Forest Gate School District

Forest Gate School District

Forest Gate School District was formed in 1868, and the following year purchased the Forest Gate School from Whitechapel Poor Law Union.

Naval Training was offered to Boys from the Metropolitan area from 1870 on board The Goliath which was moored on the Thames. Unfortunately, the ship was destroyed by fire in 1875 with the loss of 21 lives.

Report
xxvi Goliath Training Ship
A sufficient period has now elapsed since the establishment by the managers of the Forest Gate School District of the "Goliath" as a training ship for pauper boys to enable an authoritative judgment to be pronounced. The results of this experiment have been in all respects most satisfactory. Visiting committees of Guardians and other competent persons who have from time to time inspected the ship have recorded their favourable opinion.
A marked and most encouraging improvement has been effected in the physical development and in the bearing and general intelligence of the boys transferred to the ship from the Metropolitan Unions. The rapidity with which since their transfer to the ship, town-bred boys of stunted growth have increased in stature and in bulk has excited general remark.
In the Appendix pp. 237-244 will be found a correspondence which arose out of the Report of Mr. Tufnell, Inspector of Schools, which was published in our last Report.
We have recently assented to a proposal on the part of the managers to receive into the ship boys from Unions and Parishes not situated within the Metropolis.
We have also assented to the purchase by the managers of a small sailing tender, at cost not exceeding #500 which will convey all stores and water required for the training ship, hitherto the cause of very considerable expenditure for lighterage, and which will, it is anticipated, have a most benefical effect upon the boys in accustoming them to the sea and in developing habits of practical seamanship.
Source: 1ST report of the Local Government Board 1871-72
BPP. 1872 c. 516 Vol XXVIII pp. 001-584 (001-522) + I-lx
Transcribed by Alan Longbottom

Page updated 18 August 2007

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