Training Ship Cornwall

[JEB]

Having done some research based on family anecdotes, it appears that my grandfather's career in the Merchant and Royal Navy was the result of a spell "at His Majesty's pleasure" aboard the training ship Cornwall which was moored near Purfleet on the Thames. This was effectively a floating reform school, with boys being sent there by magistrates courts. She was built in 1815, becoming a training ship in the 1860s and (I was amazed to discover) was still on the Thames up to the time she was sunk during an air raid in 1940!

I'm naturally curious about exactly when he was aboard and why. Does anyone know whether any records survive of the boys that "did time" aboard the Cornwall?

Thanks,

John

[HERITAGE PLUS]

John

The first of these links covering another TS may give you some background.

The second shows Cornwall's Ensign.

Dave

http://www.pavitt4.fsnet.co.uk/training_ship_exmouth.htm

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb~bts.html#arethusa

[HERITAGE PLUS]

See also

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/beyond/fact...t7_print2a.html

[JEB]

Thanks for the links Dave. I'd seen a couple of them before, but the first one has an interesting photo of the Cornwall being towed down river in 1928.

I'm very interested in any background information, but I'm also hoping that there might be official records somewhere that would tell me what my grandfather did to get sentenced to time aboard the Cornwall and when.

Thanks again for your help.

John

[per ardua per mare per terram]

There is usually a note about misdemeanours and the sentence on the service register in ADM 188, because they affected the calculations for pensions and Long Service Good Conduct Medals.