A day in the life at the Parkstone Sea Training School

A day in the life of PSTS

Woken by bugle at 06:00Hrs
Wash, dress and make beds
Set to on allocated work schedule
Dormitory schedule, back yard, play room, hall.
Move all beds and lockers from one side to centre
Sweep floor, Ronuk floor by hand, 3 x Swabs in line, blanket pad on each knee and one pad for both hands knees moved back slightly one at a time, whilst hands moved left and right. All three in sequence or else. Ronuk tin or billiard balls thrown at offender, or cast iron ball of bumper handle administered to abdominals. Bumper then puts final finish to floor.

Beds and lockers moved back, other side beds and lockers moved with same treatment applied to floor. Beds and lockers moved back. Centre isle swept, ronuked and polished

Cooks of messes bugle call for duty
Fifteen minutes later bugle call for breakfast
Breakfast over and back to work
Cooks of messes clear messes and wash utensils; this is carried out in buckets, with water from outside taps. Really good in winter.

Band members to collect instruments Two G' s sounded on bugle to alert swabs for impending parade One G sounded, clear parade ground and assemble- behind painted line. In winter all swabs would force each other into corner to gain some warmth. Defaulters to Commanders office march in and stand to attention. Punishment given of forwarded to captains report Assembly sounded by bugle. At end of assembly call, automatically fall into own division and right dress. Leading hand when satisfied ordered eyes front Stand at ease given by orderly officer The first division was then called to attention by leading hand Leading hand reports to orderly officer present state of division

Orderly officer inspects division Remaining divisions inspected then band readied for colour rising. The order for first division to start march past Remaining three divisions follow suit March into mess deck for morning prayers. Fall in outside in academic classes. March off to classrooms on site. Normal academic subjects coupled with double seamanship, double signals and some afternoons, practical boat handling. Rowing cutters and whalers. Hard work at age eleven School punishment, lines, detention, cane on hand, ruler on hand plus board rubbers thrown at culprits. Smacks round head

At about 11:00Hrs defaulters for Captains report leave school to report to gym. Wait at ease by radiator until called in. March into band room and stand to attention before Captain. Officer reads out charge. sentence passed usually cane, 4 or 6 cuts. March out and wait at ease while other defaulters receive punishment. March in when called; bend over table, knees under table Officer checks for books or magazines that may be secreted over buttocks Captain administers required amount of cuts March out and race up to house, drop shorts and underpants to compare wealds on buttocks.

Cooks to messes sounded Call to mess deck sounded Lunch in silence then to parade ground for football winter cricket summer Also five stones conkers and general chat Cooks of messes clean up as before Fall in, for march to school General school subjects as described before March back to houses change into sports rig Fall in on parade ground for inspection Check to ensure only sports kit being worn, no extra kit March to sports pitch team for each house chosen remainder freeze in winter Return to respective houses and change for tea

Cooks to mess deck Tea in silence. Breaking silence resulted in standing to attention, and then if still standing when mess deck officer arrived, a bumper was given to polish centre floors

Cooks of messes cleaned up as before Retire to houses. Shower twelve at a time under six large shower heads scrubbers and soap given to scrub from neck down. Retire to play room, table tennis, quarter size snooker table, darts board. Very old tupneys in small quantise, well read and usually about three years old when donated to school. A big fire in winter to sit around and chat or sing There's no place like home being a favourite. Really nice when joining usually a few tears at these times.

Sandwiches and coco before retiring to dormitories. Change into pyjamas and into bed. 14 swabs to each dormitory. Sometimes radio allowed until lights out at 21:00Hrs

Tomorrow will be just another day when all starts again.

Mike Aves dropped this off on a well worn page. It was left to me to re-type this out (OCR)

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