Naval Biographical Database



Abbreviations

 

A

Appointment

      AB

Able Seaman

      Ad

Advice Boat

Addl

Additional

Adm

Admiral, and derivatives, such as ADM(W) for Admiral of the White

AL

Admiralty Library

alt

alternative

AO

Admiralty Order

AoF

Admiral of the Fleet

appt

appointment

      AV

Armed Vessel (or Ship)

      AX

Quarterdeck (After Castle)

      Ba

Battery 

BL

British Library

bldg

Building

      Bo

Bomb

      Br

Brig ( nb not usually brig-rigged sloop)

      BU

Break up/broken up

      Bu

Buss

BW

(Navy) Board Warrant

      C

Carronade (in context)

C

Commission (in context)

Capt

Captain

      Car(r)

Carronade(s)

Cdr

Commander

      Cdre

Commodore

CM

Court Martial

CO

Commanding Officer

      Cu

Cutter

D

Discharged

d

date to be confirmed

DD

Discharged dead

df

date to be confirmed when warrant reads 'formerly of'

      Dim

Dimensions

dl

date to be confirmed when warrant reads 'late of'

      Do

Dogger

Ds

Discharged sick

Dsq

Discharded to Sick Quarters

DY

Dockyard

E

Entry (n.b. could be 'I' for split pay books)

      Est

Establish/Establishment

      Fb

Flyboat

Fs

Fireship

      FX

Forecastle

      G

Gun (generally not carronade)

      Ga

Galley

      Gs

Guardship

      Gt

Galliot

      Gu

Gunboat

      Hi

Hired

      Ho

Hospital

      Hu

Hulk

      Hy

Hoy

I

In post (on the date in question)

      Ke

Ketch

      Ki

Kitchen

Lt

Lieutenant

Lt Cdr

Lieutenant Commander

      Lu

Lugger

      Ma

Machine

      Me

Merchant

MS(S)

Manuscript/Manuscripts - see 'conventions/sources'

MP

Member of Parliament

      Mr

In seniority lists, first commission as Lt - see 'conventions/seniority'.  In context 'Master'

      NA

National Archives

      nc

non continuous

      NR

Not registered

ogt

of good testimony. Usually indicates first employment (warrant)

Ord

Ordinary Seaman

ovgt

of very good testimony,  Occasionally used in lieu of above.

p.

page.  In some instances form takes 'p.c8' indicating 'page 8' in alphabetical section 'c'

      Pi

Pink

PM

Primary Manuscript source

PP

Primary Printed source

      Pr

Prison ship

PRO

Public Record Office

Qr

Quarter

QM

Quartermaster

QMM

Quartermaster's Mate

      R

Run [Deserted]

Rs

Run [Deserted when discharged sick]

rec.

recommended (by)

rps

return to proper ship [after loan or exchange]

      Rx

Receiving ship

      Sb

Scout boat

      Sc

Schooner

      Sl

Sloop

SM

Secondary Manuscript source

      Sm

Smack

SN

Newspaper source

SP

Secondary Printed source

      St

Storeship.   In context 'Servant'

sup.

superceded. A notation that the post-holder has been relieved

tbc

to be confirmed

      Te

Tender

      Tr

Transport

      Vi

Victualler

vice

in place of 

VPO

Voluntier (or Volunteer) per Order

when ready ...

For those standing by ships building where the entry commonly reads 'so soon as she shall be in a Condition to receive such an Officer'.

within the age

within the age established for bearing Voluntiers. Implication but not invariably first employment.

      Xe

Xebec

      Ya

Yacht

      YC

Yard Craft

      Yeo

Yeoman


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