Figure 1.--This naval training school picture was taken about 1935. The boys wear uniorms looking rather like the Royal Navy. I'm not sure exactly wht is happening, perhaps this is a new boy at school.
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Figure 1.--This naval training school picture was taken about 1935. The boys wear uniorms looking rather like the Royal Navy. I'm not sure exactly wht is happening, perhaps this is a new boy at school. |
At the turn of the 20th century the Royal Navy had about 60,000 men. Unlike the Army there was no need for an extensive training program. The Navy did not have recruiting officers like the Army. In fact the Navy had 10 volunteers for every position available on its training ships. Naval training ships are a topic that we do not yet fully understand. We have seen several ships referred to as royal navy training ships over time. Here we will list ships both chrologically and by ship name. As far as we know, the Royal Navy trained boys aboard active duty ships until 1855 when the first naval training ship was commissioned.Some naval schools for younger lads, particularly reform schools, were based in old hulks, tied up in port that were referred to as naval training ships. The Royal Navy had training ships preparing boys for both the Navy a Marchant Navy. There were quite a few other ships dotted along the coast of the Britsih Isles run by Asylums and other organizations. They took in delinquent youth and transforming the boys into dependable recruits for the Royal and Merchant navies.
At the turn of the 20th century the Royal Navy had about 60,000 men. Unlike the Army there was no need for an extensive training program. The Navy did not have recruiting officers like the Army. In fact the Navy had 10 volunteers for every position available on its training ships. One source reports, "So great is the number of would-be sailors that of every ten boys who leave the shore in watermen's boats to be examined by the officers of the training-ships, nine are returned to their parents. The medical examination is of a most stringent character. A weak chest, a swollen joint, missing teeth, or any slight irregularity is sufficent to condemn a boy in the eyes of the examining surgeon. .... Moreover, not only have the boys to show their physical fitness for sea-service, but they must satisry an examiner in reading, writing and arithmetic." [Hurd, p. 322.]
Some naval schools for younger lads, particularly reform schools, were based in old hulks, tied up in port that were refrred to as naval training ships. HBC is not precisely sure while these old hulks were used. We assume that they were ships that were no longer sea worthy and had no value other than scrap. They were as a result, available at little or no cost. Thus these vessels were available at a fraction of the cost of actually building a school. They added the benefit because they were ships of offering the boys hands on experience with some of the equipment they would operate when they went to sea. HBC hopes to persue the topic of training ships in Britain.
We have seen several ships referred to as royal navy training ships over time. Here we will list ships both chrologically and by ship name. As far as we know, the Royal Navy trained boys aboard active duty ships until 1855 when the first naval training ship was commissioned. A 1896 reports lists active trainong ships. The Impregnable and Lion were at Devonport. The Boscawen was located at Portland. The St. Vincent was located at Portsmouth. The Caledonia was located at Queensferry. Listing the Royal Navy training ships is a little complicated. For one thing the Navy replaced many of the ships, but kept the old names. Another complication is that all sorts of other agencies set up training programs as a way of dealing with orphans and delinquents. I am not entirely sure of the relationship with the Royal Navy. The objective was to prepare the boys to enter either the Royal Navy or the Merchant Marine. We will archieve any information we can find here.
A HBC reader tells us that the Royal Navy establishments were less spartan and generally shore-based. This was certainly the case by the 20th century. The Royal Navy did, however, use these ships as training facilities in the 19th century. HBC notes Prince Albert complaining to naval authorities about them. The Royal Navy did not remedy this situation until the Osbourne Naval Training School was opened at Victoria and Albert's family retreat in 19?? and later the Dartmouth Naval College.
The training ships continued to be used for orphanages and reformatories into the 20th century.
A British reader tells us that some of these training ship were used for orphanages. We assume this began in the 19th century, although we have few details at his time. One example is the Arethusa home in Kent.
Other training ships were used as reformatories. We are unsure as to when this first began.
The purpose of the Royal Navy schools was obviously to prepare officers. The orphanage and reformaories situated on these old hulks turned into training ships was to take orphans with few other prospects and delinquents who were off to a bad start and transform the boys into dependable recruits for the Royal and Merchant navies equipped with many of the basic skills hey would require in their new profession.
We are not sure at this time of the ages of the boys on the Royal Navy training ships.
Hurd, Archibald S. "How blue-jackets are trained," The Winsor Magazine (1896).
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