Letter from Arthur Pringle on HMS BRITANNIA to his mother
Maker
Arthur Pringle
(1877 - 1902)
Date27 November 1892
Object number00028312
NameLetter
MediumInk on paper
DimensionsOverall: 177 x 113 mm, 0.008 kg
Overall (Envelope): 94 × 119 mm
Overall (Envelope): 94 × 119 mm
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection
DescriptionA handwritten letter from Royal Navy cadet Arthur Pringle aboard HMS BRITANNIA to his mother.
In the letter Arthur mentions his upcoming uniform fittings by Gieves tailors. He also talks at length about taking the upcoming seamanship exams and an exam on the 'life of Nelson'.
Arthur Pringle went onto to have a promising naval career, reaching the rank of Lieutenant in 1897. He was regrettably killed in an accident on board HMS FORMIDABLE in 1902.HistoryIn 1869 the PRINCE OF WALES, a first rate, 120-gun naval sailing vessel was renamed BRITANNIA and began service as a cadet training ship at Dartmouth, moored on the River Dart. This vessel replaced the previous BRITANNIA in that role. As BRITANNIA, the ship was a hulk, and only had foremast and was linked to another hulk, the HINDOSTAN, bow to stern, by a covered gangway that increased the cadets learning and accommodation space.
Cadets joining the Royal Navy were entered into a "term" in BRITANNIA, which they remained in for two years after which, depending on their results, they were passed out as midshipmen.
Of note in this letter is the mention by Arthur of being measured for his uniform by Gieve. Gieves & Co. was established by James Gieve in 1887 after he took control over the business of his mentor, Melchisedek Meredith. Meredith had become synonymous with military uniforms. It is said that he had made the uniform Admiral Nelson wore at Trafalgar. During the mid-nineteenth century, Gieves became the preferred tailor to naval cadets and officers.
On James' death in 1888, the business was taken over by his two sons who continued to expand and by 1900 Gieves & Co. became tailors by appointment to the Royal Navy. In the following decade, Gieves received a number of Royal Warrants and established their premises in two different locations on Bond Street.
The company is still in operation today as Gieves and Hawkes and is located at 1 Saville Road, Mayfair.
SignificanceThis letter is part of a series in the Australian National Maritime Museums collection relating to the life and experiences of Arthur Pringle in his early days as cadet and midshipman in the Royal Navy. They provide an insight into the life of these legions of young men who passed their training on HMS BRITANNIA and Pringle's log (00028329) illustrates how they initially put this training to use.
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