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A cabin boy or ship's boy is a boy (in the sense of low-ranking young male employee, not always a minor in the juridical sense) who waits on the officers and passengers of a ship, especially running errands for the captain.
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Duties
Cabin boys were usually 14–16 years old and also helped the cook in the ship's kitchen and carried buckets of food from the ship's kitchen to the forecastle where the ordinary seamen ate. They would have to run from one end of the ship to the other carrying messages and become familiar with the sails, lines and ropes and the use of each in all sorts of weather. They would have to scramble up the rigging into the yards whenever the sails had to be trimmed. They would even begin to stand watch like other crewmen or act as helmsman in good weather, holding the wheel to keep the ship steady on her course.
Royal Navy officers
Several prominent British Royal Navy officers began their career as cabin boys. The list includes officers that achieved an admiralty rank before 1801.
Lord Admiral NelsonAdmiral of the Fleet Sir William Parker, 1st Baronet of ShenstoneAdmiral of the Fleet Sir Cloudsley ShovellAdmiral Sir Francis DrakeAdmiral Sir John HawkinsAdmiral (General) Richard DeaneAdmiral (Colonel) William RainsboroughAdmiral Sir William PennVice Admiral Sir William BattenVice Admiral Sir John LawsonVice Admiral (Captain) BadilowVice Admiral Sir Thomas TiddemanVice Admiral (Captain) James PeacockVice Admiral (Captain) William GoodsonVice Admiral Sir Christopher MyngsVice Admiral Sir John HarmanRear Admiral Sir John BerryRear Admiral Sir Richard StainerRear Admiral (Captain) Anthony HouldingRear Admiral (Captain) DeaconsRear Admiral (Captain) Robert Sansum