See item/file level records.

Administrative / biographical background
The British Ship Adoption Society was initially an experiment by the tramp shipping company Watts, Watts and Co. Ltd. It aimed to provide opportunities for school children to establish links with merchant ships, and stimulate their interest in maritime trade, geography and other cultures. By adopting a ship, schools were able to be in regular correspondence with the ship’s master, from whatever part of the world the vessel was in. The scheme was developed on a national scale from 1936 onwards. During the Second World War, the organisation operated the Sea War Library Service (see MSY/5) in conjunction with the Seafarers’ Education Service (see MSY/3). After getting into financial difficulties, The British Ship Adoption Society became part of the Seafarer’s Education Service, which in turn was absorbed by the Marine Society in 1976. The provision of opportunities for links between schools and merchant ships continued as part of the education and careers work of The Marine Society.