Y is for Yard Pay Books (Yellow Admirals, yardarm and Youth)
Y is for Yard Pay Books (Yellow Admirals, yardarm and Youth) Yard Pay Books for dockyard workers can be found in ADM 42. They cover the years 1660-1857. What's a Yellow Admiral you ask? Well, apparently the British Fleet used to be divided up into squadrons - red, white and blue with red being the most senior and blue the most junior. Bruno Pappalardo advises: in 1747 the Admiralty introduced a system whereby unsuitable and elderly captains were promoted to an 'unspecified squadron' popularly known as the 'yellow squadron'. These officers - commonly known as 'yellow admirals' - were entitled to the half pay of a rear amiral but did not have any prospects of future employment or promotion. (p.12) Oh look! Patrick O'Brian wrote a book called The Yellow Admiral. Well waddya know? Here's another picture of a Yellow Admiral. Yardarm...I'm sure at one time or another you've heard or said the phrase ...