Small Craft

Late 19th & Early 20th Century British Yachting

The Sailors: Amateur British & Irish Yachtsmen Before World War One


Ernest Hicks Oliver, 1873–??


Prior to the war, Oliver was a clerk on staff with Lloyd's Register of Shipping.

Oliver owned George Holmes' Eel by 1914 and described some of his adventures in her for The Yachting Monthly in The Wrigglings of the Eel.

With the advent of war Oliver quickly volunteered for the R.N.V.R. and is noted as having been promoted from Sub-Lieutenant to temporary Lieutenant in the London Gazette for 18 July 1916—at the same time Donald Maxwell received a similar promotion.

R.N.V.R.
To be tempy. Lieut.-
Tempy. Sub-Lieut. Digby E. Easton. 17th July 1916.

The undermentioned tempy. Sub-Lieuts. to be tempy. Lieuts.:-
Ernest H. Oliver. 6th Apr. 1916.
Thomas Sinclair. 17th June 1916.
Donald Maxwell. 24th June 1916.
William Robinson. 26th June 1916.
To be tempy. Sub-Lieut.-
Ernest T. Hall. 17th July 1916.

After the war, Oliver went back to Lloyd's, eventually becoming editor of Lloyd's Register of Yachts which position he held until 1936.

Known Boats:

  • Eel