Link to the related website that has useful info: the Age of Nelson.

This forum is devoted to the Royal Navy during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1793 - 1815).
And why not the other navies of the period?
To avoid spam, you must register to be able to post - it's free.

FAQ         Register         Profile         Search         Log in to check your private messages         Log in
Burney's Naval Academy
Post new topic   Reply to topic    www.ageofnelson.org Forum Index -> Age of Nelson
 
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
PMarione
Site Admin


Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 883

Post Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 1:45 pm    Post subject: Burney's Naval Academy Reply with quote

During the period, many officers have received a training at Burney's Naval Academy in Ports mouth.

I am interested in any information you can have on it.

The official Naval Academy, also in Portsmouth, had a very bad reputation but the time passed there counted as time at sea for the Lieutenant's examination.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
PMarione
Site Admin


Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 883

Post Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe that Burney was the author of the "Falconer's New
Universal Dictionary of the Marine" in 1815.
This has been reprinted by Chatham Publishing in 2006.

But I can find very little about Burney's Academy. I am specially interested by the would be officers who attended.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
David H



Joined: 29 Mar 2007
Posts: 5

Post Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 7:52 pm    Post subject: Burneys Academy Reply with quote

I have found a short article on Burney's Academy, in the "Mariners Mirror" volume51 p.57.

To summarise -
It was founded in 1791 by Dr. William Burney in whose family it remained until they sold it in 1889; it closed in 1904. The academy was situated at Gosport, and although it had a naval "theme", it was not exclusively a nautical academy, but was actually a boys school, teaching a wide range of subjects. Many of its pupils did go on to serve in the Navy, the Marines or the Army.

William Burney was the author of a short history "The British Neptune" and edited the 1815 edition of Falconers Marine Dictionary. In the forward to the 1815 edition, Burney claims that that he had probably trained " ... a greater number of young officers for the sea service than any other individual"

He died in December 1832 and his son Henry took over the running of the Academy, and he was succeeded by another son (brother to Henry), Edward. The final principal was the grandson of William, Amyatt Burney.

Burney was well connected and a number of wealthy families sent their sons to the Academy; it attracted Royal approval, with King William IV being a patron (he presented a boat). Queen Victoria granted the establishment the title "Burney's Royal Acadamy".

The article does not mention earlier pupils, but pupils during the 19th century included Prince Louis of Battenburg;Prince Henry of Prussia; Prince George (late King George V) as well as David Beatty and Reginald Tyrwhitt.

By the end of the 19th century, boys destined for the services would be trained to sit their entrance examinations to Dartmouth or Sandhurst.

The article was written by an "old boy" and much of it describes the life in the Academy in the 1880's; it was essentially little changed from the beginning of the century - being "Dickensian". Dark, narrow, flag stoned passages with a large Dining Hall; the sanitary arrangements were 'primitive'. There was one large central class room, with smaller rooms for French class and for the "Navy class".
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
PMarione
Site Admin


Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 883

Post Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2007 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks David.

I just found an add for the then Royal Academy, Gosport, in the catalog of the Royal Naval Exhibition at Chelsea in 1891.

Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    www.ageofnelson.org Forum Index -> Age of Nelson All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ   Search    Register   Profile   Log in to check your private messages   Log in 

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Nun