Time at Watts -- WATTS NAVAL SCHOOL

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Date Posted: 01:58:23 09/19/07 Wed
Author: Allan Parker
Subject: Time at Watts

I arrived at Watts Naval Training School late in the day on the 16th of January 1948. It was dark and first thing I experienced was the vast internal space called the quarterdeck. I was eleven years old and had already been in Barnardo’s for five years. With others I had travelled by train from Badgeworth Court Near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. By this time I had learnt to cope with life by being a quiet obedient boy.

My records show that I was transferred to Watts on the direction of Head Office. The moment I entered the front door my future was decided. The die was cast and I was poured into it. Any potential I had to be a scientist, priest, writer, businessman or politician was buried. This important turning point in my life passed unnoticed and unacknowledged. What followed was four years at Watts and Parkstone Sea Training School, ten years in the Royal Navy, one year in the Merchant Navy and sixteen years in the Royal New Zealand Navy.

My induction into a navy career had started. I was issued with my uniform, drafted to Tyrwhitt Division, allocated the number 222 and given a bed in a dormitory with windows overlooking the Wensum River valley. My cleaning station was Camperdown Corridor.

For me, a veteran of the homes, it was business as usual; I got up when I was told and went to bed when I was told. The dormitory housed about thirty boys, had no furniture and was used just for sleeping. We made our beds, swept and polished the floor and left until it was time to sleep again. Like most boys I kept my number one uniform folded under my mattress so the creases were maintained. After awhile I inherited a trouser press that did a better job than my mattress. Privacy was not a privilege we boys were given and I remember the only place I experienced a sense of being in my own private place was in bed in that dormitory with the lights out.

One vivid memory of the dormitory is boys scrambling over my bed, going out of the window and down the fire escape to raid the food store in the basement and then coming back the same way. I was too scared to join in and stayed put. I was particularly impressed with the horde of sweet biscuits they brought back. Sweet biscuits never appeared on our daily menu.

Beans in a bright green curry were dished up for dinner (lunch) on Mondays and deserve to be forgotten but I can never forget that meal. A food ritual unique to Watts occurred. at suppertime. We would smash our ration of hard tack and mix the debris in with the cocoa. I think we were trying to save our teeth.

During the evening meal there was a short period of darkness when the electrical generators were changed over. Half the meal had been transferred to the ceiling by the time the lights came on again. Boys sticking knives into the edge of the table and using them to propel food skywards with great acceleration achieved this remarkable transfer.

On Saturday I would buy a bottle of pop from the canteen with my pocket money, put a pin prick hole in the top and make it last for long time. A few of us would clean Captain Felton car on a Sunday afternoon and Mrs Felton would give us a slice of fruitcake as pay. I remember a Saturday afternoon in East Dereham when a few us together brought a loaf of bread and a small jar of jam. We broke open the bread, poured the jam in and shared it on the train back to County School Station.

There was also the occasion when suddenly the bugle sounded for us all to fall in. The rumour spread like wild fire that a special announcement was to be made. We all fell in not knowing whether world war III was to be announced or not. We were called to attention and Commander Freeman announced that “Each boy will receive one Mars Bar” That was it! Even today I still wonder what that was all about. Friends and family visiting from England often ask can we bring you anything? Yes I always reply “One genuine Mars bar please!

We were not completely isolated at Watts. I was in the Display Team and with the band we travelled to local towns to perform at fetes. Once we had finished our display the locals rewarded with sandwiches, cake, and jelly. I remember particularly well a good spread being laid on for us in the Corn hall at Fakenham

Every day we learnt how to do knots, read flags, send semaphore, box the compass, name the part of a boat, rig a breeches buoy, drill and do the sailors hornpipe. Never once did I board a ship either at Watts or Parkstone, I still have much of that information in my head and can produce it with great flow if requested after a few beers.

Staff I remember with affection include Sid Pointer, Bert Busby, Slogger Harrington, Captain Felton, Mr Frost, Mr Runcie and George Armour. George looked after the toilets behind the Fives court. Between them all they were the nearest I had to parent.

I remember the time a very good bugler left Watts. I think his name was Robbins. On his last night, as was the tradition, he played the last post standing on the bridge overlooking the quarterdeck. We all lay in bed listening. The acoustics were great in that vast open space and he played it perfectly. A moment I will never forget.

By the time entered the Royal Navy as a boy seaman I was like an old lag, completely unimpressed with good order and naval discipline, but tolerant of it with a world weariness well in advance of my age.

It was only after I left the RNZN as a Warrant Officer that I started exploring the full range of choices that life has to offer. It was a struggle, but I no longer snap to attention and call everyone sir and have since kept well clear of anything that looks like an institution.

I have found more about my family of origin and enjoy my freedom from the routine that dominated my early life.

My family life and home are important. My wife and I We have been married for over forty years, built our home thirty years ago and will not move. Family and friends come to stay every year, particularly in summer, and although they complain about the lack of Sky TV they still come back.

My time in the training schools was worthwhile. The values, experience and learning I gained have given me strength when facing tough challenges. This will continue.

Allan Parker No 222
Watts 1948/1949
Parkstone 1949/1951

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>I arrived at Watts Naval Training School late in the >day on the 16th of January 1948. It was dark and >first thing I experienced was the vast internal space >called the quarterdeck. I was eleven years old and >had already been in Barnardo’s for five years. With >others I had travelled by train from Badgeworth Court >Near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. By this time I >had learnt to cope with life by being a quiet obedient >boy. > >My records show that I was transferred to Watts on the >direction of Head Office. The moment I entered the >front door my future was decided. The die was cast >and I was poured into it. Any potential I had to be a >scientist, priest, writer, businessman or politician >was buried. This important turning point in my life >passed unnoticed and unacknowledged. What followed >was four years at Watts and Parkstone Sea Training >School, ten years in the Royal Navy, one year in the >Merchant Navy and sixteen years in the Royal New >Zealand Navy. > >My induction into a navy career had started. I was >issued with my uniform, drafted to Tyrwhitt Division, >allocated the number 222 and given a bed in a >dormitory with windows overlooking the Wensum River >valley. My cleaning station was Camperdown Corridor. > > >For me, a veteran of the homes, it was business as >usual; I got up when I was told and went to bed when I >was told. The dormitory housed about thirty boys, had >no furniture and was used just for sleeping. We made >our beds, swept and polished the floor and left until >it was time to sleep again. Like most boys I kept my >number one uniform folded under my mattress so the >creases were maintained. After awhile I inherited a >trouser press that did a better job than my mattress. >Privacy was not a privilege we boys were given and I >remember the only place I experienced a sense of being >in my own private place was in bed in that dormitory >with the lights out. > >One vivid memory of the dormitory is boys scrambling >over my bed, going out of the window and down the fire >escape to raid the food store in the basement and then >coming back the same way. I was too scared to join >in and stayed put. I was particularly impressed with >the horde of sweet biscuits they brought back. Sweet >biscuits never appeared on our daily menu. > >Beans in a bright green curry were dished up for >dinner (lunch) on Mondays and deserve to be forgotten >but I can never forget that meal. A food ritual >unique to Watts occurred. at suppertime. We would >smash our ration of hard tack and mix the debris in >with the cocoa. I think we were trying to save our >teeth. > >During the evening meal there was a short period of >darkness when the electrical generators were changed >over. Half the meal had been transferred to the >ceiling by the time the lights came on again. Boys >sticking knives into the edge of the table and using >them to propel food skywards with great acceleration >achieved this remarkable transfer. > >On Saturday I would buy a bottle of pop from the >canteen with my pocket money, put a pin prick hole in >the top and make it last for long time. A few of us >would clean Captain Felton car on a Sunday afternoon >and Mrs Felton would give us a slice of fruitcake as >pay. I remember a Saturday afternoon in East Dereham >when a few us together brought a loaf of bread and a >small jar of jam. We broke open the bread, poured the >jam in and shared it on the train back to County >School Station. > >There was also the occasion when suddenly the bugle >sounded for us all to fall in. The rumour spread like >wild fire that a special announcement was to be made. >We all fell in not knowing whether world war III was >to be announced or not. We were called to attention >and Commander Freeman announced that “Each boy will >receive one Mars Bar” That was it! Even today I >still wonder what that was all about. Friends and >family visiting from England often ask can we bring >you anything? Yes I always reply “One genuine Mars >bar please! > >We were not completely isolated at Watts. I was in >the Display Team and with the band we travelled to >local towns to perform at fetes. Once we had finished >our display the locals rewarded with sandwiches, cake, >and jelly. I remember particularly well a good spread >being laid on for us in the Corn hall at Fakenham > > >Every day we learnt how to do knots, read flags, send >semaphore, box the compass, name the part of a boat, >rig a breeches buoy, drill and do the sailors >hornpipe. Never once did I board a ship either at >Watts or Parkstone, I still have much of that >information in my head and can produce it with great >flow if requested after a few beers. > >Staff I remember with affection include Sid Pointer, >Bert Busby, Slogger Harrington, Captain Felton, Mr >Frost, Mr Runcie and George Armour. George looked >after the toilets behind the Fives court. Between >them all they were the nearest I had to parent. > >I remember the time a very good bugler left Watts. I >think his name was Robbins. On his last night, as was >the tradition, he played the last post standing on the >bridge overlooking the quarterdeck. We all lay in bed >listening. The acoustics were great in that vast >open space and he played it perfectly. A moment I >will never forget. > >By the time entered the Royal Navy as a boy seaman I >was like an old lag, completely unimpressed with good >order and naval discipline, but tolerant of it with a >world weariness well in advance of my age. > >It was only after I left the RNZN as a Warrant Officer >that I started exploring the full range of choices >that life has to offer. It was a struggle, but I no >longer snap to attention and call everyone sir and >have since kept well clear of anything that looks like >an institution. > >I have found more about my family of origin and enjoy >my freedom from the routine that dominated my early >life. > >My family life and home are important. My wife and I >We have been married for over forty years, built our >home thirty years ago and will not move. Family and >friends come to stay every year, particularly in >summer, and although they complain about the lack of >Sky TV they still come back. > >My time in the training schools was worthwhile. The >values, experience and learning I gained have given me >strength when facing tough challenges. This will >continue. > >Allan Parker No 222 >Watts 1948/1949 >Parkstone 1949/1951

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