Old-age maritime tradition revived as HMS Caroline in Belfast hosts three christenings

​An old Royal Navy tradition has been revived on a historic warship in Belfast with a triple christening.
By Rebecca Black, PA
Published 22nd Oct 2023, 15:32 BST
Updated 23rd Oct 2023, 07:35 BST
Paul Dickson with wife Lucy and children Finn and Jude, along with Reverend Desmond Hanna after Sunday's christeningPaul Dickson with wife Lucy and children Finn and Jude, along with Reverend Desmond Hanna after Sunday's christening
Paul Dickson with wife Lucy and children Finn and Jude, along with Reverend Desmond Hanna after Sunday's christening

The grandchildren of two veterans who served on HMS Caroline saw the youngest members of their families christened on board the vessel yesterday.

The ceremony, carried out by the Reverend Desmond Hanna, also saw the last use of the ship's bell, which is now set to be preserved for display as part of the visitor tour.

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Christenings on the ship have been a tradition since its arrival in Belfast in 1924.

Billy McConkey (left) and John Taylor at HMS Caroline as an age-old family maritime tradition was revived on Sunday when their grandchildren were christened together onboard the historic vessel. Pic: Declan Roughan/PressEyeBilly McConkey (left) and John Taylor at HMS Caroline as an age-old family maritime tradition was revived on Sunday when their grandchildren were christened together onboard the historic vessel. Pic: Declan Roughan/PressEye
Billy McConkey (left) and John Taylor at HMS Caroline as an age-old family maritime tradition was revived on Sunday when their grandchildren were christened together onboard the historic vessel. Pic: Declan Roughan/PressEye

The bell had previously been used as a baptismal font.

John Taylor, 73, from Ballymena, said it meant the world to him to see two of his grandchildren christened during a service in the ship's Drill Hall, as his children had been.

HMS Caroline was active during the First World War, deployed in the Battle of Jutland, and also played a key role in the Second World War as the Royal Navy's headquarters in Belfast Harbour, a key base for scores of warships which escorted the Atlantic convoys to protect them from U-boat attack.

The vessel went on to be utilised by the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve before she was officially decommissioned in 2011.

Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 22nd October 2023 Maritime Triple Christening onboard HMS, Caroline, Belfast’s First World War ship. Two local former seaman who served onboard HMS Caroline - Belfast’s iconic First World War battleship - revived an age-old family maritime tradition when their grandchildren were christened together onboard the historic vessel on Sunday 22nd October. Ballymena-based John Taylor served as an engineer onboard HMS Caroline for 29 years, while East Belfast’s Billy McConkey served on the ship for forty years. As John and Billy revived this naval custom onboard HMS Caroline, it was even more poignant as it was going to be the last christening ever using the vessel’s treasured ship’s bell. A highlight of the HMS Caroline collection now on display as part of the visitor tour, the bell is being brought out of retirement one last time specially for this unique occasion. HMS Caroline is woven into the fabric of Belfast’s maritime heritage and her remarkable history and legacy continue to live on through many of the local men and women who served onboard right up to 2011. It has been a longstanding tradition for serving navy men and women to christen their children on their ship. The same was true of HMS Caroline with generations of local people who served onboard having christened their new-borns there since her arrival in Belfast back in 1924. Photograph by Declan Roughan / Press EyePress Eye - Northern Ireland - 22nd October 2023 Maritime Triple Christening onboard HMS, Caroline, Belfast’s First World War ship. Two local former seaman who served onboard HMS Caroline - Belfast’s iconic First World War battleship - revived an age-old family maritime tradition when their grandchildren were christened together onboard the historic vessel on Sunday 22nd October. Ballymena-based John Taylor served as an engineer onboard HMS Caroline for 29 years, while East Belfast’s Billy McConkey served on the ship for forty years. As John and Billy revived this naval custom onboard HMS Caroline, it was even more poignant as it was going to be the last christening ever using the vessel’s treasured ship’s bell. A highlight of the HMS Caroline collection now on display as part of the visitor tour, the bell is being brought out of retirement one last time specially for this unique occasion. HMS Caroline is woven into the fabric of Belfast’s maritime heritage and her remarkable history and legacy continue to live on through many of the local men and women who served onboard right up to 2011. It has been a longstanding tradition for serving navy men and women to christen their children on their ship. The same was true of HMS Caroline with generations of local people who served onboard having christened their new-borns there since her arrival in Belfast back in 1924. Photograph by Declan Roughan / Press Eye
Press Eye - Northern Ireland - 22nd October 2023 Maritime Triple Christening onboard HMS, Caroline, Belfast’s First World War ship. Two local former seaman who served onboard HMS Caroline - Belfast’s iconic First World War battleship - revived an age-old family maritime tradition when their grandchildren were christened together onboard the historic vessel on Sunday 22nd October. Ballymena-based John Taylor served as an engineer onboard HMS Caroline for 29 years, while East Belfast’s Billy McConkey served on the ship for forty years. As John and Billy revived this naval custom onboard HMS Caroline, it was even more poignant as it was going to be the last christening ever using the vessel’s treasured ship’s bell. A highlight of the HMS Caroline collection now on display as part of the visitor tour, the bell is being brought out of retirement one last time specially for this unique occasion. HMS Caroline is woven into the fabric of Belfast’s maritime heritage and her remarkable history and legacy continue to live on through many of the local men and women who served onboard right up to 2011. It has been a longstanding tradition for serving navy men and women to christen their children on their ship. The same was true of HMS Caroline with generations of local people who served onboard having christened their new-borns there since her arrival in Belfast back in 1924. Photograph by Declan Roughan / Press Eye
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Following a campaign to conserve the ship, it was transformed into a museum based in Belfast's Titanic Quarter.

Mr Taylor served an engineer on board HMS Caroline for 29 years, joining in 1968 during the Cold War.

He met his wife on the ship and they later had their children christened on board.

“Basically I have two families – my family at home and my family on board Caroline. Caroline is part of me,” he said.

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Billy McConkey, 81, from east Belfast, served on the ship for 40 years, becoming chief petty officer.

He recounted first stepping on to the ship as a young man, adding that he did not imagine at that stage that he would see both his children and his grandchildren christened on it.

“It's been great. It's great to be a part of history on a ship with so much history,” he said.

Related topics:HMS CarolineBelfastRoyal NavyBallymena