A short time after the school closed, the site was acquired from the landlord for redevelopment by Whimpey Homes and all the buildings were demolished. The ship, herself left the River Hamble, under tow, in February 1970 to be moored in Fareham Creek whilst her future was decided. In 1987 she finally was sold, by the Admiralty, to Chatham Historic Dockyard for restoration as HMS Gannet. She was opened to the general public in 2004 and she is now secure on the list of historic ships. Mercury is well represented via the various memorials, dedications and displays in both Hamble and on board HMS Gannet.

TS Mercury ceased to exist in July 1968 when the school closed down. However, today, over 40 years later, there are many reminders of the school both in Hamble and further afield such as on board HMS Gannet in the Historic Dockyard, Chatham (see Memorials). The most active group concerned solely with maintaining the memory of the school is the Mercury Old Boys’ Association (MOBA) and this group (500+ worldwide) can be considered to be true inheritors of ‘all things Mercury’. It is not without good reason that the school’s motto was ‘Men are the Soul of Ships’ and the MOBA can truly claim to be the true soul of TS Mercury and hence what TS Mercury is today.

However, its interesting to see how the physical aspects of the school changed from what they were on that final July day in 1968 to what they are now in terms of the school premises themselves and, of course, HMS President (formerly HMS Gannet). These pages cover that transition.