Martin Nesbitt (b 1861) had a period of service in the Royal Navy. He was 5' 6", blue eyes, fair hair and ruddy complexion. He deserted ("run" - Naval term which I have seen before on yours truly's record of service!) and was punished with 90 days in Bodmin jail. Do a google search for Bodmin jail in Cornwall, now a tourist attraction. You will see that for a young man it must have been a terrifying experience.
From the archivist: Bill Johnson
At this time we have no prisoner records for the gaol, however, the record books for all prisoners after 1840 have recently been found in Exeter! The 23 volumes are now being catalogued by the Cornwall Records Office in Truro. They should become available for viewing in the next few months.
The service record contains a lot of information. Martin Nesbitt, born in Liverpool (my home town) on 26th January, 1861, joined the Navy on the 10th July 1877, with the rank of Boy 2nd Class. ( the £5 paid to him in Michaelmas 1877 was probably a joining award or gratuity). He served on 'Impregnable' until 25th July 1877 and then moved to 'Ganges'. He was promoted to Boy 1st Class on the 23rd October, 1878 and then things went bad. He ran away from his ship on the 21st December 1878 at Falmouth. He was found and sent to the 'Resistance' on the 19th June 1879 and moved back to 'Ganges' on the 29th June (For his Court-Martial?). The sentence was 90 days in gaol (probably at hard labour, though I don't recognise the abbreviations after the 90 days) and to be 'Discharged from the Service' as 'objectionable'. The other information on the record 'Date and Period of Engagement':- on reaching his 18th birthday he automatically started his 10 years of Navy Service. His service below the age of 18 did not count towards the 10 years. He received a gratuity of £2.10. 0d at Xmas 1878, when his adult service started. Whether this was paid before he ran away or when they caught him is not obvious!
Why Bodmin Gaol? From the 1860s the Navy had been sending Naval prisoners to the gaol from all over the South of England. In 1887, the gaol was separated into a Civil Prison and a separate Naval Prison. Naval prisoners returning to the Navy were in the Naval prison, while those 'discharged the service' were imprisoned in the Civil Prison. Serving Navymen were not allowed to meet or even see Navymen who were 'discharged the service'.
The civil prison closed in 1916, the prisoners and staff were needed for war service, and the Naval Prison closed in 1922.
From the archivist: Bill Johnson
At this time we have no prisoner records for the gaol, however, the record books for all prisoners after 1840 have recently been found in Exeter! The 23 volumes are now being catalogued by the Cornwall Records Office in Truro. They should become available for viewing in the next few months.
The service record contains a lot of information. Martin Nesbitt, born in Liverpool (my home town) on 26th January, 1861, joined the Navy on the 10th July 1877, with the rank of Boy 2nd Class. ( the £5 paid to him in Michaelmas 1877 was probably a joining award or gratuity). He served on 'Impregnable' until 25th July 1877 and then moved to 'Ganges'. He was promoted to Boy 1st Class on the 23rd October, 1878 and then things went bad. He ran away from his ship on the 21st December 1878 at Falmouth. He was found and sent to the 'Resistance' on the 19th June 1879 and moved back to 'Ganges' on the 29th June (For his Court-Martial?). The sentence was 90 days in gaol (probably at hard labour, though I don't recognise the abbreviations after the 90 days) and to be 'Discharged from the Service' as 'objectionable'. The other information on the record 'Date and Period of Engagement':- on reaching his 18th birthday he automatically started his 10 years of Navy Service. His service below the age of 18 did not count towards the 10 years. He received a gratuity of £2.10. 0d at Xmas 1878, when his adult service started. Whether this was paid before he ran away or when they caught him is not obvious!
Why Bodmin Gaol? From the 1860s the Navy had been sending Naval prisoners to the gaol from all over the South of England. In 1887, the gaol was separated into a Civil Prison and a separate Naval Prison. Naval prisoners returning to the Navy were in the Naval prison, while those 'discharged the service' were imprisoned in the Civil Prison. Serving Navymen were not allowed to meet or even see Navymen who were 'discharged the service'.
The civil prison closed in 1916, the prisoners and staff were needed for war service, and the Naval Prison closed in 1922.
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