Training Ship 'Goliath', Grays, Essex
From 1870-75, the Forest Gate School District operated a ship called the Goliath moored on the Thames. It provided boys from all London's Poor Law authorities with training to help equip them to enter the Royal or Merchant Navy. The scheme proved highly successful, but the ship was destroyed by fire on December 22nd,1875, with the loss of twenty-three lives.
Training Ship Goliath on Fire, 1875
© Peter Higginbotham
Amongst those who died in the fire was schoolmaster Richard Wheeler. Wheeler was a recent graduate of the Winchester Training College, now the University of Winchester, and a memorial plaque was put up at the college by his former fellow students.
Memorial plaque for Richard Wheeler. © Neil Fisher
In 1877, a replacement vessel, the Exmouth took over the role, now moored off Grays in Essex and managed by the Metropolitan Asylums Board.
Records
Note: many repositories impose a closure period of up to 100 years for records identifying individuals. Before travelling a long distance, always check that the records you want to consult will be available.
- The
Ancestry UK
website has two collections of London workhouse records (both name searchable):
- The Find My Past website has workhouse / poor law records for Westminster.
- London Metropolitan Archives, 40 Northampton Road, London EC1R OHB.
Bibliography
- Carridice, Phil Nautical Training Ships: An Illustrated History (2009, Amberley Press)
- Higginbotham, Peter Children's Homes: A History of Institutional Care for Britain's Young (2017, Pen & Sword)
Links
Except where indicated, this page () © Peter Higginbotham. Contents may not be reproduced without permission.
