ERA's & Stokers of HMS Asia

[RCN]

Here is a group photo of the ERA's (Engine Room Artificers) & Stokers of HMS Asia. HMS Asia was the depot ship at Portsmouth for ERA's & Stokers form approx 1862 to 1905.

I am guessing this photo was taken circa 1880's. Several are wearing what appears to be Naval LS medals but none are wearing the Egypt (1882-85) medal or Khedives star, & I would think in a grp this large that some would have seen service in this campaign & wearing their campaign medals. So I am guessing its prior to 1883 (when the first issuance of the Egypt 1882 medal took place).

The gangway of Asia is just visible in the lower right of the photo & to the right background is another big three decker receiving ship. I have no idea of the identity of the ironclad in the background but it appears to be Warrior class.

Sure would be nice to put names to these faces!!!

Bryan

[Batstiger]

Was this the old fashioned way of standing easy with the hands clasped tothe front of the body?

Bob.

[herakles]

Old fashioned way? I thought it was still done.

[RCN]

Was this the old fashioned way of standing easy with the hands clasped tothe front of the body?

Bob.

yes & right foot behind the left.

Bryan

[syph013]

My great grand father John Miller was Leading Stoker on the HMS Asia in 1889 and on a crew list in 1881 as a stoker age 27, so chances are he is here, sadly I am unable to identify him - but thank you very much for posting this picture as I am building our family tree and I can now add this to the images - If anyone has any other pictures of the HMS Asia from this period they can post here that would be a brilliant addition to my studies.

Thank you
Phil

[steverudkin]

Hi All

Recently joined and first post. Have been looking online for info on HMS Asia after finding the service record of a distant family member. John Cotton was listed as a Stoker on board HMS Asia for a large part of his 20 odd year naval career, 1880 onwards. It seems that he never spent much time away from home as he was a Portsmouth lad and the Asia was based in Portsmouth Harbour. I'm summising, after some online research, that he either had a teaching role or worked on the small ships that served the harbour and was attached to HMS Asia for clerical reasons.

As a side he did win a South Africa Medal, probably the Queens SAM, for service during the 1st Boer war or Zulu war. This may have been whilst he was serving on board HMS Boadicea which i know took part in operations in SA.

Attached a few pics i have found online during research. Love the stern44449

44450

44451 shot, really a beautiful design.

[astraltrader]

Hi Steve welcome to the forum. I dont know if you have seen this picture...

[RCN]

Hi All

Recently joined and first post. Have been looking online for info on HMS Asia after finding the service record of a distant family member. John Cotton was listed as a Stoker on board HMS Asia for a large part of his 20 odd year naval career, 1880 onwards. It seems that he never spent much time away from home as he was a Portsmouth lad and the Asia was based in Portsmouth Harbour. I'm summising, after some online research, that he either had a teaching role or worked on the small ships that served the harbour and was attached to HMS Asia for clerical reasons.

As a side he did win a South Africa Medal, probably the Queens SAM, for service during the 1st Boer war or Zulu war. This may have been whilst he was serving on board HMS Boadicea which i know took part in operations in SA.



Hello Steve,

Cotton's record should be available in the ADM 139/188 series & it should be available online, cost I believe is £3.50. This will indicate all of his ships & bases with dates that he served on.
Boadicea did participate in the Zulu & Basuto Wars (2nd South Africa campaign, the first being in 1853) & qualified for both the no clasp & 1879 clasp medal. The medal rolls for the ships that participated are in the ADM 171 series but not available online.

HMS Asia was the depot/receiving ship for Stoker/ERA ratings. When a rating was drafted off a ship he went to his depot - for Stokers & ERA's this would have been Asia - until being drafted to his next ship. So Asia could show up on his SR several times. He would not have been employed as an instructor unless he was a senior rating - ie: PO Stoker or Chief Stoker.

Again, his service record will indicate all of his rank & rate progressions with dates.

Bryan

[steverudkin]

Thanks Terry and Brian.

I'm going to get hold of the service record and see which other ships he served on. Will post when i've got a copy. Agian many thanks for your input.

[RCN]

Steve,

ADM 139 will be his pre Jan '73 record & Attestation papers, & Adm 188 after that. I dont think ADM 139 is online yet.

Bryan

[lbraun]

Here is a group photo of the ERA's (Engine Room Artificers) & Stokers of HMS Asia. HMS Asia was the depot ship at Portsmouth for ERA's & Stokers form approx 1862 to 1905.

I am guessing this photo was taken circa 1880's. Several are wearing what appears to be Naval LS medals but none are wearing the Egypt (1882-85) medal or Khedives star, & I would think in a grp this large that some would have seen service in this campaign & wearing their campaign medals. So I am guessing its prior to 1883 (when the first issuance of the Egypt 1882 medal took place).

The gangway of Asia is just visible in the lower right of the photo & to the right background is another big three decker receiving ship. I have no idea of the identity of the ironclad in the background but it appears to be Warrior class.

Sure would be nice to put names to these faces!!!

Bryan
hi. Just seen your photo my great great grandfather was Chief ERA on HMS Asia from the 1880's till 1903 when he died on board in Portugal.
I guess he is one of the men in this photo but have no idea which one!

[ian999]

Likewise great Grandfather Lding Stoker on Asia..appears several times on his record between other vessels including Excellent and the intimidatingly named "Devastation"

I take the Stokers are in the front and ERA's at the rear?

Thanks for keeping the history available.

ian999

[timmay]

My great great granfather was a stoker 2nd class on the HMS Asia from 27th April 1882 to Nov 1882, then as a stoker again from 27 June 1890 to 30 June 1890. He became a leading stoker 1st July 1890 and remained on the Asia until 30 Nov 1890. His name was Edwin William Beale

[David Treloar]

Many thanks.
The William Douch 120799 who began service on Asia in 1882 as a stoker and served on her again in 1889, as a Leading Stoker, appears to have been my grandfather. HE left the service from Hibernia in 1892, probably in Malta. From there he went to Constantinople where he became a very successful engineer. My mother was born in Constantinople. Unfortunately we cannot be completely certain, although we know that he served either in the Royal Navy or on merchantmen. It would seem a big step from being a stoker to working successfully as an engineer and living in a large double storeyed mansion that he built himself in Constantinople.
David Treloar

[willow47]

Bryan, Thanks for your information re HMS Asia, in particular about stokers. however I need to ask if you would clarify what was happening on this vessel. I have an ancestor Edward Sims who was a leading stoker on HMS Asia Dec 1861-Dec 1862, Nov 1864-Dec 1866 and Jan 1867-Jan 1868, when he joined HMS Royal Oak. Am I to understand that HMS Asia during these times was providing accommodation for the seamen in between service at sea? Also I have read on line that HMS Asia was a sailing ship without steam power, so what were stokers doing on this vessel? My ancestor also served on the voyage around the Mediterranean on HMS Hannibal from 25 April 1859 to 24 December 1861, and the fascinating story of this voyage was written up by Rear-Admiral Sir Rodney Mundy and this complete book is available to read online. Google HMS Hannibal at Palermo and Naples for a good read. Those were the days when Brittania Ruled the Waves. Fascinating read.

Thanks, Roger

[old shipwright]

Some great information about HMS Asia in this forum. I am a little confused however about some of the comments that Asia was only for ERA and Stokers. My great great grandfather served on Asia twice, as a Shipwright.

He first joined it in February 1868 to July 1868 and from there went on to the Warrior and a host of other well known ships before leaving active service on the Asia in 1878. He stayed on Asia as a Pensioner Shipwright from 1878 to at least July 1885. The records then show him rejoining Asia in August 1885 but we dont know for how long or why the one month break.

I saw a comment that the Asia was probably as dock based vessel. (I think the current term is concrete ship) If this was the case then why would they need a shipwright for such a long time? Could Asia also have been a general trade training ship?

[wick]

Hello Bryan, I love the photo of the Stokers and ERAs of HMS Asia. Charles Edward Walton, was married to my Great Grandfathers sister, and he started his career on HMS Asia as an Artificer at the start of 1881 reappearing several times the last being July 1891. By 1911 he was Chief ERA on HMS Espiegle. Many thanks for your information and that of others. I'm building a family tree with Charles in it,I hope it's alright to include the photo he could be in there somewhere. Many thanks, Dave