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HBC has obtained a few portraits of naval cadets which show the uniforms worn by different boys. The portraits provide a good view of niform changes over time. The uniforms were largely based on the Royal Navy uniforms of the day. This CDV shows Andrew Johnstone. The CDV is undated, but was probably taken about 1900-05.
Andrew's father was Richard Johnstone, vicar of Yoxall in Staffordshire. His mother was Imogen Isabella Twysden Molesworth (a relative of the reader wjho has provided us some information).
Andrew was a Royal Navy Cadet. The photograph was taken in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. We know nothing about ndrew. He look to be 14-15 years old. The cadet wears a dark peaked military cap with a badge. I'm not sure about the badge, but it probably is a badge for a Royal Navy cadet corps. He wears a double breasted jacket with brass buttons and lapel decorations which I am not sure what they represent. Note the handkerchief in his pocket. A reader writes, "I believe that the boy here is my fifth cousin twice removed, Andrew Johnstone, later a Royal Navy Captain, who was born in Moreton Say, Shropshire, in 1885. An Andrew Johnstone was listed as a Naval cedet (1901). [Census]
He was aboard the Cadet Training Ship HMS Britannia, moored permanently at Dartmouth.
His first appearance on the Navy List that we can find is 1901. He is listed as attaining the rank of Naval Cadet (May 15, 1901).
He was obviously aboard HMS Britannia for some time before that. It is a reasonable guess that the photo was taken near home before he travelled to Dartmouth to join the Navy, presumably in 1900 or 1901. He was promoted Midshipman (July 15, 1901). So that ties the latest date of the photo down pretty closely to mid-1901. [Dunford]
After spells on HMS Diadem (Naval Cadet), HMS Venerable (Midshipman), HMS Exmouth (Sub-Lieutenant), HMS Achilles, HMS Bedford, HNS Cossack, HMS Thunderer, HMS Alert and HMS Northbrook (Lieutenant). He commanded various small ships. As a Lieutenant-Commander he commanded HMS Orpheus and HMS Moth (an Insect class gunboat later appropriated by the Japanese Navy after an abortive attempt to scuttle her at Hong Kong in 1941). And as Commander he commanded HMS Snapdragon.
Johnstone married his cousin Ruth Delia Blanche Myers and had two daughters, as far as I can tell. One of his daughters was Naomi Johnstone. Naomi never married. She trained as a nurse and was the redoubtable Matron in College at Eton for many years.
She took up the post at Eton (1955). She apparently raised a bit of a stir. Claude Elliott, the Provost, was reportedly so shocked to see a woman in College Hall for the first time that he dropped his knife and fork on the high table. She apparently was a string force for order and neatness. One boy who apparently did not share her stanades concverning the importancvirtues of a tidy room as she did, found his possessions uncerimoniously dumped in the boot room. She became known over time as the First Lady of Eton. She passed away (December 25, 2002). We note an S&B obituary with a photo of Andrew's daughter Naomi. There is a family resemblance. There was a second daughter, Charity Johnstone, but we have not been able to trace her yet, so I don't know whether Andrew has any descendants.
Johnstone was placed on the retired list as Captain (1931). He died in Windsor (1967). I don't know the exact date, but it must be about 9 months after our contributor was born there (February 1967).
Dunford, Robin. E-mail, November 18, 2012.
Census. 1901 England and Wales census (March 31, 1901).
Dreadnought Project
Navy List
"'First ladt pf Eon' Naomi Johnstone dies aged 83," S&B Surrey (January 08, 2003).
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