Genealogy Chat

Does anyone have any idea what 'Bred to the sea' meant in the eighteenth century? I have a Trinity House petiton where the widow of Capt.Hugh Munro (bred to the sea) asks for help. I have a feeling it has something to do with apprenticeships but have tried museums experts and google so far - can we do better here?

I wonder if she is just pleading her case by implying that working on the sea ....was in his blood.?
ie. her husband had been a dedicated worker there for many years.

No idea really

Gwyn

Possibly means a seafaring family?

The words 'bred to the sea' seem to be official terminology. They were printed on the form rather than written by the widow implying that they were a condition of the pension being granted - or taken for granted that if she was applying it was becasue he was 'bred to the sea'. I have a feeling it had something to do with early training or apprenticeship

As an ex Naval man I can shed some light on this.

'Bred to the sea' refers to an individual who, from a very early age and usually from birth, had a seafaring career planned out for them by his father who would usually be a seafarer himself.and decided his son would follow suit.

This was very common in the Naval services.

Typically, the youngster would be specifically schooled, probably in a nautical college, in the knowledge and skills needed to ensure an easy entry into the Royal/Merchant Navy or similar at officer (cadet/midshipman) level.

Jennifer

I have looked in Ancestral Trails by Mark Herber (my bible) and there isn't an explanation as to what it means.

However it has a petition illustrated and it is a standardised form with the 'bred to the sea' being pre printed....Is that what you have?

I would guess that as anyone who could apply had to be connected to the sea they took that as read, hence it being pre printed. The following part was then completed by the applicant to confirm how they served for example, Master, Lighthouse Keeper ect

Chris

Thanks all! I think David is right which means that I should be loking for another Navy man as my Hugh Munro's Dad - probably. In lots of the documents that I ahve read there seems to be a clear distinction between those 'bred to the sea' and those not. See below:
This power of reclaiming
is available only if the apprentice when claimed be under twenty-one
years of age. To encourage masters to part with their apprentices
for the public service, they are entitled, upon giving up the indentures
within a month after the enlisting, to receive for their own use so
much of the bounty as shall not have been paid to the recruit. As
regards the navy, the master's power of reclaiming an apprentice who
lias been impressed, or has voluntarily entered the service, is entirely
excluded, if the apprentice had been previously bred to the sea;
M. 600. Cunningham and Simpson v. Home, 19th January 1796,—an example
both of an apprentice not bred to the sea successfully reclaimed, and
of the claim disallowed with regard to another who had been bred to
the sea. When a master reclaims an apprentice from the sea service,
he is not bound to find caution to restore him at the expiration of
the indenture, as is the case when persons are taken out of the public F. C.
service by process for debt or delinquency; Smith, 23d June 1814.
But, although an apprentice previously bred to the sea service cannot
be reclaimed, the apprentice-fee is wholly exigible if he enter the
4Br. Supp. 127. service voluntarily; Arbuthnot v. Gentleman, 19th January 1694. An.
apprentice's obligation under his indenture does not exempt him from
the performance of statute labour upon the high roads, where specific
M. «oce"Ap- implement of that obligation is required ; Mackay & Co. \.Justices
App*. No.-2. of Peace for Ross-shire, 27th November 1807.
COHSTKUCTIOS The obligations of the apprentice and of the master respectively,
OP OBLIGATIONS are sufliciently defined by the terms of the indenture, and
any ques-
tions which occur with regard to the proper implement of these obligations,
will be determined by a fair construction of their nature and
import, neither party being obliged to do work which does not fairly
fall within the terms of the obligation, and each being obliged to do
whatever may be necessary for the fair and honest performance of his
part of the contract. The contract is also subject to statutory control,
and may not be made the means of enforcing acts which by Statute
are forbidden. Any decisions which have occurred have been in consistency
with these general principles. Thus, as regards the obligation
of the apprentice, he is not bound to do work different from the
business specified in the indenture, and, therefore, is not subject to
dismissal, nor is the penalty or damages incurred by his refusal to
execute other work ; Symintoun v. Brocks, 14th January 1673 ; Peter
2 Br. Snpp. 166. v. Terrol, 26th September 1818. But he may be required to teach a
2 Murray, 28. younger apprentice in the trade which he is himself learning ; Bal- F. C.
lantyne & Co. v.-Xerr, 21st November 1811. IN ISDKNTUKE. . I • i • I • ,. i i 1 •

I think I may have solved the mystery - Christ's Hospital had a Mathematical College. The students from this college were examined twice a year by the Board of Trinity House. If they passed they were apprenticed to a Ship's Captain for seven years. The Naval Officers produced this way were 'bred to the sea' as opposed to those obtained from other armed forces and as opposed to the impressed and other landlubbers. They learned navigation and other seafaring skills and were known as the Sea Boys. Don't ask how I found this...