Gravesend peanut

:dhello bill good evening i attended gravesend catering 18/7/1977 to 21/10/1977 dont know where the name originated from but was certainly called one especially on intake day best regards aidan

Hi, I dont know if you received a full answer re the nickname "peanut". I was at Gravesend sea school in Jan - Mar 1965. We were only allowed to go out & congregate in threes and the local "yobs" new it. They used to call us that to try and wind us up. I dont know where it originated from but that is where I remember the name being used

Dave Heff:)

The term was about the new boys , never saw anyone selling peanuts anywhere near the school, But the locals would know who that person was? The way the boys were fed at that time any extra food ,would have sold well. We won the cake for the cleanest dorm 8 times in 12 weeks the{ leading hand} was from London . I was at sea{ non pool } 14 years old,before my days at sea school.:)

hi bill i went to nstg innov/dec 1980? and my knowage of the term peanuts was used to call someone that had just started training at the school peanuts=new

Had a look through some sites and came up with this .GSS 1918 - 1967 . NSTS 1967 - 2003.
WW11 years were at the Vindi. The Gravesend sea school was once an old seamans home. They had a
small vessel moored in the Thames called HMPS Triton . The National Sea Trainig School was the first time the
word peanuts was used. The is that the Mayors wife gave the first intake a packet each. The must have all
come from Hartlepool.The NSTS also had a small drifter moored in the Thames but can't find the name.I did
have the pleasure of steering it down the Thames to look at the wreck of the Montgomery in 68.How true the peatut story is i don't know.But some put it on file.;)

Don't forget those that feel they would like the sense of fun and adventure can join the ever popular Gravesnd Sea School Assn..
I went to Gravesend Oct -Nov 1956 I chose catering because the course was a bit shorter and My instuctor was Mr Trayner .I remember him as friendly person . I cannot ever remember being called a peanut or having any trouble in the town. Sometimes I have wished in the past that I had gone for deck training . I can remembero arrival all of us filling our paliasses with straw to make the bedding and the look of the wash rooms but certainly bring to mind having big cups of cocoa with supper last thing at night and having to rush down bustin' very early in the morning. I must have done reasonably well in the exams because the last week that the students were there they were allocated differnt tasks. Mine was as Captain Mckellars+ chief officers steward in their mess.and on inspection some dried sauce was found around the neck of a bottle I was told "unsatisfactory I can see boy you will be a galleyboy on a tanker" and guess what .. Regards ,Alan

HI bill i was ther in 1958 never heard that name i was in cattering and got cauled all sorts of things.never that. the reason we could not go and mix with the locles was to many fights . coming from IOW as i did it was an eye opener but we still managed to have some fun Roger R700724

Am I dreaming or did i read at some time of a ship in the South M. S....... specifical for the training of M.N. officer cadets?:eek:

my take on the term is as follows: When allowed out you had to wear your uniform. The jacket was known as a 'monkey jacket'/ 'pea jacket' or 'peacoat'. So the local yobs, to wind you up would ask you, "Would you like some peanuts"? On certain other occasions, the lasses would rephrase the question;). jd-Lp

Hi Noodles,

i attended sea school , Gravesend , i too was there between November 1980 , went home for christmas then back for three weeks & left on 23 january 1981.

how strange, both there at the same time :cool:

i also remember the term "peanut" , more so the first week as it was obvious you were new as the uniform still had the creases from being packaged,

one thing i remember about time there was being in the parade yard at 6am freezing wotsits off, tho some used to get their mates to lock them in their locker & hide, & hoping the mate would unlock the locker in time for brekky :eek::D

anyone remember the "seamans mission" approx 100yds away from the borstal ( i mean the school) :D.

happy days.

andy