Patrick, The situation is as follows, and it is reinforced by the fact that the school celebrated its 250th anniversary in 1962! The handwritten "definitive history of the school" was written by John Livingstone Jay, but this has become "lost". Charles Dilkes Loveless, Jay's successor at Greenwich wrote a "brief history partially based upon Jay's work, and this is in the Admiralty Library, Portsmouth. Loveless's history states as follows: 1712 This school, which was formerly called The Charity School of the Royal Hospital at Greenwich, was first established in 1712, the number of boys then being 10. Although the original Commission of King William III, in 1695 appropriated Greenwich Hospital for the reception of children as well as seamen and their widows, there is no record to show that such children were introduced at the formation of the establishment. 1715 The Board of Directors, at the suggestion of Admiral Lord Aylmer, then Governor of Greenwich Hospital, ordered two thirds, and afterwards three fourths, of the money received for showing the painted hall, chapel, etc, should be employed in clothing and educating 12 of the poor children of the pensioners and nurses. 1716 The Board of Directors with the consent of the General Court, afterwards added to the above-mentioned fund the cheques, mullets, and stoppages received from the pensioners. I shall be going to the National Archives soon to read the early minute books of GH in the near future, and all of my findings will appear in my history of the school. Bernard de Neumann -------Original Message------- From: Patrick Date: 05/11/11 10:27:02 To: Mariners Rootsweb Subject: [MAR] Greenwich Royal Hospital School Hello Everyone! I have conflicting dates concerning the establishment of a school at Greenwich. The two main contenders are 1712 and 1715. Both from reliable sources and both supported depending where you look and who you listen to! Is there an absolute definite or are these dates a best estimate given time for an informal lets see if it works project gaining official approval? Regards, Patrick. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MARINERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message