Tag: lower deck
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Ordinary Seaman John Hodgkinson of the Highflyer
Ordinary Seaman John Hodgkinson of the Highflyer
John Hodgkinson was one of those very rare Victorian sailors who wrote an extensive account of life on the lower deck of the Royal Navy. His five years in HMS Highflyer included experiencing the 'smell of powder' in the Second Anglo-Chinese War of 1856 to 1860. When he returned from war, and seeing no prospects in the service, he bought himself out of his engagement and anonymously wrote a book about his experiences.