Posted by Laurence Monkhouse on August 24, 2007 at 11:48:52 from 82.27.22.154 user Laurence_.
In Reply to: Re: Swallows' Home posted by John Wilson on August 24, 2007 at 23:40:52:
Cammander Walker's ship was indeed stationed in Malta and afterwards the Far East.
But the families of the officers and sailors would not normally follow a warship to the port where she was stationed. They would live in the port where she was commissioned - in Britain.
Unless, of course, they had their own house somewhere else. There is no indication anywhere that the Walker family owned their own house, and SW makes it clear that they were going to live at Shotley, presumably in the Commander's official residence there.
It is, of course, possible that Commander Walker did own a house but nevertheless was obliged to live at Shotley while he was Commander there - as HMS Ganges (Shotley) was the Naval Training College for Ratings he as Executive Officer would have needed to be at hand at all times in case emergencies arose.