The Reverend Charles Robert Gamsom, who took Holy Orders in 1871, joined the Royal Navy as a Chaplain in 1877, after acting as Curate of Beckingham, Lincolnshire and Pickhill, Yorkshire. Joining H.M.S. Orontes in time for service off South Africa, it is interesting to speculate about his role aboard her in 1879 when she was charged with bringing home the body of the Prince Imperial. Gamson went on to enjoy successive appointments aboard H.M. Ships Lord Warden, Superb and Ajax between 1881-88, and became the Vicar of Normanton-on-Trent on his retirement in the latter year.