Life aboard a pre-dreadnought warship could be cushy, at least for the top brass. At right, Sir Jack Fisher enjoys the chintz, crystal, and overstuffed armchairs of the admiral's stateroom aboard HMS Renown in 1900, when she was flagship of the British Mediterranean Fleet. At this time, Fisher was clearly being groomed to take over at the Admiralty; he became First Sea Lord (Britain's highest naval post) in 1904 and promptly initiated a whirlwind of reforms and innovations in the hide-bound Royal Navy, including the introduction of the dreadnought battleship, which made Britain's large pre-dreadnought fleet obsolete in a very few years. Nevertheless, Fisher was every inch the proper Victorian gent. Note whatnot, cut flowers, paneling (quickly removable in event of battle), chandelier, and portrait of Queen Victoria on the bulkhead behind him. The cluttered but gracious feel of the cabin closely resembles a Victorian parlor on land, an effect which reflected the admiral's social rôle in the fleet. Many an entertainment was held in these quarters, with the officers re-fighting old battles using bottles and crusts of bread to illustrate the positions of vessels, fortifications, or armies; and Jacky Fisher was one of the merriest of hosts, despite his dour expression in this photo. He was extravagantly fond of dancing; indeed had a dance floor installed on Renown for the purpose. A compact upright piano is visible at right, behind the admiral.
Another standard feature of British Victorian battleships was the "captain's walk" around the stern where commanding officers could take the air and get a bit of privacy in good weather, as in the balustraded galleries of sailing-ship days. The walk was eliminated by Fisher in designing the Dreadnought, along with the men's traditional quartering in the forecastle; both were reinstated after a near-mutiny by tradition-loving British sailors. Even Admiral Fisher was powerless against deeply rooted prejudices; most of the dreadnoughts and armored cruisers that fought at Jutland boasted a stern gallery and crew's quarters "before the mast." Sailors still slept in hammocks slung from the deck beams (below), much as they had in Nelson's day -- indeed in Drake's -- while officers shared bunks in cramped wardrooms or tiny staterooms.
For more scenes of life aboard, visit our Men of the U.S. New Navy page.
The cabin of Adm. George Dewey aboard the protected cruiser USS Olympia photographed by Frances B. Johnston, 1898. Note sperm whale jaw in far corner, rolltop desk and chair, lightweight wicker furniture; admiral's sleeping berth in adjoining compartment. In preparation for the battle, Dewey ordered all paneling be struck in the fleet -- a wise precaution, considering the fiery fate of the Spanish squadron at Santiago a few months later. The fine American chestnut paneling for the Olympia's state cabin spent a few months crated up aboard a transport, then was reinstalled when she returned from the war zone. On board the Olympia in Philadelphia today, it still exists to charm us in times when the chestnut tree is only a legend out of the past.
The wardroom was the officers' mess and on-board "living room" in any warship. The officers of the American-built Russian cruiser Varyag had this comfortable, handsomely paneled room to call their own in the 3½ years the ship was in commission.
Wheelhouse of the Russian cruiser Varyag, built at Cramps in Philadelphia 1899-1902. Note worn linoleum flooring.
The enlisted men's mess on the gundeck of the Olympia. This series of photographs was taken in 1898 by the noted American lenswoman, Frances B. Johnston, who can be seen seated on the left of the mess table.
Here are the enlisted men's berthing quarters, faithfully captured by Ms. Johnston. There was little privacy or elbow-room for the ordinary sailors. At sea these quarters could be damp and smelly; but marked major gains over sailing-ship days. Improved ventilation, electric power, and steam radiators were among the amenities of a sailor's life in the 1890s; refrigeration made possible a fresher diet. Seemingly, the Olympia's seamen were a literate bunch.
But when the officers wanted to sit and have a read, they had leather-cushioned and oak-paneled opulence. This kiosk at the entrance to the wardroom was probably a center of social life for the ship's officers. It conceals a support of the aft 8" barbette; the ammo lift and turret trunk run through the center of the construction, sheathed in American chestnut paneling. Photo courtesy of Tom Scott.
Officers enjoyed the attentions of stewards, but when it came to laundry, enlisted men were on their own. Here they are scrubbing uniforms on the deck of the Illinois class battleship Alabama; note wet laundry being collected on a line to fly in the rigging at top center.
A sailor's ditty box held personal items like a shaving kit, grooming instruments, tobacco, and small souvenirs. Shown is a turn-of-the-century Royal Navy seaman's kit. Player's Navy Cut cigarette package shows the iconic sailor from HMS Hero.
We close with a look at one of the more human aspects of life aboard: because it is not human at all, but animal. Every navy followed the ancient tradition of allowing mascots aboard; pets were believed to be a source of good luck. Here the ship's sewing crew shows off their pets aboard the armored cruiser New York during the 1890s.
Mascots were not limited to parrots, dogs and kittens, but included larger animals such as chimps, goats, sheep, swine, or on occasion a kangaroo or koala. Here a goat walks the deck on HMS Wolverine, wooden colonial steam corvette, c. 1875.
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