Overview of the data

The sample years after 1815 saw significant changes in the relative importance of social and naval interest as they acted on the lives of young gentlemen. Most importantly among quarterdeck boys was the reversal in 1821 of the trends in gentry and peerage influence. As the importance of gentry connections sank, peerage interest doubled, bringing the two groups to a virtual equality in which each accounted for approximately a quarter of the traceable candidates. Naval connections remained virtually unchanged from the 1811 sample, and showed only a shallow rise between 1821 and 1831. Boys with connections in the ‘all other’ category (dominated here by professional, clerical, and army associations) also remained steady between 1811 and 1821, although 1831 saw a sharp increase, primarily due to a spike in the showing of boys with army connections. According to the data, this increase adversely affected both forms of social influence which showed a shallow decline in 1831, when peerage and gentry influence each represented only 16 per cent of the traceable sample.

When it came to junior officers the patterns differed widely. Naval influence began a significant rise in 1821 and by 1831 reached 40 per cent of the traceable sample, the highest showing within the scope of this survey. Perhaps even more important was the sharp rise in peerage influence in the post-war sample years. From 1811 to 1831 the presence of midshipmen and mates with connections to the titled aristocracy doubled, so that in the final year of this study noble sons accounted for nearly 20 per cent of the traceable sample.