No, it wasn't ever a womens prison, I think the correct story is that it was built purposefully at the end of the war to train much sought after Merchant Seamen.
We're not use to the kind of hardship they endured back in the 40s, then they were probably thankful for a job.
No it wasn't a picnic, I was there back in 1963 or 1964 I'm not too sure, the old memory wears thinner year by year, the way you have to look at it is it was the gate-way into the Merchant Navy, possibly the best 5 working years of my life, giving me so many good memories.
By the way how many people who went to sea heard the phrase 'pass that tin..........................................'
It mystyfied me for many a day, now it amuses me when I think about it.
So if one day you have a passing thought about some-thing special that happened to you because of your sea days then just remember of the 'gratitude ' we should show the training school for turning us into something that was acceptable to our future employers.
Cheers.............to the 'peanut factory'.