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The Reformatory Ship "Cornwall"

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Irene

Irene Report 13 May 2008 22:04

I think I have found an ancestor, John Wilson born London 1854 in the 1871 census at West Thurrock, Essex. He is listed with lots of other young men under a list - boys under detention on the reformatory ship "Cornwall" - his father is a mariner. The staff all seem to be seaman. Does anyone know anything about the "Cornwall" please. I wonder if it is a training ship. Regards Irene

Sue in Somerset

Sue in Somerset Report 13 May 2008 22:17

I think these sort of ships were.

I have come across someone in my unofficial One Name Study who was on a similar ship as a teenager (sort of detention centre for naughty boys but with training involved). That young man became a merchant seaman and was a WW2 hero as such.

Sue

Irene

Irene Report 13 May 2008 22:29

Thank you Sue - I have just googled and found out details about the ship - all very interesting. Thanks Irene

Sue in Somerset

Sue in Somerset Report 13 May 2008 23:01

If you haven't found this then it might interest you

CORNWALL at DENTON, GRAVESEND & GRAYS

Jun 1859 - 1940 (At Denton in Suffolk 1940 - 45)

Boys: 250

Maintained by The School Ship Society

Publications:

'T.S. "Cornwall"; Fifty Years of Reformatory
Work' by W. Millachip (copy in
Gray's Library)
'A Floating Borstal on the Thames ("Cornwall") by
Pat O'Driscoll ('Archive'
Magazine, issue 5)


Sue

Irene

Irene Report 13 May 2008 23:05

Thank you again Sue. Regards Irene

Michael

Michael Report 12 Dec 2012 11:52

My father who was born in 1904 admitted to being placed in a reformatory ship. He was from the Twickenham area so would possible been placed on the Cornwall arount the 1915 time. Does anyone know where I would go to concern or not if he was sent there


Mike

Andysmum

Andysmum Report 12 Dec 2012 12:29

Mike

This thread is nearly 5 years old. You will probably do better if you start a new thread of your own.

Also if you Google Reformatory Ship Records, there is quite a choice to look at. One suggestion, from Rootschat, is that you start at the other end with Criminal Records/local newspapers and find out his crime and punishment.