British Navy Watch System

(most commonly used in the Age of Sail)

 

The Navy day began at noon: Sights of the sun were taken by the Sailing Master and/ or officers and students (e.g. Midshipmen) using an astrolabe, Davis/English quadrant, octant or sextant as such were invented in order to ascertain the sun’s zenith and latitude. When done (clouds permitting), the one responsible so informed the Officer of the Watch, who then informed the captain. The captain gave the order to “Make it noon and turn the glass.” That order was transmitted to those who performed various parts of the daily ceremony: the hour-glass was turned, the ship’s bell was rung 8 times to indicate the end of the forenoon watch, and the boatswain blew his whistle (pipe) to summon the ship’s company to dinner.

 

One bell was rung for each half hour according to the time-keeping device, which was the hour-glass. Two bells were rung on the hour. At one-thirty p.m., for example, it is 3 bells for the afternoon watch. A watch is 8 bells long (the two dog-watches in the afternoon, which allowed all the men to be fed more easily and rotated the watches for the next day, shared the full 8 bells until after the Spithead-Nore mutinies, when they each have only 4 each).

 

(See table following)

 

The basic schedule, which did change a bit for make-and-mend day (usually Thursday), Sunday for church, and for any other reason the captain might revise it (such as punishment day – often Saturday).

 

The Bell System

(Note: one more bell than indicated is rung for the half hour following)