Widow's man facts for kids

A widow's man was a clever idea used by the Royal Navy a long time ago, in the 1700s and early 1800s. It wasn't a real person, but a made-up sailor listed on a ship's records. The money and food meant for this "fake" sailor were actually given to the families of crew members who had died. This special system helped widows and their children get money and support after their husbands, who were sailors, passed away. It made sure these families weren't left with nothing.

How the System Worked

The number of widow's men on a ship depended on how big the ship was. A very large ship, called a first-rate ship, might have as many as eighteen widow's men. A smaller ship, like a sixth-rate, might only have three.

Changes Over Time

The rules for how many widow's men a ship could have changed. The Admiralty, which was in charge of the Royal Navy, reduced this number on October 25, 1790.

Why It Was Important

Having the widow's man system was a big reason why many men chose to join the Royal Navy instead of the Merchant Navy. Sailors knew that if something happened to them, their wives and families would still be looked after. This gave them peace of mind while they were at sea.

Learning from History

Sometimes, this old system can be a bit confusing for people studying history today. For example, the ship Discovery had 153 real sailors when it explored Puget Sound. But because of the widow's man, its official crew count was 154.

Old Ship Records

There's a story from 1738 about a ship called the Wolf. It supposedly removed its widow's man when the crew size was made smaller. It's hard for historians to know if this was a mistake or if they were trying to keep the crew numbers looking higher than they really were.