Vernon and Sobraon: Nautical Training Ships for Boys
On 13 May 1867, the newly converted vessel the Vernon was inaugurated as the first nautical industrial school ship in NSW. Under the Act for the Relief of Destitute Children 1866, young boys could be apprehended in the streets and charged with having no visible means of support. Once sentenced, they were removed from their families, sent to the industrial training school and placed under the legal guardianship of the captain of the vessel. There the boys learned skills in trade and could be apprenticed out until they reached the age of 18.
Join us for a webinar exploring the stories of the inmates of the nautical training ships the Vernon and the Sobraon. Learn about what happened to these young men and the records detailing their experience held in the NSW State Archives Collection.
Chapters
0:00 Introduction
00:40 Timeline
4:36 Reasons for Committal
6:40 Life on board
12:20 Apprenticeships
14:21 What records do we hold?
15:14 Entrance books
20:31 Correspondence & documents relating to committals
23:04 Placement book
25:36 Visitor book
27:23 Vernon School administrative file
28:23 Colonial Secretary letters
32:17 Photographs
32:57 Case study: George Donalds
35:40 Case study: Max Meyers
39:51 Case study: Bernard (Barney) Bede Kieran
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The ‘Sobraon’ industrial / training ship
On November 8, 1892, the 'Sobraon' took over from the 'Vernon' as the training ship for the Industrial School for Boys. it was three times larger than the previous ship and, by 1893, accommodated an average of 263 boys throughout the year
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