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.

Service Record

From

To

Norseman

2nd Officer

1/1867

5/1867

Norseman

Chief Officer

5/1867

9/1869

Syria

Chief Officer

9/1871

6/1872

Natal

Master

1872

1872

Norseman

Master

9/1872

1873

European

Master

7/1873

1875

Left company and joined Castle Line

Dublin Castle

Master

1875

1883

Drummond Castle

Master

1883

1889

Garth Castle

Master

1889

1891

Drummond Castle

Master

1891

1891

Retired

1891

Aged 52

Died

1894

Aged 54

Memory of Capt Jeffries

Capt J D Jeffries

RNR

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