The
post of Chief Officer was created on opening in 1859 but renamed First Lieutenant in September 1917.
This did not last long and the post soon reverted to Chief Officer
The
technical position of Chief Officer lapsed in 1969 when Cheshire County
Council took over the running of the Ship. A new academic post of
Deputy Headmaster/Director of Nautical Studies was created in its place.
Retired from the RN after service in China and India. He had the Indian Mutiny Medal for service in the Pearl Brigade.
"A stern disciplinarian but liked and respected."
Died in service in 1884.
1884 - 1885 Feb
GLASSPOOL
Previously Second Officer.
Left to return to sea.
1885 Mar - 1891
Captain Henry BAYNHAM OBE RN FRAS
(Bullets)
Holder of the Egypt Medal, British War Medal and the Khedive's Star.
Henry Baynham was born 1 June 1847 and was educated at the Naval
School, Southsea.
Entered the Navy as a Navigating Midshipman in Dec.
1862. Served HMS Victory, Buzzard, Nile, Galatea, Orontes and Phoebe.
After a long and illustrious career he retired in December 1884 being
medically unfit.
In 1888 he was appointed Chief Officer of the Conway.
Left Conway in1891 to become Captain Superintendent of the Industrial School Ship Wellesley
at North Shields. He retired from this post in 1910, aged 63.
He and his wife were presented with an inscribed silver tea service "We
are all very sorry to loose such an able officer, who, while paying
strict attention to to all the work of the ship, at the same time
gained our regard by the kindly way in which he interested himself in
out little trials and troubles". Article from The Cadet Oct 1891 here.
In 1914
he offered his services to the Admiralty and in Sept. 1915 he was
appointed to HMS Victory. In 1917 he was officially notified that he
was the oldest officer on the active list! Feb. 1917 promoted to Acting
Commander. Jan. 1918 appointed to HMS Cyclops and then HMS Sandringham.
He was demobilised June 1919 and reverted to the Retired List. He was
72. OBE awarded 1 Jan. 1919 "Worked at Haslar Training Camp and as
supervising officer of the Auxiliary Patrol Depot at Immingham and was
Senior Naval Officer of the naval base at Swarbacks Minn in Jan. 1918." Swarbacks
Minn was home to substantial operations during WWI and was the base for
the 10th Cruiser Sqn of armed liners and destroyers that
patrolled the North Sea.
He died 11th June 1933, aged 84.
1891 - 1898
Charles CATER RN (Keen Eye)
1898 - 1903 June 24th
Lt BROADBENT (1880-82)
He was promoted Captain Superintendent in 1939 on the outbreak of war.
He remained until the move to the Menai Strait.
1903 Jun 25th - 1917 Jun
Lt H McNEILLE-GIBB RNR
Chief Officer
Coach Hockey team
He joined Abram
Lyle & Sons and rose to First Officer with the White Star Line. For
three years prior to rejoining Conway he had been Chief Officer in
Beaver Line.
On appointment he asked for the defaulters list to be
cleared so that "all might start fair".
A keen Merseyside sailor in his yacht Cariadclick here
He
served his time in sail before joining Lord Line where he rose from 3rd
Officer to Chief Officer.
Completed a two-month torpedo course at Devonport in early 1910 when he was replaced by Mr B H Davies.
Called up on Sun Aug 2nd 1914. Appointed to the light cruiser Charybdis
around the UK coast and escorting transports from Canada. Returned as
Second Officer on 11th May 1915 by special dispensation of the
Admiralty - Conway cadets needed training.
Short biography on page 252 of the
December 1917 The Cadet. Click here.
Joined the barque Inveramsay as midshipman but was called up in July 1914.
He is believed to be the youngest person ever to achieve an extra master's certificate - at the age of 23. C R E Sergenat (years not
known) gained his at the age of 23 but was slightly older than Couch. See here.
In the late 1930s he commissioned the ship's carpenter to produce a
model of the ship, similar to the model the carpenter had made in 1932
for the King.
Left on Fleet mobilization. “I heard he had command
of a minesweeping flotilla on the East Coast and that he suffered a
complete mental breakdown.”
1936
HARGRAVES
According to The Cadet magazine he was Chief Officer in 36 but this
date overlaps with those for Cdr Crouch. I have added him here for now.
Appointed by Chairman Lawrence Holt who started a
temporary scheme of one year appointments of Blue Funnel men for the war
years. After his year in Conway Eric returned to Blue Funnel and
retired in 1966
He was ex Blue Funnel. and so was the third one year secondment
under Lawrence's scheme. He remained until the end of hostilities.
His
short obituary in the Club Newsletter said he was Chief Officer twice
and acting Captain Superintendent for a short period. He
sometimes though referred to himself as Chief Executive Officer)
Joined as "Staff Captain" until he took over as
Captain Superintendent in July 49.
I've found no record of him referred
to as the Chief Officer but several cadets say they remember him as
such. That leaves a slight discrepancy over the end date for his
predecessor. The Cadet magazine says Digby Rhys Jones left in August 49.
Joined as Second Officer (Chief Officer
designate) in March 49 from Blue Funnel where he was serving as a Chief Officer. He replaced Crockett.
He was appointed Chief Officer in August 49. He
later reverted to Second Officer because of ill health and then became
Chief Officer at the House.
Know as Quack-Quack owing to the drawl with which he pronounced
some words and his highly individual manner of announcing reveille over
the intercom. In 1960 he was
Divisional officer for Mizzentop and Hold.
Sported a splendid goatee
beard.
“He always seemed to be secretly amused by us cadets but he
never let us in on the joke.”
“Mr
Drake was the Chief Officer in charge at The House. His sardonic turn
of phrase and dryly trenchant tone of voice was eminently mimicable,
and most cadets tried their hand at it, with varying degrees of
success. He was a kind man, but a measured disciplinarian, not open to
manipulation by cadets. The first time I heard him speak was when he
addressed all new chums and 3-year cadets on The House mess-deck on the
first or second day of term, the only remark I remember running
something like “There’s a sea-boot in my office. It’s been there since
the middle of last term. Is it too much to expect of the cadet
concerned that he notice that he’s got only one sea-boot, and would he
mind collecting the other forthwith?” This was greeted with silent
delight by his admirers (most cadets) and exaggerated resignation by
the disaffected. He projected a very pronounced personality, rather
ascetic, dry, humorous and wise, the wisdom indicated by his goatee and
moustache. He was diabetic, and cadets were under instructions to
administer the sugar he kept about his person if he ever went into a
diabetic fit; I never saw it happen.”
1959 Oct - ???
Captain Digby Rhys JONES OBE
See above
1940 – 1969
Lt Cdr John BROOKE-SMITHRNR
(Brookie, aka Spookie – from his innate ability to appear just when you
least wanted to see him, aka The Brogue, aka Death Breath, aka Colgate
–1951-2, aka Brodie)
He joined the Ship in 1940 as a Lt RNR having had
to come ashore with poor eyesight. In 1960 he was Mizzentop divisional
officer, coached the 3rd XV and “an all round gent.” “Quietly spoken
with one of the nicest smiles you could wish for.”
“After
the war when Drake was appointed Chief Officer Holt said that Conway no
longer had a place for Spookie (he was appointed temporarily during the
war) but Eric objected and they compromised. One day Drake collapsed
and the Dr said he should not serve on board in view of his health.
Spookie thus got reinstated and Eric got him to be made up Lieutenant
Commander.”
Granted honorary rank of Lt Cdr RNR.
In 1968-71 Brookie had a Ford Anglia (Harry Potter shape for those with
children or grandchildren) 105E green with the 'Deluxe' white flash
down the side...he used to forget and leave it down at the dock or up
at the top playing fields in his enthusiasm to oversee marching back
to the blocks and be prompted to ask at after-meal announcements 'Errr
(adopt Brookie tone) anybody seen my car?' There was a story going
around that he'd left it down at the dock one night and a group swung
it out over the water just above high tide level for him to find in
the morning...good urban myth I suspect?”
John died on 23rd December 1990 age 79. He is buried in St Andrew’s church yard, Hasketon, Suffolk.
1969 – 1974
Jack ISBESTER
(Uh Huh)
From 1969 the post was redefined as Deputy Headmaster and Director of Nautical Studies.
Author of Bulk Carrier Practice and Hard Down, Hard Down click here
