Postcard by Beken of Cowes H.M.S. RACER. British Sloop

During 1894 she paid off into reserve at Devonport but commissioned during 1897 as a tender to the Britannia, an old wooden first rate line of battleship lying at Dartmouth with the similar hulk Hindustan as training establishments for naval cadets. The still fully rigged Racer enabled them to experience sail training. In 1903 the Britannia hulks were replaced by a new shore college at Dartmouth and the age of entry for cadets was reduced to twelve-thirteen years, with early training taking place at a new naval college at Queen Victoria’s old residence of Osborne, Isle of Wight, before they went on to the Britannia at Dartmouth.
The Racer was attached to Osborne and remained fully rigged and painted in Victorian colours for some years. Eventually she was reduced to the pole-masted rig shown in the photograph, taken in 1903. A spike bowsprit was retained. She continued attached to Osborne until 1914 but was converted to a salvage ship during the war. From 1920-5 she was engaged in recovering the gold from the White Star liner Laurentic, sunk by a mine off Ireland on passage to America.
The Racer was sold in 1928 to be broken up.

Acknowledgement to John Leather