Workshop Hints
Ships Bells
As early as the 15th Century a bell was used to sound the time on board a ship. The bell was run every half hour of the 4 hour watch. A 24 hour day was divided into 6 4 hour watches, except the dog watch (16:00 - 20:00 hours) which could be divided into two, 2 hour watches to allow for the taking of the evening meal.
After a mutiny on the Nore in 1797, British ships modified the bell system on the dog watch (16:00 - 18:00) so that the mutiny signal of 5 bells was never again struck.
| Standard | British Royal & Merchant Navy Clocks from 1797 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Middle (Graveyard) Watch | 00:30 1 bell 01:00 2 bells 01:30 2 bells, pause, 1 bell 02:00 2 bells, pause, 2 bells 02:30 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 1 bell 03:00 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 2 bells 03:30 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 1 bell 04:00 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 2 bells |
Same as Standard |
| Morning Watch | 04:30 - 08:00 Same as previous watch | Same as Standard |
| Forenoon Watch | 08:30 - 12:00 Same as previous watch | Same as Standard |
| Afternoon Watch | 12:30 - 16:00 Same as previous watch | Same as Standard |
| Dog Watch | 16:30 - 20:00 Same as previous watch | 16:30 1 bell 17:00 2 bells 17:30 2 bells, pause, 1 bell 18:00 2 bells, pause, 2 bells 18:30 1 bell 19:00 2 bells 19:30 2 bells, pause, 1 bell 20:00 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 2 bells, pause, 2 bells |
| First Watch | 20:30 - 00:00 Same as previous watch | Same as Standard |
Many thanks to Tony Gray MBHI who provided the names of the different watches.