Thomas Palmer 2nd class deck rating Tenby Battery

[selwynfroggitt]

The National Archives have Thomas Palmer Number 3173 born 1870 as a 2nd class deck rating 2800 - 3199   enrolled 17 Sep 1892.
Posted to Ship or Battery  Tenby on 5 year engagement.. there are several dates including a 2 day leave pass to his home in Swansea..
The description refers to a Anchor on his right hand

With the tattoo of an anchor and 2nd class deck rating I am sure it would be Navy..
Could anyone shed any light on what was happening in Tenby in 1890s and if the above information means he was in the Royal Navy
Thank you

[MaxD]

That is a Merchant Navy record of the man's first 5 year engagement in the RNR. 
From Tenby Genealogy :

The Royal Naval Reserve has a new silent battery, erected in 1889 on the South cliff expressly for training purposes; there is also a drill hall in South parade; 1,000 to 1,500 men are now annually trained here.
  Presumably Tenby was his first posting for training. Volunteer merchant seamen were able to join the RNR with whom they trained periodically with the idea that they would reinforce the RN in time of war.

MaxD

[selwynfroggitt]

Thank you MaxD..
It helps a lot.. Thomas went to New Zealand and married there in April  1905 but family has no idea how he got there or why. The first child was born in NZ in May 1906 and the second was born in Swansea in 1910.
During WW1 he was an Absent Voter on active service, and returned to NZ in 1922 with his wife and children.
It would appear that he was in the Merchant Navy which could explain his arrival in NZ.
His time at Tenby a week FFF  a week FGG and 4 weeks GGG over 2 years...... have you any idea what these letters mean
Cheers

[MaxD]

It looks like assessments of character that the navy use, G Good F Fair although without seeing the original I could be wrong, can't quite place the "a week....etc".

MaxD

[selwynfroggitt]

Sorry MaxD the " week " is my interpretation.. the FFG is shown after the dates ie
27 Sep to 3 Oct 1892  FFF
4 Oct to 10 Oct 1892 FGG
several others the last being 29 Oct to 4 Nov 1894.
 
I have lost my previous research but if memory serves me correctly he was with the RNVR in 1918 on minesweepers...

[MaxD]

The letters do seem to relate directly to specific weeks which makes me doubt my first thought.  Character assessment was a yearly thing.

Could you scan the part of the record that has this - including any printed column headings.  Context may help.

RNVR later would imply a move out of the RNR into that other branch of the service.

MaxD

[selwynfroggitt]

I have the original download but many of the column headings are so small and difficult to read, they pixilate when magnified..also I do not know how to send them.
Since you explained what Tenby was I understand a lot more.  He enrolled at Tenby Sept 1892, Was in Merchant ships 1893.. back at Tenby March / April 1894 . On Merchant ships until Sep 1894
Dec 94 at Tenby then left March 1895. Promoted 24 Oct 1894.
  Sometime between 1895 and 1905 he arrives in New Zealand, marries and returns 1908.1
  1911working in Swansea Docks.
 I have now found another NA download..Enrolled 9 Oct 1915 . Derated to Deck Hand from 2 June 1917 and transferred to Trawler Section 1 Oct 1916. A Leading Deck Hand in 1919 and  Demobilised 29 March 1921
  He was on HMS Pactolus which was in Ardrossin as submarine supply.
  Soon after He returned to New Zealand with his wife and children
  Still no idea how he first went to NZ but may be one of the merchant ships called there
 Thanks MAX D