FAQ

 

What is Arethusa?

Arethusa was a water nymph in Greek mythology. In 1874 HMS Arethusa a redundant Royal Navy frigate, and the last warship to go into battle under sail (Odessa, Crimea 1854), was handed over to the charity and moored on the Thames at Greenhythe as a floating children's home. 200 boys were taught carpentry, cobbling, tailoring and seamanship, providing them with a trade for life. Training Ship Arethusa provided young men for the Royal Navy and the Merchant Service until 1934 when she was replaced with the steel hulled barque Peking moored at Upnor on the Medway and renamed Arethusa.

The Arethusa Training Ship continued to train young men until 1974 when the change in the school leaving age from 14 to 16 made it possible for young men to go straight from school into the Royal Navy. She was bought by the South Street Seaport Museum in New York where she still rests.

The shore base at Upnor including offices, swimming pool and the sick bay has been developed and expanded to provide residential educational and recreational visits for up to 6,500 inner city school children each year. Known as the Arethusa Venture Centre it is a centre of excellence offering sailing, climbing, canoeing, swimming and a host of other challenging activities for young people who would not otherwise experience the sense of achievement that these activities engender.