Talk:HMS Allegiance
Ranks aboard ship
Ships' ranks in the Royal Navy were a complex mix of commissioned officers, warrant officers, and the equally complicated ranks of petty officers and seamen, with various classes among the ranks. For our purposes, which is mostly understanding the basic social structure, I've simplified things somewhat -- a midshipmsn's status varied, for example, depending on whether he had "made post" or not -- but as officer cadets, I've listed them with the officers.
The following ranks had the privilege of dining in the wardroom, a situation that arises quite often in the books: the commissioned officers Captain, Lieutenants, the Captain and Lieutenant of Marines, and the following warrant officers: the ship's Master (or Sailing Master), the Purser, Surgeon, and Chaplain.
Other warrant officers who did not dine in the wardroom included: the Gunner, the Boatswain (or Bosun), the Carpenter, the Armourer, the Ropemaker, the Caulker, Sailmaker, the Cooper, and the Master at Arms.
Petty Officers: the Captain's Clerk, Yeoman of the Sheets, the Coxswain, the Sergeants of Marines, Quartermasters, Armourer's Mates, Gunner's Mates, Yeoman of the Powder Room, Boatswain's Mates, Caulker's Mates, and the Ship's Corporals (assistants to the Master at Arms), Captains of various parts of the ship (such as "Captain of the Foretop"), Quartermaster's Mates, Gunsmith, Quarter Gunners, Sailmaker's Mates, Carpenter's Crew, and the Cook.
Able Seamen: those designated "Able Seamen" plus the Coxswain's Mates, the Corporals of Marines, the Cooper's Mate, the Purser's Steward, the Yeoman of the Store Room, and the Cook's Mates.
Ordinary Seaman: those designated as "Ordinary Seamen" plus the Purser's Steward's Mate.
Landsmen: Landsmen and Marine Privates
Boys: Boys part of the ship's crew and boys with the Marines.
(Master's and Surgeon's Mates had a unique status and higher pay than other mates, but for our purposes, I've put them with the petty officers.)
(Source is mostly here: http://www.hmssurprise.org/Resources/ships_officers.html, with some information from various other resources on the Age of Sail.)
