Campbell’s academy, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

Campbell’s academy n.

[Campbell, the name of the first director of such prisons + academy n. (4)]

the hulks, or floating prisons, sited in ships moored in the Thames Estuary.

1781		G.Parker View of Society II 11: He was [...] sentenced to improve as a pupil in Mr. Duncan Campbell’s Floating Academy for five years.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1833		‘The Christening of Little Joey’ in Corinthian in Spedding & Watt (eds) Bawdy Songbooks (2011) IV 45: My man is hobbled upon the leg for three years on board Duncan Campbel[l]’s floating academy.