Thurrock Museum

31/05/2026

People of the T.S. Exmouth. With our current, free exhibition "Estuary Outcasts: Thurrock's Training Ships" we tried our best to tell as many stories of boys and staff as we could.

There were some we researched and couldn't fit in, but there were many more where we struggled to fit faces to names, where we had pictures but no story, story but no pictures. Here are some great pictures of people who's faces we don't have names for.

29/05/2026

Join us on one of our fun activity sessions in the Museum tomorrow! Make a boat, tie a knot or try semaphore! Starting at 10, 11 or 12!

26/05/2026

We’ve had a very successful first family activity day!

Children stepped aboard and spent a day in the life of the boys who lived and worked on the training ships and had a swashbuckling day out (complete with a certificate and medal!)

Missed today’s session? Don’t worry - we’re doing it again this Thursday and Saturday!
To book, please call Grays Library.
Admissions: £3

21/05/2026

In 1899 The Strand Magazine (famous for publishing the Sherlock Holmes short stories) did a feature on the T.S. Exmouth.

The article begins:
"Reader, have you been to Grays, the station next to historical Purfleet, on the London and Tilbury line to Southend? If not, let me tell you that it is not a large place, nor a nice place either. Still, this struggling township on the Thames is worth visiting. Almost within the shadow of its tiny red brick houses lies one of the finest institutions in England for the making of sailors, and soldiers, and citizens - for the making of men."

The article contains many a good picture, but among our favourites are these. Captain Bourchier and his family, and the ship itself Exmouth from Grays.

19/05/2026

It's not long before our adventures begin.

Suitable for ages 4-12, children get to explore our newest exhibition whilst learning what it was like to live on a training ship in the Thames through a range of fun activities. A presentation at the end will see the sailors being awarded a certificate and a medal for their achievements.

15/05/2026

Four coloured Postcards of the Thameside building, memorial, Grays high street and Grays Park. We must say that we're pretty happy with how we look here.

12/05/2026

The T.S. Cornwall (formerly known as HMS Wellesley) spent 125 years afloat as a gunship, guardship and a reformatory ship before being sunk during a German air raid in 1940.

Despite being submerged for 8 years, her teak timbers were still strong enough to be repurposed, supposedly as part of the post-war reconstruction of London's Royal Courts of Justice.

Learn more about the Cornwall and her life as a reformatory ship in our upcoming exhibition at the Thameside Complex, Grays which is opening on the 23rd May 2026.

The training ship Cornwall moored off Purfleet beach.

08/05/2026

To celebrate our upcoming Training Ships Exhibition we are continuing to share stories that we would love to include in the exhibition but simply don't fit.

John Mogg was born in Grays in 1912. When John was three years old his mother died. His father was called up to serve in World War 1 and John was sent to a foster mother in Southend. John was badly treated and was often beaten. The foster mother would not let John go back to his family so John’s uncle went to Southend and ‘kidnapped’ him.

Three days after his 11th birthday John was put onto the Exmouth. Like the other new boys, John had to sew his number onto his clothes. He then had to learn to swim two lengths. The Swimming Officers would throw the boys into the water, and John badly cut his arm when he caught it on a piece of iron. John was a small boy and was often kicked by the Officers. When exercising John fell off a bar and dislocated his shoulder. Because he did not answer when his number was called, a teacher hit him and made the injury worse.

Later John became a Petty Officer in charge of different Classes - Compass, Knots and Splices, Signals, Swimming and Galley (kitchen). He stayed on the Exmouth for five years and was discharged with three Good Conduct badges.

John joined the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company as a Stewards Boy. He stayed for twelve years and left to study at bible college. He married Doris Mason in 1936 and a week later they went to Ceylon to set up a Mission. He returned after thirteen years and continued his church work. Many of the children from the Mission kept in touch with John. He later worked for Kent County Council as a caretaker.

Unfortunately we don't have a picture that we can identify as John.

05/05/2026

Our newest exhibition is getting closer. Come and learn about an underappreciated part of Thurrock's history with us from the 23rd May.

01/05/2026

We've done so much research into people who lived and worked on Training Ships that we simply don't have enough space in our upcoming exhibition to include them all.

Here is a little information about an interesting man that spent time on the ships as both a boy and as staff.

Franz Karl Arthur Thimm was born 17th October 1852. He was the son of Franz Louis Julius Thimm and Horatia (nee Mathias). His father had been born in Prussia but was a naturalised British Subject.

He joined the TS Worcester in May 1867. It is not known how long he spent on there but it put him in good stead for a Naval career. He served in the Burma War, working his way up the ranks before retiring as Lieutenant Commander in 1904.

He then joined the Metropolitan Asylums Board from March 1913 and was well known for his services to TS Exmouth.

Franz died 23rd October 1929 at his home 23 Elmcourt Road, West Norwood, Surrey