For other ships with the same name, see HMS Mercury.
The Training Ship Mercury, or TS Mercury, was a naval training establishment founded as a ship in 1885 and then a shore-based school at Hamble in Hampshire from 1892 until its closure in July 1968. Although one of over thirty pre-sea training schools founded during the Victorian period, it was the only privately owned establishment training boys for both the Royal and Merchant Navies.[1]
President (ex-Gannet) as the dormitory to Training Ship Mercury, moored in the River Hamble
The Training Ship Mercury was one of a number of similar, mostly static training ships located round the coasts of Britain and founded during the Victorian period to provide boy recruits for the Royal Navy and mercantile marine.[2] It was founded in 1885 as a charitable venture by Charles Arthur Richard Hoare, a partner in the banking firm of C. Hoare & Co, with the objective of rescuing poor boys of good character and training them for naval service.[3] Initially the facility was based at Binstead on the Isle of Wight where the boys lived in the barqueIllovo,[4] which was renamed Mercury.[1] Over the years the establishment was increasingly managed by Charles Hoare's mistress Beatrice Holme Sumner, with whom he was to have a son (Robin Hoare) and a daughter.[5] The entire establishment was moved from Binstead to Hamble near Southampton in 1892.[6]
In June 1898, Beatrice Holme-Sumner married C. B. Fry, the great England cricketer and all-round sportsman, and in 1908, after the death of Hoare, Fry became the Mercury's Captain-Superintendent.[7] In 1914, the former Royal Navy sloop HMS Gannet was loaned from the Admiralty for use mainly as a floating dormitory and the old Illovo was sold in 1916.[8][9] In 1950 C.B. Fry retired and handed over command of TS Mercury to Commander Matthew Bradby RN Rtd.[10]
Its last Captain Superintendent was Commander R. F. Hoyle RNR who took charge in 1960 and operated it for eight years before TS Mercury was closed in 1968.[11] The 45-acre (180,000 m2) shore establishment was later cleared for a housing development.[12] Memorials to TS Mercury and the 5,000 boys it trained for service at sea in both the Royal and Merchant Navies are located at Hamble Parish Church and near the former TS Mercury slipway. HMS Gannet was towed out of the Hamble River in 1970 and is now restored and preserved at the Chatham Historic Dockyard.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abc"A Brief History of TS Mercury". tsmercury.com. Training Ship Mercury - Mercury Old Boys. 2023. Retrieved March 9, 2023.
White, A. L., The Training Ship Mercury; A History, The T.S. Mercury Old Boys' Association, 2003 ISBN0-9548009-0-7
Morris, R., The Indomitable Beatie, Sutton Publishing, 2004, ISBN0-7509-3710-6
External linksedit
Mercury Old Boys website
January 01, 1970
mercury, other, ships, with, same, name, mercury, training, ship, mercury, naval, training, establishment, founded, ship, 1885, then, shore, based, school, hamble, hampshire, from, 1892, until, closure, july, 1968, although, over, thirty, training, schools, fo. For other ships with the same name see HMS Mercury The Training Ship Mercury or TS Mercury was a naval training establishment founded as a ship in 1885 and then a shore based school at Hamble in Hampshire from 1892 until its closure in July 1968 Although one of over thirty pre sea training schools founded during the Victorian period it was the only privately owned establishment training boys for both the Royal and Merchant Navies 1 President ex Gannet as the dormitory to Training Ship Mercury moored in the River Hamble Contents 1 History 2 References 3 Sources 4 External linksHistory editThe Training Ship Mercury was one of a number of similar mostly static training ships located round the coasts of Britain and founded during the Victorian period to provide boy recruits for the Royal Navy and mercantile marine 2 It was founded in 1885 as a charitable venture by Charles Arthur Richard Hoare a partner in the banking firm of C Hoare amp Co with the objective of rescuing poor boys of good character and training them for naval service 3 Initially the facility was based at Binstead on the Isle of Wight where the boys lived in the barque Illovo 4 which was renamed Mercury 1 Over the years the establishment was increasingly managed by Charles Hoare s mistress Beatrice Holme Sumner with whom he was to have a son Robin Hoare and a daughter 5 The entire establishment was moved from Binstead to Hamble near Southampton in 1892 6 In June 1898 Beatrice Holme Sumner married C B Fry the great England cricketer and all round sportsman and in 1908 after the death of Hoare Fry became the Mercury s Captain Superintendent 7 In 1914 the former Royal Navy sloop HMS Gannet was loaned from the Admiralty for use mainly as a floating dormitory and the old Illovo was sold in 1916 8 9 In 1950 C B Fry retired and handed over command of TS Mercury to Commander Matthew Bradby RN Rtd 10 Its last Captain Superintendent was Commander R F Hoyle RNR who took charge in 1960 and operated it for eight years before TS Mercury was closed in 1968 11 The 45 acre 180 000 m2 shore establishment was later cleared for a housing development 12 Memorials to TS Mercury and the 5 000 boys it trained for service at sea in both the Royal and Merchant Navies are located at Hamble Parish Church and near the former TS Mercury slipway HMS Gannet was towed out of the Hamble River in 1970 and is now restored and preserved at the Chatham Historic Dockyard 1 References edit a b c A Brief History of TS Mercury tsmercury com Training Ship Mercury Mercury Old Boys 2023 Retrieved March 9 2023 White p 3 Morris p 62 Morris p 61 Morris p 37 Morris p 77 Morris p 88 Morris p 106 TS Mercury Morris p 156 White p 31 Morris p 157Sources editWhite A L The Training Ship Mercury A History The T S Mercury Old Boys Association 2003 ISBN 0 9548009 0 7 Morris R The Indomitable Beatie Sutton Publishing 2004 ISBN 0 7509 3710 6External links editMercury Old Boys website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title TS Mercury amp oldid 1157163235, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
