New naval barracks

Devonport Barracks

Portsmouth Barracks

Portsmouth Barracks

Until 1859, there was no such thing as continuous service or a career in the Royal Navy for ratings.  If sailors didn't volunteer for service, they were press-ganged for a voyage.  The voyage of course could last for years and there was no guarantee that the ship would return to the same port.  The sailors would be left free to go home, often a considerable distance away.

Eventually somebody, somewhere, realised that it was a waste of skills, and that if the men could be offered continuous service, better use could be made of their experience.  Obviously that meant that accommodation was needed to house the men, and so hulks of old ships no longer in service were used.

The conditions on the hulks were pretty spartan to say the least, and one source says that they were "unpleasant and uncomfortable", and that "it is remarkable that so many hundreds should have been compelled to live in such undesirable quarters for so long".  Eventually to provide better conditions, the powers that be decided that these new barracks shown on the postcards should be built.

The first port to do this was Devonport, where the barracks were first occupied in 1899, soon followed by Portsmouth in 1903.  They were described as "palaces", with electric light, and taps in every room.

The postcards showing these new barracks must have been produced fairly soon after the Portsmouth barracks opened because the instructions on the left hand side of the back state that the space could be used for "INLAND communication" and needed a half-penny stamp.  That would indicate that not everywhere allowed communication on the back of the card, a situation that lasted more or less until 1907.

It's interesting to see the people leaning over the wall in Portsmouth.  Was it a curiosity or was something special happening?

N is for New Naval barracks.  A post for ABC Wednesday.