Sharpness, The Training Ship Vindicatrix c.1960
Photo ref: S502018
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Photo ref: S502018
Photo of Sharpness, The Training Ship Vindicatrix c.1960

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This ship was berthed at Sharpness between 1939 and 1967. During that time more than 70,000 boys aged between 14 and 17 were trained on her prior to entering the Merchant Navy. Note the size of the twin anchors hanging from the bow. The lighters in the foreground were used to carry freight from Sharpness port to Gloucester.

An extract from Canals and Waterways.

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Canals and Waterways

Peaceful and thought-provoking scenes of life down by the water.

Canals and Waterways

Canals and Waterways

The photo 'Sharpness, the Training Ship Vindicatrix c1960' appears in this book.

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Memories of Sharpness, the Training Ship Vindicatrix c1960

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. These memories are of Sharpness, The Training Ship Vindicatrix c.1960

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Always hungry and on pay days we signed for our money, then went to another table and gave it nearly all back.It took me 2 days to get their coming from the Isle Of Man, but it was worth it, making some great shipmates R553612. Alan Mckay. now living in Ellesmere Port Cheshire
i attended the school march/april 1964 and when i arrived they were looking for a bugler. we went half way down the cliff road to a cave in the side to audition.i had never played one before but had an ear for music and eventually got the job.it opened a few doors and made my stay at the vindi a lot better than most. i also remember with fondness my numerous visits to the mission where kate ...see more
I was at the vindi deck from November 55.a cold bleak place .always cold and hungry but the friendships made then were binding although I have not met any of them again.the memory is still there .and I would go through it all again.i.houghton R645315.
joined the vindi earlypart of 1947,with a friend from north shields named bob Watson. we were catering boys . after doing early part of training both of us posted to the offices dining saloon, a cushy job. the first few weeks we slept in the barrack huts,then down on the ship.one officer ha d a delight in delite in getting you out bed at 3am todo pt.mainly if it was raining. my first ship was ss cherryleaf an old rfa tanker I served for 23 years befor looking for pastures greener.more later.