From My Life at Sea by  Commander W Caius Crutchley

SS Natal 1872

Our skipper was named Jeffries, a curious compound, who did not make friends easily, but where he did, stuck to them.

I should like to tell many stories about him, but refrain.

His great hobby was whist, and he played a fair game, but his main fault was that he had little tact in dealing with awkward people, and this on one occasion, coupled with his having also a tactless chief officer, led to a lot of reckless young passengers throwing overboard a great portion of his cabin furniture, including various embroidered covers by which he set great store.

I personally got on well with him, and I adopted when my time came many hints that he gave me as to various duties that the officer of the watch should perform.

A plaque to Castle Line Commander JD Jeffries found in The Royal Alfred Seamans Society home in Surrey.

Probably taken from their previous home in Kent when they moved out.