I purchased my grandfathers naval record, part of which is in the attached image. There is an entry in the Character and Ability columns I cannot understand, this has been blown up at the bottom of the image, it reads squiqqle E. Any ideas would be welcome.
Welcome to TD Can't help with your question unfortunately, but I'm sure someone much cleverer than me will come along before too long
Welcome aboard. I'm 110% confident it's completely wrong but it looks like "C of E". Not exactly an ability I would have thought.
If you look at the bottom of the document, you will also see a similar thing, only a bit larger. It shows the number 2 in a circle, then something that looks like wks, followed by 16.9.27. This is similar to the above which shows 1 or 2 in a circle followed by wks? and the same date 16.9.27. Both show underneath Dec 27th Ldgs. which I take to be lodgings. Probably totally wrong, but that is the best I can make out. I haven't a clue whether the lads would have to pay lodgings whilst onboard?
If you go to this forum and post the question there, somebody will know the answer. They will be able to decipher the whole record for you. http://www. worldnavalships.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=88
I just tried reading my Dad's record to see if there was anything similar but sorry, no. My Dad's record is extremely difficult to read as well.
Perhaps to do with quarter of enlistment,? I thought ldgr as 'leading' or loadings but looking at the 5th entry from top it looks more like vide(same) 'ledger'.character v.g. very good? although one 'v' looks more like a 'y'. Perhaps the ships were rocking when reports were written?
It could possibly be he had done a course and was promoted to 'Leading Rate' and he was classified 'ability' was 'Exemplary', and all records are kept in a Ledger in the RN
