Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 21

Thread: Early background History of Gravesend Sea School

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Essex
    Posts
    15
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    28
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    28

    Default Early background History of Gravesend Sea School

    Hi All,

    I am in the process of compiling a book based on my fathers time in the Merchant Navy between 1946 to 1955. As part of my research I have published some background history about Gravesend Sea School on my website, which I hope you will find of interest.

    http://championfh.net/genealogy/cham...ool%20V1.0.pdf

    Chris
    www.championfh.net

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    1,313
    Thanks (Given)
    663
    Thanks (Received)
    766
    Likes (Given)
    2058
    Likes (Received)
    2109

    Default Re: Early background History of Gravesend Sea School

    Hi Chris, Thanks for that, lots of memories.

    Was there from 28-12-1949 till 10-2-1950.

    Fred. R525985.

  3. Likes Doc Vernon, N/A liked this post
  4. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Penybontfawr Powys
    Posts
    1,488
    Thanks (Given)
    811
    Thanks (Received)
    1393
    Likes (Given)
    2688
    Likes (Received)
    3965

    Default Re: Early background History of Gravesend Sea School

    Hello Chris,
    I was there from January to March 1957. I was 16 years of age and in the Catering Department. I always thought that the Training School was an ex H.M.Prison, it felt like it sometimes when I was there the accomodation certainly looked and felt like a prison cell. Its also nice to know how the name peanut came about. I wish you all the best with you book, when its published please say so on this site as I for one with buy a copy. Its 57 years since I was there and memories tend to fade a little but the most memorable thing I remember was the toilets, oh my, They were situated outside in a long row no doors were fitted so you were open to the weather,there was no flush but instead there was running water like a stream and quite often someone at the top end would have made a paper boat and set light to it so it floated all the way down burnng everyones bottom on its travel Once again Good Luck with your book. I'm sure everyone on here will help with any information they have, myself included.

    John Albert Evans

  5. Thanks N/A thanked for this post
    Likes Doc Vernon, N/A liked this post
  6. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Sunbury Victoria Australia
    Posts
    24,991
    Thanks (Given)
    8300
    Thanks (Received)
    10126
    Likes (Given)
    106523
    Likes (Received)
    45653

    Default Re: Early background History of Gravesend Sea School

    Quote Originally Posted by John Albert Evans View Post
    Hello Chris,
    I was there from January to March 1957. I was 16 years of age and in the Catering Department. I always thought that the Training School was an ex H.M.Prison, it felt like it sometimes when I was there the accomodation certainly looked and felt like a prison cell. Its also nice to know how the name peanut came about. I wish you all the best with you book, when its published please say so on this site as I for one with buy a copy. Its 57 years since I was there and memories tend to fade a little but the most memorable thing I remember was the toilets, oh my, They were situated outside in a long row no doors were fitted so you were open to the weather,there was no flush but instead there was running water like a stream and quite often someone at the top end would have made a paper boat and set light to it so it floated all the way down burnng everyones bottom on its travel Once again Good Luck with your book. I'm sure everyone on here will help with any information they have, myself included.

    John Albert Evans
    Now mate I am getting a bit worried about you. Comparing the school to a prison, don't tell me that was from personal experience? LOL
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

  7. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Penybontfawr Powys
    Posts
    1,488
    Thanks (Given)
    811
    Thanks (Received)
    1393
    Likes (Given)
    2688
    Likes (Received)
    3965

    Default Re: Early background History of Gravesend Sea School

    LOL John,

    I've been inside lots and lots of H.M.Prisons but NOT as an inmate I hasten to add and must say they were more modern than The Gravesend Sea Training School that we are discussing about here.

    John

  8. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Sunbury Victoria Australia
    Posts
    24,991
    Thanks (Given)
    8300
    Thanks (Received)
    10126
    Likes (Given)
    106523
    Likes (Received)
    45653

    Default Re: Early background History of Gravesend Sea School

    Quote Originally Posted by John Albert Evans View Post
    LOL John,

    I've been inside lots and lots of H.M.Prisons but NOT as an inmate I hasten to add and must say they were more modern than The Gravesend Sea Training School that we are discussing about here.

    John
    Here in Oz most of the prisons are more like hotels, hardly doing hard time any more.
    Happy daze John in Oz.

    Life is too short to blend in.

    John Strange R737787
    World Traveller

  9. #7
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Wallasey, Merseyside
    Posts
    3
    Thanks (Given)
    0
    Thanks (Received)
    2
    Likes (Given)
    0
    Likes (Received)
    4

    Default Re: Early background History of Gravesend Sea School

    I was in gravesend sea training school in1963 at the tender age of 15yrs. under the watchful eyes of Mr Hoskins, what a bloke, it may sound daft but I really enjoyed my time at the sea training school. Talk about rough and ready I was brought up in the dingle in Liverpool, which was a sweet paradise compared to Gravesend, however it put me in good stead for life at sea away from home for months at a time. I only wish the young people of today could enjoy the same experience

  10. Likes N/A, John Albert Evans liked this post
  11. #8
    Keith at Tregenna's Avatar
    Keith at Tregenna Guest

    Default Re: Early background History of Gravesend Sea School

    Can only say in all honesty that the links work, heavy week, will look further in the morning. K.

  12. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Penybontfawr Powys
    Posts
    1,488
    Thanks (Given)
    811
    Thanks (Received)
    1393
    Likes (Given)
    2688
    Likes (Received)
    3965

    Default Re: Early background History of Gravesend Sea School

    Quote Originally Posted by John Albert Evans View Post
    Hello Chris,
    I was there from January to March 1957. I was 16 years of age and in the Catering Department. I always thought that the Training School was an ex H.M.Prison, it felt like it sometimes when I was there the accomodation certainly looked and felt like a prison cell. Its also nice to know how the name peanut came about. I wish you all the best with you book, when its published please say so on this site as I for one with buy a copy. Its 57 years since I was there and memories tend to fade a little but the most memorable thing I remember was the toilets, oh my, They were situated outside in a long row no doors were fitted so you were open to the weather,there was no flush but instead there was running water like a stream and quite often someone at the top end would have made a paper boat and set light to it so it floated all the way down burnng everyones bottom on its travel Once again Good Luck with your book. I'm sure everyone on here will help with any information they have, myself included.

    John Albert Evans
    Attached are two photographs in the intake I was with at Gravesend.

    gravesend 001.jpg....gravesend 001.jpg

    They were taken in February 1957. I have the names witten on the back on one of them but of course they are faded with age, but if you think they may be of any help to you or anyone else on site I'll try and decypher some of them. PLease let me know. The Instructor was a Mr Barton.

    John

  13. Thanks N/A thanked for this post
    Likes N/A liked this post
  14. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Seaforth L'Pool Merseyside
    Posts
    0
    Thanks (Given)
    635
    Thanks (Received)
    4648
    Likes (Given)
    8886
    Likes (Received)
    10743

    Default Re: Early background History of Gravesend Sea School

    As you know John i left there about 2 weeks before you arrived.You've got me confused now about the toilets,as far as i was aware they were all single pan jobs with their own flush.What I do remember was as you were on the bog no doors or nothing and you could touch the guy on the back having a wash in the wash basin.The new intake would'nt use the toilets to embarassed,it was three days before you got shore leave me and a couple of mates in my class as soon as we were let loose we went into town to the public toilets and blew our brains out.
    Regards.
    Jim.B.
    CLARITATE DEXTRA

  15. Likes John Albert Evans liked this post
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. National Sea Training school Gravesend 1974
    By Chris Luty in forum Sea Training Schools
    Replies: 55
    Last Post: 22nd January 2023, 01:58 PM
  2. Gravesend Sea School
    By Nevyn Wright in forum Sea Training Schools
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 8th February 2013, 11:09 AM
  3. My Gravesend Sea School History By David Foy
    By David John Foy in forum Sea Training Schools
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 25th September 2012, 10:32 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •