Volunteer-per-order
Encyclopedia
Volunteer-per-order was a name for a rating for young boys in the Royal Navy
for young gentlemen
who were training to become officers. The rating was introduced by Samuel Pepys
in 1676 and the recipient received £24 a year and a letter from the crown which virtually guaranteed him promotion after the spending two years at sea and passing the examination for lieutenant. The letter instructed the admirals and captains that the bearer was to be shown "such kindness as you shall judge fit for a gentleman, both in accommodating him in your ship and in furthering his improvement".
Volunteers-per-order took the place of a midshipman on board the ship, which originally was a post for an experienced seaman. Because of their higher social class and the aforementioned letter, they were nicknamed King's Letter boys to distinguish them from rest of the crew. Another method of entry into the Royal Navy was serving as a servant to one of the officers, and by 1732 the last volunteer-per-order entered the navy to be replaced by service as a servant, or attending the new Royal Naval Academy.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
for young gentlemen
Young gentlemen
Young gentlemen is an archaic term that was used in the Royal Navy to refer to boys aspiring to become a commissioned officer. Until promotion to lieutenant, these boys would serve in various ratings, and the term was used to group all these boys together...
who were training to become officers. The rating was introduced by Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
in 1676 and the recipient received £24 a year and a letter from the crown which virtually guaranteed him promotion after the spending two years at sea and passing the examination for lieutenant. The letter instructed the admirals and captains that the bearer was to be shown "such kindness as you shall judge fit for a gentleman, both in accommodating him in your ship and in furthering his improvement".
Volunteers-per-order took the place of a midshipman on board the ship, which originally was a post for an experienced seaman. Because of their higher social class and the aforementioned letter, they were nicknamed King's Letter boys to distinguish them from rest of the crew. Another method of entry into the Royal Navy was serving as a servant to one of the officers, and by 1732 the last volunteer-per-order entered the navy to be replaced by service as a servant, or attending the new Royal Naval Academy.