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=                  Thames Nautical Training College                  =
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                             Introduction                             
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The Thames Nautical Training College, as it is now called, is a school
that trains officers for a seagoing career. It was, for over a hundred
years, situated aboard ships named HMS 'Worcester'. London shipowners,
marine insurance underwriters and merchants subscribed to its
founding. It was the London maritime interests' answer to HMS
'Conway', which had been established in 1859 on the River Mersey as a
training ship for Liverpool's burgeoning merchant fleet. Throughout
their history, 'Worcester' and 'Conway' were competitors, and the two
met regularly on playing fields and in boats in keen sporting rivalry.

The British Admiralty loaned the 50-gun, 1,500-ton frigate HMS
'Worcester' for the scheme, and in 1862 the Thames Marine Officer
Training School was opened. She was to find her eventual home off
Greenhithe, in the Thames, in 1871, after temporary berths at
Blackwall, Erith and Southend.  The college expanded, and the
Admiralty provided HMS 'Frederick William' (originally laid down as
'Royal Frederick'), a ship-of-the-line of 86 guns with screw
propulsion. She was renamed 'Worcester' and refitted in the Victoria
Docks before being brought to Greenhithe in 1876. About this time the
name of the school was changed to the Incorporated Thames Nautical
Training College, HMS 'Worcester' (ITNTC). By 1922 the college had
purchased the house and grounds of Ingress Abbey in Greenhithe to
provide shore facilities. In 1938, the clipper 'Cutty Sark' was
acquired by the college and berthed alongside 'Worcester' and during
the Second World War, some seamanship classes were held in her. In
1954 'Cutty Sark' left Greenhithe to be docked permanently at
Greenwich, where she is now a museum ship. With the onset of war in
1939, Worcester cadets moved to Foots Cray Place near Sidcup, and the
ship was handed back to the Admiralty. The third 'Worcester' (formerly
HMS 'Exmouth') arrived at Greenhithe in January 1946. She had
previously been used as an accommodation ship at Scapa Flow. The ship,
built in 1905, was the Royal Navy's first specially commissioned
training ship. In 1968 the ITNTC became part of the Merchant Navy
College at Greenhithe. 'Worcester' became redundant and was sold to be
broken up in Belgium in 1978.

Many 'Worcester' cadets, who automatically became cadets of the Royal
Naval Reserve during their time in the ship, entered the Royal Navy
and British merchant navy. On leaving 'Worcester' a number rose to the
highest ranks of their profession, including those who became
commodores of leading merchant fleets. In the period up to 1946, two
Victoria Crosses and one George Cross were awarded to former
'Worcester' cadets.

Notable among the college graduates of 1874 was Admiral Tōgō
Heihachirō , renowned as the victorious commander-in-chief at the
Battle of Tsushima in 1905 and later promoted to Admiral of the Fleet
of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Togo credited his victory to the
education he received at Thames Marine Officer Training School, and
donated his 1905 battle flag to HMS 'Worcester' when he attended the
coronation of George V in 1911.

In 1876 Queen Victoria confirmed her interest in the ship by
establishing the award of an annual Gold Medal to the cadet who, in
the opinion of his shipmates, was most likely to make the best
officer.


                               See also                               
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* School ship
* HMS 'Worcester' for other ships of the same name
* The Marine Society College of the Sea


                            External links                            
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* [http://www.hms-worcester.org.uk/ The Association of Old Worcesters]
*
[https://web.archive.org/web/20230810132129/https://www.greenhithe.org.uk/
Merchant Navy College, Greenhithe]
*
[https://web.archive.org/web/20160401024613/http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConNarrative.149/chapterId/3083/Training-ships-on-the-River-Thames.html
Training ships on the River Thames]


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