Royal Military Academy, Woolwich


The Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, in south-east London, was a British Army military academy for the training of commissioned officers of the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers. It later also trained officers of the Royal Corps of Signals and other technical corps. RMA Woolwich was commonly known as "The Shop" because its first building was a converted workshop of the Woolwich Arsenal.

History

Origins in the Royal Arsenal

An attempt had been made by the Board of Ordnance in 1720 to set up an academy within its Arsenal to provide training and education for prospective officers of its new Regiment of Artillery and Corps of Engineers. A new building was being constructed in readiness for the Academy and funds had been secured, seemingly, through investment in the South Sea Company; but the latter's collapse led to plans for the Academy being placed on hold.
After this false start, the academy was opened by authority of a Royal Warrant in 1741: it was intended, in the words of its first charter, to produce "good officers of Artillery and perfect Engineers". Its 'gentlemen cadets' initially ranged in age from 10 to 30. To begin with they were attached to the marching companies of the Royal Artillery, but in 1744 they were formed into their own company, forty in number overseen by a captain-lieutenant. To begin with the cadets were accommodated in lodgings in the town of Woolwich, but this arrangement was deemed unsatisfactory so in 1751 a Cadets' Barracks was built just within the south boundary wall of the Warren and the cadets had to adjust to a more strict military discipline.
Education in the academy focused at first on mathematics and the scientific principles of gunnery and fortification; French was also taught, for a small fee. In addition to their theoretical studies, the cadets shared in what was called 'the Practice' of gunnery, bridge building, magazine technique and artillery work. While an artillery officer attended each class to keep order, teaching in the academy was provided by civilians: a First Master, a Second Master and additional tutors in French, Arithmetic, Classics and Drawing. In 1764 the Royal Academy had the word 'Military' added to its title, and at the same time a senior officer was appointed to serve as Lieutenant-Governor. Moreover, the institution was split: younger cadets entered the Lower Academy, where they were taught reading, writing, arithmetic, Latin, French and drawing. If they performed well in examinations they were allowed to proceed to the Upper Academy, where they learned military skills and sciences.

Relocation to Woolwich Common

The possibility of moving the Royal Military Academy out of the Warren was mooted as early as 1783, as it was fast outgrowing the available accommodation. At first costs precluded this possibility, but James Wyatt, the Board of Ordnance Architect, was commissioned to design a new complex of buildings to stand, on a site facing the Royal Artillery Barracks, at the southern edge of Woolwich Common; it was built between 1796 and 1805 and opened for use the following year.
Wyatt's Academy was built of yellow brick in the Tudor Gothic style. It consisted of a central block flanked by a pair of accommodation blocks, linked by arcaded walkways. The central block contained classrooms, a library and offices; the accommodation blocks housed officers in the three-storey central sections and cadets in the two-storey wings. Behind the central block Wyatt placed a large dining hall flanked by spacious quadrangles having service buildings around the sides.
128 cadets moved to the new Academy: these comprised the four senior years. Of the younger cadets, sixty were kept at the Warren and another sixty were sent to a new college for junior cadets at Great Marlow. Practical teaching continued to be given in the working context of the Arsenal. In 1810, military cadets of the East India Company, who had previously been educated at the Academy, were moved to a new college at Addiscombe.
During the years that followed the status of the cadets changed: rather than being considered military personnel, as had previously been the case, they were removed from the muster roll and they began to be charged fees for attendance. In this way the Academy took on something of the ethos of an English public school. In 1844 the Academy was described by Edward Mogg as accommodating:
Following the demise of the Board of Ordnance in the wake of the Crimean War the Academy was inspected by a commission which recommended changes: the minimum age for cadets was raised to fifteen and more specialist training was added. As part of these reforms the Academy complex was enlarged in the 1860s, with a view to accommodating all cadets on the same site : the frontage was extended with the addition of new pavilions at either end, in similar style to Wyatt's work but in red brick rather than yellow; William Jervois was the architect. These contained new classrooms, with accommodation provided in similar new blocks behind. Sports facilities were also added along with gun batteries for training. In 1873 Wyatt's central block had to be entirely rebuilt following a devastating fire. A new chiming clock was provided at this time by Gillett & Bland of Croydon; the movement and bells were placed in the north-east turret and connected by rods to the dial on the parapet.

Closure and aftermath

Following the demise of the Board of Ordnance, Parliament had explored the possibility of a merger between the Royal Military Academy and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst ; although senior Army officers rejected the idea at the time it persisted into the twentieth century. Arguments in favour of a merger gained momentum in the 1920s when the specialist and scientific training which had been Woolwich's preserve began to be outsourced to other locations. In 1936 it was decided that the merger should take place; but the Second World War intervened and in 1939 both institutions closed as their cadets were called up for active service.
The Royal Military Academy Woolwich closed in 1939 and in 1947 the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst was formed on the site of the former Royal Military College with the objective of providing officer training for all arms and services.
Thereafter, the old Academy site became part of Woolwich Garrison, housing troops of various types in the years that followed. The central block was taken over by the Royal Artillery Institution and housed a museum, archives and offices. The chapel became the Garrison Church. In this way the old Academy continued in military use through the 20th century, but with the number of personnel based in Woolwich having steadily decreased, the site was in 2002 declared surplus to requirements. It closed the following year; two stained glass windows from the chapel – one by Christopher Whall, an Arts & Crafts artist – were moved to the Garrison Church of St Alban the Martyr at Larkhill, where they are displayed in lightboxes.

Sale and redevelopment

Durkan Group bought the Woolwich site by public tender in 2006 and redevelopment started in 2008. The Woolwich buildings, several of which are grade II listed, were converted and extended into 334 houses and apartments, including 150 for a housing association. In 2017 the scaffolding around the main facade was removed as refurbishment neared completion. Since 2013 the RMA cricket field, one of the oldest in the UK, has been used by the 3rd and 4th teams of Blackheath Cricket Club.

Legacy

Education and training

Until 1870 prospective officers in the British Army had for the most part to purchase their commissions, and education or training was not seen as a requirement for the role. The Board of Ordnance's establishment of a Military Academy represented a very different approach, whereby training and education were obligatory for aspiring officers of its corps, and promotion was offered according to merit.

Architecture

The main Academy buildings are described by Historic England as "an outstanding example of Wyatt's Gothick style, and one of the most important pieces of military architecture in the country".

Slang

A phrase said to have entered common parlance from the Academy is "talking shop".
The name of the cue game "snooker" is said to derive from a slang term for newly arrived cadets: the French term "les neux", which was later corrupted into "snooks".

Governors and Commandants

Commandants have included:
  • 1764–1777: Lieutenant Colonel James B. Pattison '
  • 1777–1781: Lieutenant Colonel James Bramham '
  • 1781–1795: Major B. Stehelin '
  • 1795–1809: Lieutenant Colonel William Twiss '
  • 1809–1820: Lieutenant Colonel William Mudge '
  • 1820–1829: Captain W. H. Ford '
  • 1829–1840: Colonel T. Drummond '
  • 1840–1846: Major-General Sir George Whitmore '
  • 1846–1851: Colonel John Boteler Parker '
  • 1851–1860: Colonel G. G. Lewis '
  • 1860–1862: Colonel E. X. Wilford '
  • 1862–1867: Major-General Henry Sandham '
  • 1867–1869: Major-General J. W. Ormsby '
  • 1869–1875: Major-General Sir J. Lintorn Simmons '
  • 1875–1880: Major-General Sir John Miller Adye '
  • 1880–1887: Major-General James Frankfort Manners Browne '
  • 1887–1889: Major-General Robert J. Hay '
  • 1889–1890: Major-General Sir Richard Harrison '
  • 1890–1895: Major-General William Stirling '
  • 1895–1897: Major-General Edward Osborne Hewett '
  • 1897–1901: Major-General Francis Thomas Lloyd '
  • 1901–1904: Major-General Richard Henry Jelf '
  • 1904–1908: Colonel Henry Vivian Cowan
  • 1908–1912: Colonel Andrew Graham Thomson
  • 1912–1914: Brigadier-General Arthur E. A. Holland
  • 1914–1918: Major-General William F. Cleeve
  • 1918–1920: Major-General Geoffrey H. A. White
  • 1920–1924: Major-General Sir Webb Gillman
  • 1924–1926: Major-General J. Ronald E. Charles
  • 1926–1930: Major-General Hugo D. de Pree
  • 1930–1934: Major-General Cyril M. Wagstaff
  • 1934–1938: Major-General Arthur A. Goschen
  • 1938–1939: Major-General Philip Neame