Gravesend peanut

[rod kennedy]

Went there July 1976 we were called peanuts the was it because of the peanuts you got in the office each week 2pounds. what a wage?

[Keith Tindell]

Hi Rod,I was there in 58, no wages at all, in fact i had to deposit £6 in the ship to draw 10 bob a week for the duration of the course. I think we had to pay for our uniform as well, but i may be wrong on that. I dont ever recall being called peanuts. I do recall a pretty miserable place for 12 weeks. was Capt Mckellar still there then??. he was totally allcy and lived in the flat at the school, regards KT

[rod kennedy]

Can't remember name of Captain but remember McGowan Lifeboat Trainee Instructor. On his early morning watch calling trainee's at 6am through the P.A. hand's off cocks and on with socks was he wise all the best Rod Kennedy.GOOD OLD DAY'S

[alf corbyn]

i was there nov1947-jan1948. wages half acrown yes you bought your uniform(compulsary) £5.00 when you first arrived then deducted from your unemployment benefit
every week food was terrible until you got used to it.

[Keith Moody]

I was there in oct/nov. 1955 and never to my recolection ever heard the word "Peanut" expressed.
Capt Mckeller was there at that time and if i remember rightly his daughter was also living there. we were warned to stay away from her or else!!! we also paid for our uniforms I think they were eight pounds, then five pounds so that you had some money to buy stuff (mostly bags of crisps and chocolate bars) in their little shop.
called at 0530 every morning, into gym wear, a few warm up excercises on the parade ground then out of the front gate and around the prominade a few times, back into the yard a few more up and downs and off to clean up for breakfast. after breakfast clean up the cell, pump up the horse hair materess lay out everything for inspection, then down to the yard for roll call and after off to whichever classroom you were assigned to that day.
I guess i was one of the lucky ones as I and my intake only did 6 weeks due to a polio scare, at the same time a crowd from The Vindi came down to the big poppy day parade (Nov. 11th) in London, the great minds thought that our school shouldn`t do it because of the polio epidemic, couldn`t see the differance as they were staying at our school anyway.
at the other end of the prominade was a small track that led along the waters edge and eventualy ended up at a PUB, where we found out they would serve us, even though they knew we were in uniform, under 18 and from the school. some weekends we were given a rail pass to go home with, but you had to be back on board by 8am monday morning.
I too have the same picture taken in front of the mast and lifeboat area on the fore deck. never did meet anyone who attended the same time as me. but one of the visiting Vindi boys i got to know and later was to meet up with him again on the Ruahine where we became life long friend untill he passed on a couple of years ago.
keith moody
R635978

[happy daze john in oz]

Talk of paying for uniforms at Gravesend! I cannot recall for sure but do not think we had to pay for them at the Vindi in 1960, but obviously they had the same cook as we did there.

[Bob Dunkley]

I was there for the official opening of the school in early 67 the saying to get up then was wakey wakey rise and shine hands off cocks and put on socks we were the 1st trainees to enter the school and it was officially open just before our 12 weeks came to an end i cant remember the bloke who opened it but he was an mp of some sort

[Keith Tindell]

Hi Keith, That bought back some memories, the pub that would serve us, that info must have been passed down for some time. I remember shore leave till 10oclock?, and having to do door watch on the side. remember the Capt coming to the dorm . pi**ed and ranting and raving. Those dorms with the big open decks between floors, the only escape route across the roof, would never be allowed today, with modern fire regs, ah memories,even if some were not so good, regards KT

[alf corbyn]

just looking at the picture of the sea school that deepsea put on site. no wonder those 1967 plus lads were called peanuts. that pic looks just like a zoo.

[Bob Dunkley]

ha ha what a laugh we all had though didnt we alfie ??