Watts Naval School
Watts Naval School was originally the
Norfolk County School, a public school set up to serve the educational needs of the 'sons of farmers and artisans'. The foundation stone was laid on Easter Monday
1873 by Edward
Prince of Wales (later to become
King Edward VII). The school opened in 1874, but it was closed in July 1895, and re-established by E H Watts Esq. in June 1901. Following his death, it was turned into a home for orphans and destitute boys under the charge of Dr T J Barnardo and was opened informally on
9 March 1903. The establishment was then used for the training of selected Barnardo's boys for a life at sea in the Royal Navy or mercantile Marine. The cost of furnishing the institution for 300 boys and the necessary staff was covered by Fenwick S Watts Esq. in memory of his father. The school was opened by the Earl of Leicester G.C.V.O., C.M.G., T.D. (and then Viscount Coke) on
April 17 1906.
The buildings consisted of a central hall, school rooms, dining hall, library & nautical class rooms. A chapel was erected in 1883 and consecrated on
16 October that year. It was built of Bath stone, and later enlarged in 1926 with trancepts added. The chapel seated all 300 boys and masters. The pulpit was a memorial to B Watson Esq, and two stained glass windows were added in memory of Frederick Humby, an old Watts boy who lost his life in the
Titanic disaster. (The windows were later removed by Barnardos and subsequently disappeared.) The school was also served by its own railway station,
County School Station The school closed in
1953, with the remaining boys being transferred to other Barnardos training ship establishments, mostly on the south coast. The school was demolished and the site returned to nature. Some of the remaining buildings still exist as ruins today, others have been renovated and restored to domestic use. For some years a chicken farm was run on the site of the main school building, but following the closure of the poultry operation some 5 bedroom properties have been built on the site.
Sir
John Mills, a famous British actor, was born at Watts Naval School, where his father was a master.
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Hidden Norfolk article on school
