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Boys from the Gravesend Sea School, Kent, dry their washing on a flag hoist
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Boys from the Gravesend Sea School, Kent, dry their washing on a flag hoist
Boys from the Gravesend Sea School, Kent, dry their washing on a flag hoist.
5 June 1937
TopFoto independent historic photographs and images all subjects and eras
Media ID 10980838
© John Topham / TopFoto.co.uk
Boys Cadet Cadets Lesson Mast Naval Teacher Training Washing Washing Line
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EDITORS COMMENTS
Boys from the Gravesend Sea School, Kent, dry their washing on a flag hoist, 5 June 1937. This evocative photograph captures a moment in the daily life of young cadets at the Gravesend Sea School in Kent, England, during the 1930s. The boys, dressed in their navy uniforms, are seen diligently drying their washing on a flag hoist attached to the mast of a ship. Their teacher, also in uniform, stands nearby, overseeing the lesson and ensuring that each cadet completes the task efficiently. The Gravesend Sea School was an important institution for the training of future seafarers in the British Merchant Navy during the interwar period. The boys in this photograph are likely to have been learning essential skills such as seamanship, navigation, and ship maintenance, as well as the importance of discipline and teamwork. The use of a flag hoist to dry washing was a practical solution to the limited space available on board a ship and would have been a common sight for those at sea. The photograph, taken by renowned British photographer John Topham, provides a fascinating glimpse into the past and offers a reminder of the rigorous training that young seafarers underwent to prepare for a career at sea during the twentieth century. The monochrome image, with its focus on the boys and their washing, creates a sense of timelessness and underlines the enduring appeal of the sea as a source of adventure and opportunity.
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