Question wrt joining age

[Spiegel]

Hi all,

question more for curiosity reasons than anything else. My great grandfather, Edwin Francis Tramp was born St Helier, Jersey 12 Jan 1863 and baptised 12 Jul 1863 also in St Helier. The baptsim record giving both dates can be seen on Ancestry. He joined the Navy (according to Navy records) on 19 Aug 1880 - first ship Impregnable. However, the Navy records a birth date of 12 Jan 1865, making him only 15 when he joined up. So my question is, would there be any reason for, or advantage to, giving a false date of birth?

Thanks,
Matt

[suemalings]

He was 16 on the 1881 census (That's the age stated) Is it possible that 5 is actually a 3?

[Jomot1]

According to Wikipedia for someone aged 15 to 17 joining as a Boy 2nd Class, his parents would have to sign a declaration that he would serve for a minimum period - usually 12 years.

There's something in the 'remarks' column about £5 Mich 80 (presumably Michaelmas 1880) and £2 10s Mich 81. Perhaps there was some sort of 'bonus' paid to/for Boy recruits? If so, and his parents needed the money.....

He became an Ordinary seaman on his supposed 18th birthday in 1883, so the Navy certainly believed he was born 1865.