Life of Delinquent Boys Aboard the Shaftsbury Training Ship

💡During the Victorian era, sending children to school was not compulsory, leading to many children living on the streets in poverty.

👮‍♂️To address truancy and delinquency, the Victorian authorities established truant schools and industrial schools for discipline and education.

⚓️The Shaftsbury training ship was one of the industrial schools where delinquent boys were sent for a regimented life and to learn seafaring skills.

🏋️‍♂️Life aboard the Shaftsbury involved intensive work, including scrubbing decks, handling rifles, and practicing drills and physical exercises.

🎉Despite the strict routine, the boys had opportunities for play, entertainment, and education, creating a more positive and productive environment.

Why didn't all children in the Victorian era attend school?

—During the Victorian era, it was not compulsory to send children to school, and many children lived on the streets in poverty or had terrible upbringings, preventing them from receiving a formal education.

What were truant schools and industrial schools?

—Truant schools and industrial schools were established by the Victorian authorities to address truancy and delinquency among children. Truant schools focused on getting children to attend school, while industrial schools aimed to instill discipline and provide education in a more structured environment.

What was the Shaftsbury training ship?

—The Shaftsbury training ship was one of the industrial schools where delinquent boys were sent. It provided a strict and regimented life, with a focus on teaching seafaring skills and instilling discipline.

What kind of work did the boys do aboard the Shaftsbury?

—The boys aboard the Shaftsbury were put to work in various activities, including scrubbing decks, cleaning, painting, handling rifles, and practicing drills and physical exercises. The work aimed to prepare them for a seafaring life.

Did the boys have any opportunities for play and entertainment?

—Yes, despite the strict routine, the boys had opportunities for play and entertainment. They engaged in sports like cricket and football, played games like ping pong, chess, and dominoes, and even participated in the school band. This balanced approach created a more positive and productive environment.

00:00During much of the Victorian era, sending children to school was not compulsory, resulting in many children living on the streets in poverty.

01:26To address truancy and delinquency, the authorities established truant schools and industrial schools for discipline and education.

01:43The Shaftsbury training ship was one such industrial school where delinquent boys were sent to learn seafaring skills.

02:09Life aboard the Shaftsbury involved intensive work, including scrubbing decks, handling rifles, and practicing drills and physical exercises.

07:26Despite the strict routine, the boys aboard the Shaftsbury had opportunities for play, entertainment, and education, creating a more positive and productive environment.