007 Share Posted 22 September , 2007 A very appropriate question to be asked by a member called Bart, which means 'beard' in German ...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph Posted 22 September , 2007 Share Posted 22 September , 2007 Bart, I would suspect an Admiral had himself shaved by his man servant, can we put your grandfather and Jellico in the same ship? Regards Charles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bart150 Posted 22 September , 2007 Author Share Posted 22 September , 2007 Charles My grandfather wasn't on Jellicoe's Iron Duke. But he was on Superb, which was with Iron Duke in the Fourth Battle Squadron. Moreover Superb was the flagship of Rear-Admiral Duff. Bart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 22 September , 2007 Share Posted 22 September , 2007 Moreover Superb was the flagship of Rear-Admiral Duff. I expect that shaving him was regarded as a plum job ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 22 September , 2007 Share Posted 22 September , 2007 Much might depend on whether the Admiral was a cut throat or a safety razor man (and if at sea or otherwise) By 1914 the safety razor had been around for over 100 years but with Gillette marketing models with disposable blade they were making much headway in the market. There were also other types, my grandfather had a safety razor the had been using for over fifty years that could be sharpened on a strop. I understand that the safety razor was popular with officers (RN and Merchant) as they were a lot easier to use if the ship was undergoing some sea movement (and a cut throat could prove just that). Safety users tend to shave themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveMurphy Posted 22 September , 2007 Share Posted 22 September , 2007 Moreover Superb was the flagship of Rear-Admiral Duff. Bart Seemingly would have required someone to shave this presumably rotund fella... Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikB Posted 23 September , 2007 Share Posted 23 September , 2007 They say that Admiral Sir Doveton Sturdee was shaving aboard Invincible in Port Stanley when Von Spee's Distant Waters Fleet was reported in sight. No suggestion that a flunky was doing it for him AFAIK. Regards, MikB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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