Osborne Royal Naval College - Isle of Wight
The Royal Naval College, Osborne, located in the grounds of
Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, served as the junior training establishment
for the training of naval cadets of the Military Branch of the Royal Navy from
1903 to 1921. Cadets spent two years under study there before transferring for
two years' further study at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. Under the
Selborne Scheme of officer education in the Royal Navy, it was decided to that
the first two years, or six terms, of training would take place at a location
other than the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, which at any rate would not be
ready until 1905.
Under the new scheme for the entry and the training
of naval officers, it was decided to establish another training college,
because one college would not be sufficient. Just before that decision His
Majesty had signified his intention, without knowing that it would at once be
put to such good use, of presenting Osborne House and grounds to the country.
It was always a matter of great difficulty to acquire eligible sites for any
kind of naval establishment, but here, thanks to His Majesty, they had a most
admirable site, in a situation second to none. There were also ready to hand
such things as a water supply, a drainage system, and so forth, which
ordinarily would have taken a long time to provide, and, in addition to the
land, a large block of buildings, hitherto used as stables, which at
comparatively little cost would become available for classrooms, offices, and
other necessary premises. A short distance away was the Medina, suitable for
boating purposes, and an excellent site had been found on the shore for an
engineering school in which the cadets would be taught that branch of their
profession. Cadets who entered under the present system, which would continue
for another two or three years, would still enter the old "Britannia" ship.
About the middle or end of next year it was hoped the new Britannia College
would be available for new entrants, who in the meantime would be provided for
at Osborne. Eventually the entrants would fill both the Britannia College and
Osborne, but at present the accommodation at Osborne would be necessary only to
meet requirements until the new Britannia College was ready. When that college
was full, which would be in about two years, they would have to come back to
Osborne, and the two establishments together would meet the entire wants of the
service.
It was hoped the buildings at Osborne would be ready for the
accommodation of cadets in or about August next. The buildings, which were not
to be of a high architectural character, would be in the nature of bungalows,
constructed of a sanitary, and durable, material called Euralite-no wood would
be used; the flooring would be of concrete with a paving; and the heating
arrangement would be by steam from a separate boiler house. A large gymnasium
and recreation hall were also being provided. The total number of cadets
provided 592 for in the two establishments would be between 700 and 800.
Changes in the naval service were very frequent, so that it was desirable to be
able to vary the accommodation as required, without having to alter existing
buildings to any great extent. This end would be secured by the system being
adopted at Osborne. The class-rooms, gymnasium, and so forth were separate, and
could be added to without difficulty when occasion arose. Each bungalow would
accommodate about thirty cadets, and about 200 would be provided for at
Osborne, that being the accommodation required pending the completion of
Britannia College. As to the £40,000 for the purchase of land, the
Admiralty had had compulsorily to take land at Deal for a rifle range, but
there was no really large item involved, the sum covering all the purchases
proposed for the year. |