Daily AncestorCabin boy
A cabin boy was a boy or young man who waited on a ship's officers and passengers and ran errands for the captain.
Cabin boys were usually 13 to 16 years old, sometimes as young as 8. Besides serving the officers they helped the cook, carried food to the forecastle where the ordinary seamen ate, climbed the rigging when sails had to be trimmed and sometimes stood watch or steered in good weather.
Several British admirals, including Horatio Nelson, began as cabin boys. In today's merchant navy the job is done by a steward's assistant.
As seen in a recordShip crew lists and the occupation column of the 1850 to 1880 census
Thos. Keeley, 14, Cabin boy
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Daily Ancestor. "Cabin boy." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/occupations/cabin-boy. Last checked 2026-10-12.