HMS Cumberland
In the same year HMS Cumberland was replaced by another vessel, a 3,318 ton wooden battleship named T e Empress. T e ship had originally been known as HMS Revenge and her previous roles had included Flagship of the Channel Fleet in 1863, Second Flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet in 1865, and Flagship at Queenstown in 1873, as well as coastguard duty at Pembroke and Devonport. T e replacement ship remained moored off Rhu and by 1901 she was licensed to have 400 boys on board. She continued the role of her predecessor as a Clyde Training Ship before being sold in 1923. During that time eff orts were made to change the image from a means of reforming young off enders to that of educating children of poor families.
Nevertheless it remained a hard life for the boys and from all accounts discipline was very strict. T ey also came from a generation when the majority of them were small in stature, having been poorly fed during their early life. Life on the ships, with better food and exercise, helped improve their general health. Little seems to be
known about what happened to them when they leſt the ship, but it is thought that over 60% joined the Merchant Navy and that some may have progressed to the Armed Forces during the war years. T e Royal Navy, however, did not favour natural progression of the trainees to their ranks in normal circumstances as their background was not considered to be suitable.
A Captain Deveran, who was in charge of both ships, lived on board T e Empress with his family although he also had a residence on the mainland. He was reputed to be well liked by the boys and he corresponded with many of them aſt er they leſt the ships. During his time on both ships there were no deaths apart from his own dog. When the offi cers in charge of T e Empress
APRIL 2014 Pipe Band Magazine 21
came ashore they lived with their families in a row of houses in Rhu village named Cumberland Terrace aſt er the original ship. Many of the boys on T e Empress came to Helensburgh frequently to collect provisions, including supplies of bread and rolls from local baker, Lauchlan
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