The Marine Society

The Marine Society is a British

, must take the chief credit for founding the society which both contributed to the solution of that particular problem, and has continued for the next two and a half centuries to assist many thousands of young people in preparing for a career at sea.

In 2004, in a merger with the

was formed.

Formation

The Marine Society, the world's oldest public maritime charity, was an initiative of a group of London merchants and gentlemen, who first met at the King's Arms Tavern, Cornhill, London on 25 June 1756 to discuss a plan to supply two or three thousand seafarers for the navy.^{[citation needed]} Recruitment began immediately. Sponsors were sought and advertisements for volunteers appeared in newspapers and on the street:

"Notice is hereby given, that all stout lads and boys, who incline to go on board

His Majesty’s Ships

, with a view to learn the duty of a seaman, and are, upon examination, approved by the Marine Society, shall be handsomely clothed and provided with bedding, and their charges born down to the ports where His Majesty’s Ships lye, with all other proper encouragement."

Ten men were duly clothed and delivered to ships of the King's navy. In this small way began the work of the Marine Society. The main object of the charity when founded was sending unemployed or orphaned teenagers to sea as officers' servants. The Royal Navy was estimated to need about 4,500 boys as servants during wartime. Approximately a thousand were 'young gentlemen' intending to be officers, and many of the remainder were supplied by the Society. As the boys were for the most part from non-seafaring families the Society probably provided a real increase of several thousand to the pool of naval recruitment. The Society also provided over ten thousand naval recruits with free clothing, which helped reduce the typhus problem.^[1]

Incorporated by Act of Parliament

The scheme really took off. By 1763, the Society had recruited over 10,000 men and boys; in 1772, such was its perceived importance in the life of the nation, it was incorporated in an

]

Hostilities cease, Education starts

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But the end of hostilities meant that naval recruitment was no longer the nation's first priority, although

Admiral Boscawen

was later to write: "No scheme for manning the navy, within my knowledge, has ever had the success as the Marine Society’s."

Hanway now formulated plans for transferring boys to the

and Merchant navies.

Early reports from commanding officers had indicated that the number of desertions might be reduced if boys equipped by the Society were given a period of training before being sent to sea.

Initially the Society hired a

.

This example was followed in the nineteenth century by many other organisations in ports round the

as the third Warspite. However the outbreak of the Second World War forced the Society to evacuate the ship owing to the probability of air attack.

From 1756 to 1940 the Society recruited over 110,000 men and boys for the Royal Navy, the

British East India Company

and Merchant service. Records show that from 1756 to 1815 the charity provided some twelve percent of naval manpower, all the more valuable to the nation since each one was a volunteer.

In February 1945 the vice-president of the Society, Frederick Mead, retired from the chairmanship of the Society, following 51 years as a committee member. Mead was 97 years old.^[2]

After the Second World War

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After the

. In this way the Marine Society pioneered what was subsequently accepted as standard practice for the entry of officers into the Merchant Navy.

Between 1940 and 1987, as the society's reserves increased, it was not only able to help individual seafarers but also to make grants to many maritime charities. In 1981 it provided the base funds for the Marine Adventure Sailing Trust, a limited life investment trust fund, which enabled it to make further substantial grants to the

, Ocean Youth Club and other maritime youth charities.

In 1976 the society amalgamated with various other maritime charities with similar aims, including the

For the past 30 years, the principal objectives of the Marine Society have been to facilitate and to provide practical and financial support for the education, training and well-being of all professional seafarers and to encourage young people to embark on maritime careers.

Marine Society & Sea Cadets

For many years the Marine Society has had strong ties with the

.

Within the MSSC organisation, the Marine Society continues as a charity involved in lifelong learning for maritime professionals.

Notes

External links

• The Marine Society
• Sea Cadets
• The Marine Society Online Shop
• Maths@Sea E-Learning
• Twitter
• Facebook