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John Cooper | all galleries >> English Coastal Towns >> Arethusa > Peking, previously TS Arethusa.

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October 2006	Linda Ruth Pullan

Peking, previously TS Arethusa.

Sea port, New York.

The training ship Arethusa was towed to New York in 1975, refurbished, and given its original name, Peking.

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Guest		07-Feb-2012 13:36
I was on the Arethusa 1964-66 Stephen Morgan 233 QDST. Clifford Chester 67 (recent post) beat me in the anuual boxing competition. I've written a short book about my Are experience: Painting The Last Post, author: I.S. Morgan available on Amazon via Kindle/PC/ipad. It costs about 90p. If you were on the Are from the 1950's until closure you will remember some of the officers and living conditions?

Guest		01-Feb-2012 20:10
I remember the Arethusa when I was stationed in and around the area whilst in the Army. Wasn't there a pub done there in Lower Upnor? David ex. REME

clifford chester		17-Dec-2011 15:30
my name is clifford chester I was on the TS Arethusa 1964/1965 No67 now living in the USA since 1971..One of these days before i get to old im going to take a trip to see the arethusa in new york..

Guest		27-Nov-2011 20:10
saw this ship in NY and it reminded me of when I joined the RN in '65. Terry Lewis of Leicester, joined with me, he was ex Arethusa and didnt hesitate to let anyone know it!! We were both Radio Ops in the "Andrew" but have not seen hime since the late 60's or early 70's. Am now a Restauranteur in Stoke on Trent. www.theoldploughetruria.co.uk

guest		10-Nov-2011 22:33
There definitely was a lady on the bowsprit. I know because I painted her whilst out of routine in 54.

Guest		10-Nov-2011 22:06
I was on the Arethusa in 53 to 54 and yet I see very little mentioned about those years in various websites I have looked at. Anyone got any information?

Guest		06-Sep-2011 13:49
My name is Colin Smith No42 and I joined the Arethusa in 1945 at Salcombe in Devon Then went Upnor a very hard life but it me respect for other people comradeship I am glad I served on the Arethusa I went into the merchant navy and after tha the army. I received the cane twice six across the backside both times it did me no harm at all. Mr e.mail address is cosmith@btinternet.com will be glad to hear from anyone

rodney martin		13-Aug-2011 19:33
i shipmates i was on the arethusa 1964/65 no 68. hard times, but it instilled disipline into my life, and its motto work hard play hard has always remained with me. it has also taught me a lot of respect a place were i met a lot of good friends.times i will never forget rodney martin

Dougie		03-Aug-2011 19:01
I served on the Arethusa from 1967 to 69. Top Starboard, 9 mess. Remember her with fondness, but hard at times! lol.. Dougie Jack ( 93)

Geoffrey Hinton		22-Jun-2011 02:04
Geoffrey Hinton (176) 18 mess quarter deck port 1962-1964 Fond memories of Gertie Garnham, Pinky Offarrel, Ferdie Farrington, Peggy Toms, Justice and Sister Brown. Merchant Navy 5 years, US Army 19 years, retired SSG, presently working at VA Hospital in Oklahoma. Keep your hammocks tight!

Brian Wigley (wiggie)		20-Jun-2011 19:21
I don't know if I am stepping out of line with this comment or not, but I was born at Upnor in 1936 and lived there untill 1958 when I enlisted into the army the Royal corps of signals. during my childhood I played a lot of football with the village youth team and often played against the arathusa team allways got beaten by them but it was allways played in the name of sport. As I said at the start of this comment I grew up at Upnor, Upper Upnor to be precise but we used to go to Lower Upnor to the beach for a swim. as I said I may be out of line but I was taken back a bit when I found yuor site, if my comment is accepted you can find me at the Email address below

cuttsy		19-Jan-2011 23:00
My name is John Cutts. I was on Arethusa 1961-63. My number was 62. I was a personal friend of Jeff Littlewood who put a post on here 3 in front of this one. Would be great if I could get in touch with him. Last I knew he was living in Canada.

Norman Cottington		13-Dec-2010 10:10
I was on board 1960 - 1962. Boy number 99 Norman Adron (surname since changed)9 mess stbd side. It was tough but I loved it. Can remenber standing in bare feet cleaning capstans in the snow during early morning clean ship! Best run ashore was with the band playing at local fetes. Left the "Are" for H M S St Vincent and then Fleet Air Arm. Following discharge enjoyed a successful career in Insurance. Is there a site for photo's to be seen and uploaded ?

BOB		11-Nov-2010 20:30
YEWS I REMEBER SHACKLETON LE MARE AND ARROW WAS ON BETWEEN 60 /65 ANY PHOTOS AND MEMPRABLIA APPREICATED PLEASEW NO 252 WAS MY NUMBER

Bernie Davis		09-Sep-2010 13:13
I was on board the Training Ship Arethusa (now Peking) from 1951 to 1953 when I left as Ch.Petty Officer Boy to join the Merchant Navy sailing with Alfred Holt & Co , Blue Funnel Line. I later joined the Metropolitan Police retiring after 30 years service with the rank of Detective Chief Superintendent. On 4th Sept. 2010 I attended the Arethusa Old Boys reunion at Upnor, Kent for the first visit to Upnor since I left in 1953. It was great to see old shipmates again. The figurehead fund is going well but more donations are urgently needed to get the 'Old Girl' ship shape and bristol fashion again.

Jeff Littlewood		06-Aug-2010 09:39
Hi, I was on the Arethusa from 1960 to 63,...Number 82. I was a Killick and Drum Major of the Arethusa Band and performed all over Kent. Anybody remember Le Mare, and Farrington, and Shackleton? Jeff Littlewood.

Guest		25-Apr-2009 19:57
hunter@melbpc.org.au:My younger brother, John (Haggis) Hunter was a crew member on TS Arethusa at Upnor, Rochester, England from 1956 until 1958 when he swam ashore & began a new life with the Blue Star (White Star?) Line. In 1969 he emigrated to Australia, much against my wishes at the time, and has enjoyed a successful career into happy retirement with his lovely wife, Helen. Although he leads a busy life he would love to hear from anyone who remembers him.

moffatt		16-Sep-2008 11:08
my name is martin moffatt i was on the ship in th 70s and made many friends I have been on the ship in NY and hope it remains in good condition it is a massive part of my life and i wish it a long and happy life

Leslie		09-Jun-2008 16:31
I was a boy under training on Arethusa in the 1940's and the figure head ( the lady)was on shore side, where it is today, at Upnor. The current Old Boys association are raising funds to have the old lady restired to her former glory. hope this helps.

Guest		26-Mar-2008 11:34
the training ship ARETHUSA did not have a "lady" under her bow sprit but on the foreshore at Lower Upnor is the "lady" from HMS ARETHUSA which was the last navy ship to go into battle under sail.

Alan		10-Feb-2008 10:13
Hi there, This is definitely the "Arethusa". I was involved in her saving, in the early 70's, after her owners, the Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa charity decided they could no longer afford to keep her. In order that a potential "saviour" could be found, the charity agreed to allow a period of 12 months' grace after which, she would be sent for scrapping. So that the charity would not suffer financially, as a Lloyd's insurance broker, I arranged a "gentleman's agreement" with Lloyd's Underwriters to guarantee any shortfall in the scrap value during this 12 month period. As events turned out, the South Street Seaport Museum of Manhattan, New York came to her rescue. She was towed away from her mooring off Upnor on the River Medway to be drydocked at the yard of Messrs. Green and Silley Weir, opposite Blackwall Point on the River Thames. There, she was made ready for her transatlantic voyage under tow to New York. Under her new ownership, she reverted to her original name of "Peking" as, along with the "Padua","Passat", Preussen, (and the ill-fated "Pamir") etc., she was part of the Flying P line of nitrate clippers trading round the Horn to Chile. Hope this helps, Alan

David		25-Jan-2008 15:29
I was on the Ts ARETHUSA in the seventies as a petty officer,and yes there was a lady on the front of the bow till the americangooglemail.coms bought her.I was still a member till the ship finally closed to which I drafted into the Royal marine Commandoes

Des Hoskin (105)		10-Nov-2007 18:38
You may well be right about this being the Arethusa but, if my memory serves me correctly, I am SURE she had a female spithead! This sure doesnt look the same! 105 Des Hoskin. 1959/1963

chempilot		10-Jul-2007 17:55
i'm not all that knowledgeable about nautical things, but isn't it bad luck to change the name of a ship? i like this series so far, never heard of this program before....