WITH cases packed, the children above may look as if they are going on holiday.

Some fun and laughter was expected, but for most of the time, they were expected to do school work.

Fifteen pupils from Marlborough Secondary School at Woodstock are pictured leaving for a 10-day cruise aboard the Devonia in 1963.

The ship carrying a total of 800 children from across the country was due to call at Bergen, Copenhagen and Amsterdam. The itinerary included sightseeing tours of all three cities.

While at sea, children faced a varied study programme devised partly by the ship’s staff and partly by accompanying party leaders.

At a time when foreign travel for children was still in its infancy, the Marlborough pupils could describe themselves as pioneers, as they were said to be the first school party in Oxfordshire to embark on this new educational venture.

The Devonia was of two ‘floating schools’ owned by the British India Steam Navigation Company.

Education cruises began in the 1930s using troop ships that were idle in the summer.

Cruises stopped during the Second World War and did not resume immediately afterwards.

However, when the Government announced in 1960 it would stop sending troops by sea, British India converted a troop ship, MS Dunera, into a floating school.

She set off on her first cruise in April 1961 and completed a further 14 that year.

Although initial bookings were poor, British India demonstrated its faith in the venture by introducing a second ship the following year – MS Devonia, formerly MS Devonshire of the Bibby Line. A third ship joined the fleet in 1965 – SS Nevasa, on which other Oxfordshire parties cruised.

Where are the young travellers pictured above now?