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TYPICAL DAILY SHIPBOARD ROUTINE FOR A WARSHIP OF 1800 Time 12:00 Mid. 12:30 a.m. 4:00 a.m. 4:30 a.m. 5:00 a.m.
Bells Event 8 End 1st Night Watch, start Middle Watch 1 Muster & set Middle Watch, Watch below to sleep 8 End Middle Watch. Start of Morning Watch 1 Muster & set Morning Watch. Watch below to sleep. Bosun, Gunner, Carpenter, etc. 2 Off shoes. Swab and holystone (Soft pumice or sandstone, often used to scrub the decks of ships. Sailors had to kneel as if in prayer when scrubbing the decks. Holystone was often called so because it is full of holes) spar deck. Flemish (join) ropes. Dry deck and replace wash gear. 7:00 a.m. 6 All lieutenants on deck. 8:00 a.m. 8 End of Morning Watch. Start of Forenoon Watch. Captain on deck. Pipe (boatswain’s whistle) all hands to breakfast. Lower mess tables, etc. 8:30 a.m. 1 Muster and feed Watch on. Remove all loose gear from lower decks. Wet, swab all lower decks. Sponge decks and beams with vinegar and purge decks an hold with gunpowder and sulphur. (This was not done every day). Mess cooks to galley and clean morning gear and ready noon meal. Boys sent to respective work parties. Watch below to attend to the Officers’ wishes. 11:00 a.m. 6 All hands to witness punishment (when served out) on the spar deck. 12:00 noon 8 End of Forenoon Watch. Start Afternoon Watch.
Note: The official ship’s day starts at this time. Midshipmen shoot the sun (calculate position) and set the ship’s time. Pipe all hands to noon meal. Down mess tables. 12:30 p.m. 1 1:30 p.m. 3
Time 4:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m.
Up spirits, muster, and feed watch on. Watch below on free time. Up mess tables. Mess cooks to galley to clean gear and prepare evening meal. Watch below on free time or drill. Work parties, etc. as set by the Captain. Barbers to shave and cut. Marine Company to exercise. Exercise crew at small arms.
Bells Event 8 End of Afternoon Watch, start first Dog Watch. Pipe hands to dinner. Down mess tables. Up spirits. 1 Up mess tables. Mess cooks to galley to clean gear. Feed watch on. 4 End of 1st Dog Watch. Start 2nd Dog Watch. Most ships cleared for action and beat to quarters at this time. Entire ship’s company exercised at the Great Guns. Marines paraded and deployed. Fire pumps rigged. Ship’s Corporals on look out for signs of drunkenness. 7 Secure the guns. Muster ship’s company. Arrests made at this time. Watch below to stand down (freetime). 8 End of 2nd Dog Watch. Start of 1st or Night Watch. Pipe down hammocks and watch below and idlers. 1 Muster watch on. Set night sentries (Marines). 2 Lights out.
Saturday The day was generally spent in cleaning the ship, scouring the decks, and readying the ship for the captains Sunday inspection. Make and mend, wash clothing. Galley kettles scoured. Bright work polished, old hammocks washed, new hammocks issued, guns cleaned, and tackles overhauled. Sunday Early morning spent in ship cleaning. At 10:30 a.m. (5 bells), the crew was mustered on the spar deck in their best clothing. They formed up along the gangways, focsl (forecastle) and quarter deck. The Marine Company was paraded across the poop deck with fixed bayonets. Formal divisions for the Ship’s Company followed Divine Service at 11:00 a.m. (6 bells). The Ship’s Company then stood by while the Captain and Officers inspect the entire ship. The rest of the day was generally free time for Watch Below with no drills or work parties.