HMS Mars: an industrial school in the late 19th century

Abstract

This short reflection on the history of industrial schooling and residential care in Scotland focuses on the ship HMS Mars. Moored close to the city of Dundee, the ship was 'home' to thousands of poor, destitute and homeless boys in the late nineteenth century. Designed to fill a perceived need for white British sailors in the Merchant Marine, the ship was largely forgotten after it was scrapped in 1928. This article interrogates some of the ways that the boys on-board had been criminalised, and the imperial context of the training ship.

Keywords

• training ship
• residential care
• care experienced history
• industrial school