Thank you so much.  I am learning so much.  After I sent my last message I happened upon the record of someone who I think fits the bill of 'photoman' in terms of joining and leaving has good conduct and is made a petty officer.  He also has the surname of Stevens which also fits.  unfortunately the record does not give any other details such as where he was born etc so it's going to be difficult to see if he 'belongs' to my tree.  I've not got someone of that name as yet but that's not to say that I won't at some point. 

....would that have been his rank from the outset ....

Unless he was an engineer, then no, he would have had to progress through the ratings -  Boy [if under 17 and  half] - then  Ordinary - Able - Leading rates and then Petty Officer.

Specialist engineers were known as Artificers [marine engineer / electrical / ordnance etc] were different, serving as Apprentice, then rose through 4th/3rd/2nd/1st class, but always wore Petty Officer style uniform, but with no rank or rate badges

As 'photoman' clearly has rate badges, then he isn't an artificer, so must have been through the ranks outlined above

Hello, it's me again.  If this gentleman was a petty officer, would that have been his rank from the outset (a bit like graduates today) or something he moved up to? Thanks

Oh no that's not the news I wanted to hear!  I'm glad I asked though.  Back to the drawing board.  I think possibly he is still related but not the man in the photo.  Thank you for your continuing assistance though.  I really appreciate it.

An interesting naval record, but he cannot be your man in the photo -
1 - You are misreading the text - he left the Navy in 1923 not 1933
2 - he was not a Petty Officer, only a Leading Rate
3 - the man in the Record would have had WW1 medals - photo man does not
4 - he only served for 9 years, so not entitled to the LS & GC medal which photo man does have

Hello again.  I have been doing some digging and have found a potential ancestor for the photo.  Attached is his naval record.  The 1921 census shows him as a leading telegraphist on HMS Centurion in Malta.  It looks like he bought his way out of the Navy in 1933 which time wise seems to fit with the age of the photo.  I wonder if this is a photo taken as he was leaving the navy perhaps.  I would welcome any comments on the record that may help my further research.  Thank you.

Hi there,
I'm new to this, so bare with me.  I'm comparing my grandfathers navy record to his payroll record.  There are a couple times where he was marked as "duty" on the payroll ledger.  What does that mean?  One of the times is during a period when he was presumed dead.  His ship sank and his mail was returned.  I have the message from Admiralty inquiring if he had died.  The Mediterranean c in c responded and said no he was at Afrikander, which I know was a shore base in South Africa.  But during this time frame of "missing". His payroll bounces around from campgrounds, shore bases and "duty".  It's during a time when we thought he was a POW, during the take over of Tobruk (1942). 
Would really like to know when payroll would use the term duty?  Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thank you.  I was thinking the photo was taken around 1933 or just after because a couple of the photos have my grandparents in and they married in 1933 and in one photo I think I can see my grandfather's wedding ring.  Come 1935 their first child was born and the photos tend to be child orientated after that.  If only people would write names on the back of their photos!

I know people joined the army for WWII, did they join the Royal Navy in the same way
Yes, people could wait to be 'called up' or could volunteer.

Just another thought on trying to fix this a little more – LS & GC medals were awarded for 15 years’ service, from the age of 17 and a half – so the earliest age it could be given is 32. 

Assuming that this is a pre-war photo, and because he has no WW1 medals, then this would suggest that the photo was taken between 1933 and 1939. 
Counting  back, this means that he would probably have been 17 [and a half] between 1918 and 1924.  Counting back from then, suggests a birth year between 1901 – 1907.

 

Thank you.  I know the right arm is out of view.  I thought it was a strange pose too.  Not exactly showing off his uniform and medal etc.  I had been searching from 1940 afterwards from the other information given to me, but my instinct was 1930s due to other photos taken in the same garden with other members of the family.  I will start trawling pre war  I know people joined the army for WWII, did they join the Royal Navy in the same way or was that a less conscripted service?  thank you for your help.  I'm hoping that if I can identify him then it unblocks clues to the other family photos.