National Sea Training School Gravesend - NSTS - Peanut Poems

[@alanbaker2694]

Spot on. I was there Feb to May 75 and loved my time there.

[@ajlmirrormist]

Loved it too...great days indeed

[@SpireUtd]

Brilliant! Brings it all back perfectly! Refused my uniform as I wanted to get back to building sites & football hooliganism... a phone call to my dad made me stay & I fairly had affection for the place upon leaving. Had a Fantastic time at sea. Thanks Dad.

[@ajlmirrormist]

I recall waiting for weeks for passengers to arrive on my first trip and with plenty of time to be bored I wanted to be with my mates...rang dad and he said "You'll be fine once you set sail"...and like your dad he was right.

[@cafeatltd2214]

My Grandad Albie Trenholme served on the Oronsay - It was the pictures he showed me especially the post card that inspired me to joint the MN - however short lived due to a health problem I wouldnt have changed it for the world Thank you

[@ajlmirrormist]

Well done Grandad Albie for inspiring your grandson... Oronsay was a beautiful lady.

[@roywoletny5292]

I was there 1969, went on to RFA,s

[@ajlmirrormist]

Well done! 1969 was a good year... the first time I sailed around the world.

[@geoffmurby]

@@ajlmirrormist i was there in 69 joined the day of the moon landings or not

[@neilturner6865]

I’m chief cook on RFA been there since the 90s

[@arnoldsachnuseum8501]

I was there from Oct-Dec 1973..10 happy weeks..

[@ajlmirrormist]

Those were the days my friend :)

[@niuniu778]

I went there in November '77. I honestly can't really recall too many happy memories. The chilling winds sweeping off the Thames, always feeling hungry, and the dorm' raids at night (which, in fairness, were fun!). The Flying Angel Club was a welcome respite. Quite a few didn't return after the Christmas break (I was tempted not to return), but I'm glad I stuck it out.

[@ajlmirrormist]

Remember feeling hungry all the time too... I recall joining my ship and having to wait weeks for passengers... I was bored silly and felt the same as you about jacking it, thinking about what I'd be doing with my mates... Glad I stuck it out too... once sailing was under way, even being as sick as as dog in the Bay of Biscay didn't put me off :)

[@SpireUtd]

Aye, big culture shock on joining, but same here, had my Dad to thank for talking me in to staying. Liked the place on leaving the school. Forever miss my days at sea.

[@johnricardo9917]

I was there in 1970. Joined the SS Andes on my 17 birthday.

[@ajlmirrormist]

A great adventure...a birthday treat indeed!

[@PaulandKonomisGarden]

Very well done. well said, well written.. Your first impression was exactly the same as mine, a borstal and one which my brother actually ran away from, even before signing on! :) Andy Pandy jackets, never liked them.

[@ajlmirrormist]

Thanks....I took my Andy Pandy jacket to sea... my brother left the next day...I think he regrets it to this day. :)

[@SpireUtd]

I wouldn't mind an Andy Pandy now! I've odd fashion sense 😂 An ex-girlfriend snaffled my uniform jacket, but I still have the MN badges!

[@ajlmirrormist]

I think the Andy Pandy jacket was the only part of the uniform I took to sea.

[@neilturner6865]

Coming from Gravesend was weird going to the P/Nut factory😮 all my mates were ribbing me as they used to take the pee out of the lads in town. All my family worked on the River and at Sea so it was inevitable my life would be at sea or on the river. Sailing out of Tilbury on OCL & Blue Star was always special to me passing Gravesend outward and Homeward Bound. 46 years and still going to sea only a few trips left. But what a blast I’ve had sailing all over the world🎉🎉🎉👨‍🍳. Met some great lads & lassies and sailed on some fantastic ships. 😢 all gone now proud to be a merchant Seaman and glad I went to the P/NUT school 🫡🥴

[@ajlmirrormist]

Fantastic...Well Done!

[@keithfarren6201]

Went from vindi to gravesend sea school in 61 for a week , cocoa in the morning with sugar , it wasn’t that concrete building though, if recall it right it was an old building . The food compared to vindi was manna.

[@ajlmirrormist]

Yes that would have been the original Sea School at Gravesend back in 61... The new school was built in 66 and officially opened in 67 so was almost new when I was there in 68. You Vindi Boys had it a lot tougher by all accounts. Thanks for your comment.

[@poverf]

It must have been new when I was there in 1969

[@ajlmirrormist]

Almost... It was officially opened in May of !967 though there were some peanuts there before that date.

[@michaelmoran1964]

I was there in 1980,remember Level Level ,who told people serving at meal times not to give big portions to the Peanuts,he'd appear behind them and say Level Level ha ha,and mc Goran get out of my fxxxxx boat,usually pissed, also the Bosun mr Little who if he showed you a knot or splice he would end by saying there you go Bob's your uncle Fanny's your aunt ah happy days.

[@ajlmirrormist]

Great memories...happy days

[@bertiewooster3326]

Is still there or gone like most of the UK establishments!?

[@ajlmirrormist]

Yes the building is still there but greatly expanded upon with faux buildings used by the police for riot/public order training. opened in 1967 and closed in the 1990s as a Sea Training college.

[@SpireUtd]

My son was sent to a fire fighting course there. He did a 4 year course at Plymouth University. After 1yr sea time he got a job with P&O cruise ships. He soon found out the money & the good times lay with the Super Yachts. How times have changed!

[@ajlmirrormist]

Indeed!

[@jamestyrrell4632]

June August 1968.

[@ajlmirrormist]

A vintage year :) you left just before I started.

[@poverf]

I still have class photo

[@ajlmirrormist]

yep I have mine... a lot still searching for their class photos...

[@gdsuperstar5657]

X class sept to Dec 1980 .......

[@ajlmirrormist]

I believe there was an X class between September and December 1979 as well.

[@neilturner6865]

I was k class must’ve been there when I was great times dorm raids and the p/nut scrubbers.. still at sea chief cook with the RFA only a few trips left 👍👨‍🍳

[@Chris_W_Ingram]

I was about 10 years after you but thanks for writing this and putting it up you pretty much nailed the experience. The pictures/video were awesome too- not seen anything inside the NSTC since I left in 79. Thanks Peanut! (You ain't never going home.😀)

[@ajlmirrormist]

Thanks...if you are not already a member, there are a couple of facebook groups with lots of photos and chat... National Sea Training College (Gravesend) and Keeping Peanuts In The Picture NSTS. Regards

[@jimcarmichael1641]

Hi guys was at the national sea training college October till December 1984 done the deckhand course but doing water survival I ended up popping my shoulder then had to go back home came back after gettn fixd done my catering was Senior leading Hand remember havnn to make coffee every Mornn for Captain Hunter Brilliant Captain also Petty officer Rashbrook & Petty officer Titcome & Petty & the other officers Gr8t Gr8t times I do remember havnn to run 3miles under 27mins & The Flying Angel Club if only we could turn back time ide be back there in a shot ide love to go back & visit Ile never ever forget the fantastic Brilliant Awesome time I had there brings a 😢to my eyes when I think abt it also doing the nightly rounds with my leading hands were came across 4 lads using a weechi board plz excuse the spelling we took board of them reported it to Captain Hunter in the Mornn they got escorted of the grounds & reported to there shipping company I was with Ben Line Steamers of Lieth nite life was ok we used to go to the pub at w/ends near the train station the lads who didn't go home for the w/end & marking sure that we were back at the college in time or ure watch card got taken we always made it on time & gettn woke up in the Mornn with Wakey wakey Rise & Shine Uve had Ure Sleep So I Want mine Gr8t Gr8t times Ile never ever forget . 😊🙏👍

[@ajlmirrormist]

Great to hear your stories... it was almost new when I was there back in 68

[@jimcarmichael1641]

@@ajlmirrormist Awe honestly from my Heart I Truly loved every second of it I was with Ben Line Steamers of Lieth I was on the Ben mc doo plz excuse my spelling mistakes I was with Ben Line Steamers of Lieth for 2yrs until I woke up 1 Mornn I couldn't move I ended up gettn Rhumatoid Arthritis it was agony I had to get medically discharged from my Heart I was truly gutted it was 1 of the best times in my Life Ile never forget my time at the national sea training college Gravesend this day I've still got my number 1 jersey we all had to wear to dinner we all had to be smart in the Mornn wasn't to bad we had our number 2s for training Fantastic memorys Ile never ever forget nxt yr I was wanting to go back & visit I know it's a police training college now I don't know if ide be allowed to visit I would be good to see the place just once more as the Rhumatoid Arthritis has gott me but not givnn in to it .😊🙏👍