![The Marine Society (6265716791) (2)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/The_Marine_Society_%286265716791%29_%282%29.jpg)
The Marine Society is a British
charity
Charity may refer to:
Giving
* Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons
* Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing
* Ch ...
, the world's first established for seafarers. In 1756, at the beginning of the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
against
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
,
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, and
Saxony
Saxony (german: Sachsen ; Upper Saxon: ''Saggsn''; hsb, Sakska), officially the Free State of Saxony (german: Freistaat Sachsen, links=no ; Upper Saxon: ''Freischdaad Saggsn''; hsb, Swobodny stat Sakska, links=no), is a landlocked state of ...
(and subsequently the
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...
,
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
and
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
) Britain urgently needed to recruit men for the navy.
Jonas Hanway
Jonas Hanway (12 August 1712 – 5 September 1786), was a British philanthropist and Explorer, traveller. He was the first male Londoner to carry an umbrella and was a noted opponent of tea drinking.
Life
Hanway was born in Portsmouth, on the s ...
(1712–1786), who had already made his mark as a traveller,
Russia Company
The Muscovy Company (also called the Russia Company or the Muscovy Trading Company russian: Московская компания, Moskovskaya kompaniya) was an English trading company chartered in 1555. It was the first major chartered joint s ...
merchant, writer and
philanthropist
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...
, must take the chief credit for founding the society which both contributed to the solution of that particular problem, and has continued for the next two and a half centuries to assist many thousands of young people in preparing for a career at sea.
In 2004, in a merger with the
Sea Cadet Association
The Sea Cadet Corps is a national youth charity, working with 15,000 young people between 10 and 18 years old across the UK. It has over 400 units across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Malta and Bermuda all run by 9,000 voluntee ...
, the
Marine Society & Sea Cadets
The Marine Society & Sea Cadets is seafarers' charity in the United Kingdom and the national organisation for sea cadets. It was formed in 2004 when the Sea Cadets and The Marine Society merged. It is a registered charity in England, Wales and Sc ...
was formed.
Formation
![King's Arms Tavern plaque London 1756](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/King%27s_Arms_Tavern_plaque_London_1756.jpg)
The Marine Society, the world's oldest public maritime charity, was an initiative of a group of London merchants and gentlemen, who first met at the King's Arms Tavern,
Cornhill, London
Cornhill (formerly also Cornhil) is a ward and street in the City of London, the historic nucleus and financial centre of modern London. The street runs between Bank Junction and Leadenhall Street.
The hill from which it takes its name is one ...
on 25 June 1756 to discuss a plan to supply two or three thousand seafarers for the navy. Recruitment began immediately. Sponsors were sought and advertisements for volunteers appeared in newspapers and on the street:
"''Notice is hereby given, that all stout lads and boys, who incline to go on board His Majesty’s Ships, with a view to learn the duty of a seaman, and are, upon examination, approved by the Marine Society, shall be handsomely clothed and provided with bedding, and their charges born down to the ports where His Majesty’s Ships lye, with all other proper encouragement.''"
Ten men were duly clothed and delivered to ships of the King's navy. In this small way began the work of the Marine Society. The main object of the charity when founded was sending unemployed or orphaned teenagers to sea as officers' servants. The Royal Navy was estimated to need about 4,500 boys as servants during wartime. Approximately a thousand were 'young gentlemen' intending to be officers, and many of the remainder were supplied by the Society. As the boys were for the most part from non-seafaring families the Society probably provided a real increase of several thousand to the pool of naval recruitment. The Society also provided over ten thousand naval recruits with free clothing, which helped reduce the
typhus
Typhus, also known as typhus fever, is a group of infectious diseases that include epidemic typhus, scrub typhus, and murine typhus. Common symptoms include fever, headache, and a rash. Typically these begin one to two weeks after exposure.
...
problem.
Incorporated by Act of Parliament
The scheme really took off. By 1763, the Society had recruited over 10,000 men and boys; in 1772, such was its perceived importance in the life of the nation, it was incorporated in an
Act of Parliament
Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...
.
Admiral Nelson
Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. His inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics brought abo ...
became a stalwart supporter and trustee of the charity, such that by the time of the
Battle of Trafalgar
The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement between the British Royal Navy and the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (180 ...
(1805) at least 15% of British manpower was being supplied, trained and equipped by the Marine Society. The relative professionalism of these men, the great British naval hero readily acknowledged, played a part in his victories.
Hostilities cease, Education starts
But the end of hostilities meant that naval recruitment was no longer the nation's first priority, although
Admiral Boscawen
Admiral of the Blue Edward Boscawen, PC (19 August 171110 January 1761) was a British admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament for the borough of Truro, Cornwall, England. He is known principally for his various naval commands duri ...
was later to write: "''No scheme for manning the navy, within my knowledge, has ever had the success as the Marine Society’s.''"
Hanway now formulated plans for transferring boys to the
merchant service on their discharge from naval ships and from then on, the Society was equally involved with both
Royal
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a cit ...
and Merchant navies.
Early reports from commanding officers had indicated that the number of desertions might be reduced if boys equipped by the Society were given a period of training before being sent to sea.
Initially the Society hired a
schoolmaster
The word schoolmaster, or simply master, refers to a male school teacher. This usage survives in British independent schools, both secondary and preparatory, and a few Indian boarding schools (such as The Doon School) that were modelled after B ...
and
bandmaster
A bandmaster is the leader and conductor of a band, usually a concert band, military band, brass band or a marching band.
British Armed Forces
In the British Army, bandmasters of the Royal Corps of Army Music now hold the rank of staff s ...
to teach some of the boys and in 1786 purchased a merchant ship the Beatty, which was converted to a training ship and renamed ''Marine Society''. The Society thus became the first organisation in the world to pioneer nautical training for boys in its special school ship which was moored in the
Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
between
Deptford
Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century to the late 19th it was home to Deptford Dock ...
and
Greenwich
Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross.
Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich ...
.
This example was followed in the nineteenth century by many other organisations in ports round the
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
. From 1799 until 1918
The Admiralty
The Admiralty was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy until 1964, historically under its titular head, the Lord High Admiral – one of the Great Officers of State. For much of it ...
provided a succession of training ships, the last two of which were renamed ''Warspite''; starting with
HMS Warspite (1807)
HMS ''Warspite'' was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched in 1807. She served in the Napoleonic Wars and was decommissioned in 1815. After conversion to a 76-gun ship in 1817 she circumnavigated the world, visiti ...
in 1846, and later
HMS Conqueror renamed in 1877. In 1922 the Society commissioned
HMS ''Hermione'' as the third ''Warspite''. However the outbreak of the second world war forced the Society to evacuate the ship owing to the probability of air attack.
From 1756 to 1940 the Society recruited over 110,000 men and boys for the Royal Navy, the
British East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
and Merchant service. Records show that from 1756 to 1815 the charity provided some twelve percent of naval manpower, all the more valuable to the nation since each one was a volunteer.
In February 1945 the vice-president of the Society,
Frederick Mead Frederick may refer to:
People
* Frederick (given name), the name
Nobility
Anhalt-Harzgerode
*Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670)
Austria
* Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198
* Frederick ...
, retired from the chairmanship of the Society, following 51 years as a committee member. Mead was 97 years old.
After the Second World War
After the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the society concluded that there were by then sufficient facilities for sea-training provided by national authorities. It continued to provide sea-kits for many young seafarers and, where necessary, offered grants for their education, but in the 1950s the Society began to insist that
cadets thus helped should have completed a good general education, obtaining a minimum of four
GCE passes at
O level
The O-Level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It was introduced in place of the School Certificate in 1951 as part of an educational reform alongside the more in-depth ...
. In this way the Marine Society pioneered what was subsequently accepted as standard practice for the entry of officers into the Merchant Navy.
Between 1940 and 1987, as the society's reserves increased, it was not only able to help individual seafarers but also to make grants to many maritime charities. In 1981 it provided the base funds for the Marine Adventure Sailing Trust, a limited life investment trust fund, which enabled it to make further substantial grants to the
Sea Cadet Corps
Sea cadets are members of a sea cadet corps, a formal uniformed youth organisation for young people with an interest in waterborne activities and or the national navy. The organisation may be sponsored in whole or in part by the navy or a naval s ...
,
TS Foudroyant, Ocean Youth Club and other maritime youth charities.
In 1976 the society amalgamated with various other maritime charities with similar aims, including the Incorporated Thames Nautical Training Trust (
Thames Nautical Training College
{{Use British English, date=October 2017
The Thames Nautical Training College, as it is now called, was, for over a hundred years, situated aboard ships named HMS ''Worcester''.
London shipowners, marine insurance underwriters and merchants ...
located four times on a ), the Seafarers Education Service,
the Sailors' Home and Red Ensign Club, the Merchant Navy Comforts Service Trust and the British Ship Adoption Society. The merger of the Seafarers Education Service with the Marine Society at this time was hugely significant and helped to ensure the continued relevance of both operations. The Service consisted of the Marine Society College of the Sea and Seafarers Libraries, and had been inaugurated in 1919 by
Albert Mansbridge
Albert Mansbridge, CH (10 January 1876, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England – 22 August 1952, Torquay, Devon) was an English educator who was one of the pioneers of adult education in Britain. He is best known for his part in co-founding the ...
who had earlier founded the
Workers Educational Association
The Workers' Educational Association (WEA), founded in 1903, is the UK's largest voluntary sector provider of adult education and one of Britain's biggest charities. The WEA is a democratic and voluntary adult education movement. It delivers lea ...
. Both the College of the Sea and Seafarers Libraries continue to flourish today.
For the past 30 years, the principal objectives of the Marine Society have been to facilitate and to provide practical and financial support for the education, training and well-being of all professional seafarers and to encourage young people to embark on maritime careers.
For many years the Marine Society has had strong ties with the Sea Cadet Corps, not only as benefactor and landlord to the Sea Cadet Association, but also by providing sea training opportunities for hundreds of sea cadets each year.
It was because of these ties plus the complementary objectives of the two charities and, more specifically, the mutual desire to introduce an element of Merchant Navy ethos to the Sea Cadet Corps, that the merger of the Sea Cadet Association with the Marine Society came about 30 November 2004. The new charity thereby created became known as The Marine Society & Sea Cadets.
As the UK's largest non-profit maritime organisation, the Marine Society & Sea Cadets (usually abbreviated to MSSC) is the holding brand for the two distinct organisations: the Marine Society, and the Sea Cadets. It is based in a
Victorian building close to the river
Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
and adjacent to
Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is situated in north Lambeth, London, on the south bank of the River Thames, south-east of the Palace of Westminster, which houses Parliament, on the opposite ...
in south
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
The Marine Society continues as a charity involved in lifelong learning for maritime professionals.
Notes
External links
The Marine SocietySea CadetsThe Marine Society Online ShopMaths@Sea E-LearningTwitterFacebook
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marine Society
Charities based in London
Organizations established in 1756
1756 establishments in Great Britain