IO Specialisation Timeline (1842-1913) | |
| 1842: | In September of this year the Admiralty decreed that the title of Schoolmaster would change to ‘Naval Instructor’. This would avoid confusion with ‘Seaman Schoolmasters’. Any Chaplains that were appointed as Naval Instructors were to be called ‘Chaplain and Naval Instructor’ whilst in the appointment. At this time there were 39 Naval Instructors of whom 11 were graduates. |
| 1843: | Dockyard Schools were established, the first known example of technical education for apprentices in the country. |
| 1861: | Naval Instructors became Commissioned Officers and the blue branch identification cloth between gold rank stripe/s was introduced. The wearing of uniform, however, was optional. |
| 1862: | Seaman's Schoolmasters were given the title of ‘Naval Schoolmaster’. |
| 1864: | Naval Instructors were advanced in rank according to seniority, entering as lieutenants and achieving the rank of commander automatically after 15 years of service. |
| 1867: | Naval Schoolmaster was rated as Chief Petty Officer; equivalent to Master-at- Arms with the same pay. |
| 1873: | Royal Naval College was transferred from Portsmouth to Greenwich. |
| 1879: | Wearing of uniform became compulsory. |
| 1880s: | The Royal Marines (RM) recruited their own Schoolmasters who were then included in the RM section of the Navy List and wore uniform of the Royal Marines. |
| 1889: | School in sea-going ships deemed unsuccessful. Naval Schoolmasters were withdrawn from the Fleet and employed in the training ships and the gunnery and torpedo schools. |
| 1903: | The cadet training in HMS Britannia was deemed excellent but it was desired that accommodation should be found on shore for the cadets with the result being the institution of the Naval College at Dartmouth and at Osborne. Instruction at sea was no longer deemed necessary and entry as Naval Instructors ended in 1904. |
| 1913: | The Admiralty became doubtful about abolishing the Naval Instructor. This and WW1 resulted in large numbers entering the Royal Navy in the following few years. |
