British Military Army Schools: Duke of York's School (1801- )


Figure 1.--This drawing illustrates the uniforms worm bybthe Royal Military Asylum in the early 19th century. I'm not sure when it was drawn, but was clearly before the Asylum stopped admitting girls. Notice the rank on the girl's sleve. Presumably it was drawn in the 1810s or 20s.

The Duke of York's School was originally located in Chelsea, a London neighborhood. It was founded in 1801 as the Royal Military Asylum (RMA). The Asylum began operating August 1803. It was founded along the same lines as the Royal Hibernian Military School (RHMS) in Dublin. The RHMS was founded by a charitable group, but the British Army eventually assumed responsibility for the school. Like the RHMS. the Asylum was opened to assist the orphaned and often destitute children of soldiers who were being killed in the Naooleonic Wars. The first children taken in by the Asylum came from the private IOW organization that was operating on the Isle of Wight. (The site is now used for Parkhurst Prison.) It was operated by General George Hewett on a rented farm house (Noke or Noake Farm). General Hewett, a seargent, and nurse Bold brought 27 children to the Asylum. The Duke of York's School still operates. A. W. Cockerill has written extensively on military schools of the British Army and has provided extensive details on the Duke of York's School.

The Napoleonic Wars

The wars resulting from the French Revolution and then the Napoleonic Wars brought casualties on a huge scale never before experienced in Europe. Revolutionary France recruited huge citizen armies to defend itself. In turn, the monarchies attempting to destroy the Revolution also had to recruit large armies. As a result, Napoleon when he seized control of France had a massive army which could be used to persue his conquests. The resulting military campaigns were the largest to be foughtbin Europe until World War I. The Revolution began in 1789 and fighting between France and its neighbors commenced in 1793 as the Allies and emigres intervened to assist King Louis XVI. The result was a series of campigns involving various enemies of France. Fighting was intermitent but intens for over 20 years. The fighting did not finally end until Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo (1815).

British Military during the Napoleonic Wars

Until the Seven Years War, Britain had only a small army and there were very limited overseas postings. Even in the Revolutionary War, lacking a adequate standing army to move to America, King George hired Hessian mercinaries. The Napoleonic Wars required the greatest military effort in British history up to that time. Cockrill explains the impact on Britain, "The armed conflict between Britain and its allies with Revolutionary France (1793 to 1815), ending with the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815, was known as 'the Great War'. During the more than twenty years of almost continuous warfare, one million men and boys from the British Isles bore arms in the armed forces, the Army or Royal Navy. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the population of the British Isles was about 14 million. This meant that over seven per cent of the population had served in the conflict. By the time the war ended over 315,000 of those who took part had been killed." [Cockrill, DYRMA]

Military Families

War in Europe were creating substantial number of orphan children. This was more so in the European countries that fought large-scale pitched land battles than Britain, but still there were many orphans in Britain. With the loss of their husbands many wives could no longer support themselves, let along their children. The British Army at the time gave little support to military families. The officers came from aristocratic or affluent families and thus needed little support for their families. This was not the case of enlisted men. Until 1800 there was no way that a serviceman posted abroad could remit his pay to his family back in England. Cockerill explains the problems faced by many dependent military families, "When a regiment embarked for service overseas, six families per company only were allowed to accompany the battalion. Selection of the families permitted to travel was made by drawn lot. The families left behind were without support of any kind. They suffered misery and destitution." [Cockerill, RHMA] This was a relatively new problem for Britain and became increasingly severe as the British military expanded in the late 18th and earkly 19th centuries. Cockerill provides some additional details. Families left behind were dependent "... on regimental depots and the charity of the officers. Alternatively, destitute families of soldiers had to rely on the workhouse system, which meant that families first had to travel from the regimental depot to the parish in which the father had been born. This could mean a long and arduous journey for which the Commanding Officer of the regiment in question had to provide a signed pass of safe conduct through parishes along the way to avoid being charged with vagrancy." [Cockerill, DYMRA]

Duke of York (1763-1827)

Frederick, Duke of York, was the second son of King George III. Frederick appears to have been his father's favorite. He was also close to his older brother, the OPrince of Wales. He was made a duke (1784). The Duke persued a military career abnd lived fir ac time in Germany, observing both the Austrian and Prussian armies. He became a popular figure in England, in part because he fought a duel. He commanded British forces in the Netherlands beginning in 1793. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the British Army (1798) and served until forced to resign (1809). The Duke was not successful as a field commander, here of course the Duke of Wellingtom emerged as the great fiekd commander of the day. The Duke of York did, however, play an important role as an organizer and reformer. The Duke of York was forced to resign as a result of his connections to Mary Ann Clarke (1776-1852) who was accused of taking bribes from officers desiring advancement. A Parliamentary investigation followed and by a large margin the Duke was fond to not have been involved. His brither the Prince Regent appointed him to another command (1811). It is the reforms of the British Army for which the Duke of York is best known. At a time at which the officers including Wellington regarded their men with contempt, the Duke of York had a considerable affection for the enlistedman. He wanted to unlift the tone of the Army by improving discipline while reducing the brutalities of some officers. He wanted to improve the officer corps by ebnding bribery and favortism. His founding of the Duke of York's School showed his concern with the men of the British Army by caring for their children. Not all Britons shared this concern. A nursery rhyme lampooned him for his lack of military success--"The Grand old Duke of York, he had ten thousand men; he marched them to the top of the hill and march down again."

Location

The Duke of York's School was originally located in Chelsea. Today Chelsea is the location of a home for elderly Army pensioners

Foundation

The Duke of York's School was founded in 1801 as the Royal Military Asylum (RMA). The Royal Military Asylum was founded by royal charter. The Asylum began operating August 1803. It was founded along the same lines as the Royal Hibernian Military School (RHMS) in Dublin. The RHMS had been founded by a charitable group, but the British Army eventually assumed responsibility for the school. Like the RHMS. the Asylum was opened to assist the orphaned and often destitute children of elisted soldiers. The expanding number of men in the British military during the Napoleonic Wars created an increasing number of destitute children that need care. The Duke of York saw to it that the operation of the Asylum was funded by the Army.

The Children

The Royal Military Asylum (RMA) became a refuge for the children of the enlisted soldiers killed or posted abroad during the Napoleonic Wars. Cockerill describes the first group of children that arrived at the Asylum, "Its first intake came from a privately run orphanage for military children on the Isle of Wight – the present-day site of Parkhurst Prison – organised and managed by General George Hewett. Twenty-seven children from General Hewett’s orphanage made the four-day journey to their new home in Chelsea, escorted by General Hewett, a sergeant, and Nurse Bold who helped the General run the IOW orphanage in a rented farm house, which is believed to be a place known as Noke (or Noake Farm), which still exists." [Cockerill, DYMRA] The Asylum rapidly expanded to take in indigent children. The RMA was eventually expanded to care for 1,650 orphans, 1,000 boys and 550 girls. [Cockerill, July 3, 2004]

Governance

Cockerill explains that "To govern the new Asylum, the Commander-in-Chief formed a Board of Commissioners from among his most senior generals at the Horse Guards (10), officers who had been under his command when campaigning against the revolutionary army of France in the Low Countries." [Cockerill, DYMRA]

Education

England in the 18th and through much of the 19th century no public (state) system of education. There was no provision for educating working class children, let alone indigent children. Cockerill tells us that "... the Asylum provided the country with the first large scale system of education of working class children". [Cockerill, DYMRA] The RMA was thus an early experiment in the education of these children. (Another early experiment was Robert Owen's school at New Lanark. The RMA like the New Lanark School used the Lacasterian or monitorial system. Cockerill explains, "the monitorial system of education was used, first introduced by Joseph Lancaster (1778-1838), a Quaker. It involved one or more teachers who gave lessons to monitors who, in turn, taught up to 20 of their fellow students. The Asylum children were taught reading, writing and the four rules of arithmetic. Within a few years, Lancaster's system was replaced by the almost identical 'Madras' system developed by Dr. Andrew Bell, an Anglican minister at an orphanage in Madras, India. Bell so impressed the Duke of York that his system of monitorial instruction was introduced not only at the RMA but throughout all regimental schools of the British Army. It is, however, fairly certain that Dr. Bell and the RMA Commissioners being of the Established Church strongly influenced the outcome of the battle for dominance of the Madras System. [Cockerill, DYMRA]

Girls

the early operation of the RMA was notable for the fact that girls were cared for and educated, a very early experience with coeducation. The fact that it was the Army ebgaged in the process is especially interesting. There was a female staff to look after the girls. The girls like the girls at the RHMS were eventually denied entry during the 1850s. This was based on eronious reports provided by an elderly matron. [Cockerill, DYMRA] Interestingly this was about the time when Victorians began to take an increased interest in educating girls and began founding boarding schools for them along the same patterns as preparatory schhools and public schools for boys.

Health

There were serious outbreaks of infectous diseases at the RMA in its ealy years. Medical science had not yet developed the technology for dealing with bacterialm and viral diseases. The croded conditions meahnt that diseaes could quickly spread. The inovation of individual towels suggested by the Asylum's Surgeon McGregor, but he did not understand why. [Cockerill, DYMRA]

Apprenticeships

The RMA children received a primary education. The idea was to care for the children, not to prepare them for military service. There was no involved vocational training in civilian trades. Most of the children left the Asylum in their early teens, about 14 years of age. The Asylum arranged apprenticeships for the children. Thus the children were able to receive the training needed to persure a wide range of trades. These were indentured apprecticeships meaning that the children were bound by law to work for the master given responsibility for them. This often worked well for the children, but a great deal depended on the master to whom they had been entrusted. In addition, a serious problem developed with the cotton weavers. There was a scandal with the cotton weaver apprentices, both boys and girls, indentured to cotton weavers and journeymen in Lancashire during the 1820s and 30s. This was related to the pervasive abuses of workhouse and orphanage children who at the time were indentured to mills which in effect meant years of slave labor from which they emerged without skills. Cockerill tells us, "In 1829, the brutal beating of an apprentice cotton weaver and disappearance of another in the Village of Heyside, Nr. Oldham, Lancashire, led to an investigation of cotton weaver journeymen and their treatment of indentured apprentices obtained from the RMA." The Army Adjutant General Department in an ensuing investigation found that in the case of the RMA children there was evidence of physical aused and that the children were being indentured to journeymen who could not attract free labor or even workhouse apprentices. [Cockerill, DYMRA] The investigation at the DYRMA was part of a wider social problem. The Industrial Revolution which began in the mid-18th century had enormous consequences for the British working class. Journalists and authors like Charles Dickens was bringing the problen of child labor to the public's attention. Parliament in the mid-19th century had begun to inestigate the abuses envolved in the use of child labor in general and the work houses in particular.

Catholic Emancipation

Ireland was joined with Britain by the Act of Union (1801). This brought a substantial number of Catholics within the British state. One result, was a demand for Catholic emancipation. This was extremnely controversial. Prime-minister Wellington proimoted it along with Peel and Pitt. The Catholic Emancipsation Act was passed by Parliament (1829), but there was strong opposition from the Monarchy, the Army and the established Church of England. The struggle many British institutions. This included the RMA which had Catholic children. We do not have details on the religion of the children. Most would have been Church of England, but as there some Irish children at the Ayslum there must have been some Catholic children there.

Army Education

Many countries were ahead of the British in developing a free system of public (state) education. Prussia and other German states, American, and other countries developed public educations systems. Elemements in Britain resised, concerned about the cost and the social and economic consequences of educating the working class. The education of working class children at the Asylum was thus an innovaive approach in Britain at the time. Cockerill writes, "... the development of Army education, which was many years ahead of universal education in society at large. In the mid-1840s, to create a 'Normal School' for training sergeant schoolteachers, the Board of Commissioners transformed the Asylum into a 'Normal School' and , for training purposes, a 'Model School'. To accomplish this end, the student population was considerably reduced, civilian masters were hired, and students engaged to learn the trade of teaching, eventually to become schoolmaster sergeants. The introduction of civilians into the Institution's hierarchy led, inevitably, to a clash between the new civilian staff with the established military personnel, which was only to be expected." [Cockerill, DYMRA]


Figure 2.--Philip R. Morris painted this image of the Duke of York's Royal Military School. We are unsure as to just when this portrait was take, but would guess about 1880. Notice the boy in the sailor suit and how the adults are all wearing black. A.W. Cockerill who write about children in the British military tells us that this the school colour party. The school maintains its own regimental colours. New colours were presented in its bicentenary year, 2003. This painting is in the possession of the Duke of York's School

Name

The Royal Military Asylum was officially renamed The Duke of York's Royal Military School and 1892.

Move

The school moved from its original Chelsea location in 1909. The new facilities were on the Downs of Dover, Kent. The red military jackets, however, did not disappear from Chelsea. It is still the location of Army pensioners who wear the red jackets.

Military Careers

Britain until the Napoleonic Wars had a relatively small military. During the Napoleonic Wars a much larger military was needed. The Duke of York boys, growing up in a military environment were coveted recruits. The need to police the Emire throughout the 19th century meant that boys from the school were recruited for military service. The boys did not have to enlist as the school helped them find apprenciceships in trades in which they were interested. The boys from the military schools made an important contribution to the British Army. The British Army found the schools, however, to be a useful source of rescruits. The military environment of the school meant that boys recrited there fit easier into military life. The boys in fact made an important contribution to the British Army. Cockerill tells us, "It is estimated that of 10,000 boys who passed through the Royal Military Asylum between 1803 and 1892, about 700 achieved commissioned rank i.e. 7 per cent. The others formed thecore of the NCO ranks." [Cockerill, July 4, 2004.] Cocerill tells us, "From as early as the first quarter of the 19th century, boys enlisting in the Army were able to rise through the ranks to commissioned ranks. Suitable candidates attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and rose to high rank. The Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff (DCIGS) during WWII was an ex-Dukie, Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Nye. Numerous other Dukies rose to field rank in all branches of the British Army. " [Cockerill, July 3, 2003.]

World War II

Cockerill who was at the school in 1940 writes, "The Duke of York's was a seed bed for boy soldier recruits in those days. We were shovelled into the regular army as fast as they could churn us out." [Cockerill, July 3, 2004.] A portait of Cockerill and his brother at the school in 1940 is available showing the uniforms at the time. The school at the time still cared for primary-age children.

20th Century Curriculum

Cockerill, a student during World War II, writes, "Strictly speaking, the School provided us with an 'army curriculum of education' in my day: subjects as I recall were: English composition, English literature, mathematics (to calculus level), Euclidean and solid geometry, military history, map reading, French (or German). School was from 9 in the morning until 8 at night with trades training and sports during daylight hours. We earned military certificates of education: third, second, first and special certificates. It was totally different from any civilian system and went, probably, to first year university level, which qualified me for the SME. .... After the War the school changed, and confirmed, to the national education standards, encouraging university entrants from about the early 50s." Those entering the university stream did so in a narrow stream that increased over the years. Most students these days go on to centres of higher learning." [Cockerill, July 3, 2003.]

Current Status

The Duke of York's School still operates, but changed significantly after the War as Britainly greatly expanded it secondary education system. Its function is now to provide boarding secondary education for boys of 'other ranks' families. It provides a stable educational environment at low or no cost. When the British Army had units all over the world, primary education of the children 6-11, was provided in the country of posting. Seconday education might also be provided in the larger bases. Germany and Cyprus were two. For the rest the Duke of York's School at Dover provided a secondary boarding School tuition for service families stationed elsewhere. The school is now run along the ligns of an English public school, meaning a private boarding school. The age range has been extended to secondary-age children. It now operates as a public (private secondary) school. The function of the school has also changed. They now take children, both boys and girls, fom age 11 after they have finished primary school. The academic program prepares them for university entrance. The school is no longer designed just to care for the children of British servicemen who died or were transferred abroad. Rather the school offers educational opportunity for all children of service men who on military salaries could not afford education at a private school. Service families posted abroad were once the primary families chosing the Duke of York School. Overseas postings have decclined considerably for the British Army. The school is now selected by families wanting a quality boarding education for their children. Girls returned to the school in the late 1980s. The school again began accepting the daughters of soldiers for entry to the School. The school's policyis now to have a comparable number of boys and girls. The school also now has children from the families of both officers and enlisted personnel.

Uniforms

The children at the school wore military-styled uniforms. We do not have detailed information on the uniforms except as indicated by available drawings, paintings and photographs. The uniforms of the Royal Hiberian School and Duke of York's School were essentially the same. Here we see an early uniform in the 1820s-30s. The boys wore a red jacket with blue pants. I'm unsure how to describe the cap shown here. The girls wore red dresses with large white collars and aprons. Notice the rank chevrons on her sleve (figure 1). There were no longer girls at the school by the 1870s-80s, the approximate time the paintuing was done (figure 2). The boys wear black caps with red jackets and black or dark blue pants. We have detailed information on more recent times. The Duke of York's ceased wearing the red infantry-style suit in 1939 at the outbreak of war and wore khaki throughout the war years. Cockerill who was a boy at the school tells us during World War II reports, "... boys had five uniforms: two suits of infantry red jackets and blue trousers with red piping down the sides, two suits of khaki, short trousers and knee-high socks; and one outfit of blue shorts, shirts and knee-high socks for recreational activities." The uniforms were worn with campaign caps. A photograph shows Cockerill and his brother in khaki dress of the Duke of York's Royal Military School in 1940. These are Arthur (standing) and Fred (seated) Cockerill whose father served in the 48th Foot (The Northamptonshire Regiment). The year that photograph was taken was the year following the end of the red uniform era. Cockerill tells us "Following World War II, the school first adopted the khaki battle dress uniform with trouser-length bottoms and, later, a blue uniform with trousers as opposed to the khaki shorts of my day for what one would call ceremonial dress. Today, the school retains the blue ceremonial uniform with a blue beret in the French style with grey flannel trousers and blazer jackets for the boys for everyday wear and, for the girls, grey skirts and blue blazers." [Cockerill, July 3, 2003.]

Sources

Cockerill, A..W. "Duke of York's Royal Military Academy".

Cockerill, A.W. E-mail communication, July 2-4, 2004.

Cockerill, A.W. Information*Research*Publications.

Cockerill, A.W. Royal Hiberian Military School.





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Created: 5:54 PM 7/2/2004
Last updated: 10:14 PM 9/21/2011