High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Young gentlemen is an archaic term that was used in the Royal Navy to refer to boys aspiring to become a commissioned officer. Until promotion to lieutenant, these boys would serve in various ratings, and the term was used to group all these boys together. A similar term today would be officer candidates or cadets. In the 18th century Royal Navy, rank and position on board ship was defined by a mix of two hierarchies, an official hierarchy of ranks and a conventionally-recognized social divide between gentlemen and non-gentlemen. Boys aspiring for a commission were often called 'young gentlemen' instead of their substantive rating to distinguish their higher social standing from the ordinary sailors. Boys would join the navy around the age of 12, and they would serve as a servant for one of the officers, as a volunteer, or as a seaman. After about 3 years, they would be promoted to midshipman.

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