HMS Barrosa c1870

[annieoburns]

I have since managed to find documents for my gr grandfather in the NA, signing up as a boy sailor in 1865.  His father and older brother were shipwrights and he later trained to be a shipwright in the 1880's in the age of metal/engines.  His hometown was Sheerness and it was from there that he signed up for HMS Cadmus which was to form part of the Flying Squadron.  Cadmus was damaged at sea  en route to join the fleet.   HMS Barossa was sent out from Sheerness to replace it  and the crew were reassigned .   Barossa spent 9 mths with the Squadron and left it in April 1871 in Singapore.  It remained in service in the China Seas until it returned to its homeport of Sheerness in July of 1873 where the men would have been paid off at the end of their contract.  This was a time of change in the navy where the wooden sailing ships were being replaced by metal hulls and engine powered so there was a reduction in the labourforce  of the dockyards. ( and crew requirements of ships?). 

[AngelaC]

Thanks for the information on the Cadmus and Barossa. My great-grandfather joined the Cadmus in 1867 and the Barossa in 1869. Your research has helped to fill out my family tree information.

[annieoburns]

There is a lot of interesting material online about the Flying Squadron.  News of it featured in Australian newspapers of the day.  There is also a diary written by one of the officers even including some photographs and some illustrative sketches.