Cook of Mess. Church in forenoon. Landing Party in afternoon. Went for nice walk around Queens ferry. Very nice bright day. Went to Service in evening. Put to sea at 10 o’clock. Had 1st Watch.
January 17th 1915
January 17th 1915 b
January 17th 1915
A Diary of War
Frank Read's diary of life aboard H.M.S. Lion
Queensferry was on the south side of the river, it’s main claim to fame seems to be the mention of it in ‘Kidnapped’ by RL Stevenson.
“Just then we came to the top of the hill, and looked down on the Ferry and the Hope. The Firth of Forth (as is very well known) narrows at this point to the width of a good-sized river, which makes a convenient ferry going north, and turns the upper reach into a landlocked haven for all manner of ships. Right in the midst of the narrows lies an islet with some ruins; on the south shore they have built a pier for the service of the Ferry; and at the end of the pier, on the other side of the road, and backed against a pretty garden of holly-trees and hawthorns, I could see the building which they called the Hawes Inn.
The town of Queensferry lies farther west, and the neighbourhood of the inn looked pretty lonely at that time of day, for the boat had just gone north with passengers. …”
‘Cooks of the mess’: 2 men detailed off each day to drew the mess rations, prepare the meal and deliver it to the galley where the cooks will cook it. They then prepare the mess, setting the table and so on, they collect the messes rum ration and bring the meal to the mess, washing the dishes after it.