Gravesend peanut

[bill roberts]

Hi all thinking about the seaschool and wonderd why we were called PEANUTS by the locals has any body who went there know why and how far back does it go ?

[alf corbyn]

hi bill. i was at GSS in 1948 and it wasn't heard of then . cheers. alf

[DeepSea]

I attended Gravesend in 1980 and the term peanut was still used. I was told it stemmed back many years when a peanut seller used to sell his wares and would walk along the sea school road shouting to advertise he was selling PEANUTS!!! and the name stuck.

[happy daze john in oz]

G'day Alf, a very goos friend of mine went to G.S.S. and if you knew him like I did then you would appreciate that the name Peanut was most appropriate. Thankfully I went to the upper class one, the Vindi.

[Bill Cameron]

I was there in '56 and never heard the term "Peanut", we were not allowed to fraternize with the locals at that time. We were not allowed to gather in groups of more than 3 or the locals would shop us to the authorities.

[bill roberts]

thanks for that mate good job he wasnt selling dodgey CIGS (being policty correct)

[happy daze john in oz]

Currently reading a book kindly loaned to me by beth, 'From Both Sides of the Periscope' by John Mears.
In the section, 'notes about the author' quote..'His training began on the Vindicatrix , the Gravesend sea traing ship which was located at Sharpness Gloustershire to avoid war time bombing in London'
I was always under the impression the Vindi did not become a training ship until after W.W.2 Any info on this one lads????

[jon dee]

Hi John , From MN Memories:
The Gravesend Sea School was established in 1918 shortly after the end of WW1 when an expanding Merchant Navy urgently needed trained seamen. It was housed in what was formerly a Seamen's Home originally built in 1886 and was to provide short-term but intensive training for youths between the ages of 16 and 17. It was established to accommodate 150 boys at any given time and the first recorded intake was on Thursday 19th September 1918. Additional training was provided on the ex-HMPS Triton; a beautiful little ex-naval craft moored off Gravesend. A concise history of the School can be found in the book "School for Seamen" written by Roy Derham MBE who trained for a seafaring career on the Vindicatrix. Copies are still available from jdmeadowcroft@tiscali.co.uk.

John is General Secretary of the Gravesend Sea School/College Association which was formed four years ago by popular request from former Instructors and Old Boys.When war with Germany seemed imminent in early 1939, the School was evacuated for safety reasons to the Vindicatrix, berthed at Sharpness for that purpose. Gravesend was too close for comfort to London's extensive docklands; a prime target for German bombers.

At the end of the war the School opened up again and the Vindicatrix was also kept open for training to replace the 30,000 seamen who lost their lives during WW2.In 1967 the old School ceased to function for training purposes and was replaced by a brand new building offering far superior facilities, but Old Boys still remember with pride and affection their training at the old establishment.Sadly the old building has suffered the fate of progress. and all that remains of its existence is a brass plaque on the wall surrounding flats that have taken its place.But the memories will live on for some time yet in the minds of former trainees.
Best regards.. jon in La-pool.

[happy daze john in oz]

G'day Jon, that answers the question for me, thanks for that.

[Ray McCerery]

I went to gravesend 1958. Never heard anyone called peanut for going to GSS