Musicians on Passeger Ships

[Doc Vernon]

Would Musicians on passenger Ships have had to carry Discharge Books like all other Seaman!?
If not do you know why that would be?
As they were still at Sea and I am sure would have to have some ID especially when in Foreign Ports
Just an inquiry !
Cheers

[Ivan Cloherty]

I know a couple of musicians who worked on passenger ships, they had Discharge Books. I also believe at one time the Reina del Pacifico carried a gardner

[Doc Vernon]

I ask this question as I am trying to assist someone who was a Musician on the Orcades in the early 60' and he cannot recall ! But when I go to the Orcades site in all the Crew Lists there are no names of any of the Musicians ,so possibly they were not classed the same way?
There is also no record of him at the N Archives! Which makes me think they were of a different classification!
Cheers

[j.sabourn]

All Chief Stewards had discharge Books and I knew quite a few fiddlers among them. Ask Cappy. JS

[Keith Moody]

I believe that the music men were classed the same as the shop keepers and hair dressers, they carried a Passport.
they did not work for the company but whoever they worked for had a contract with whatever shipping co. whoes ship they were on.
they did not occupy any of the crews quarters but had cabins in passenger accomodation.
keith moody
R635978

[happy daze john in oz]

I believe it varied with the company. With the Titanic they were not part of the crew, with UCL at the time I was there in the early 60's I believe they were. They did I believe come under the pursers department.

Butof course as we all now there were so many musicians on UCL, all played a very good flue I m told.

[Jim Brady]

On the Titanic they travelled as second class passengers and were employed by a Liverpool company CW & FN Black.
Regards.
Jim.B.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musici...he_RMS_Titanic

[Captain Kong]

In the Cunard in the 50s, The Musicians on all their ships were employed by Geraldo and his Orchestra. He had the contracts.

[Jim Brady]

Talking of the ships band or orchestra as it was called I had a job with them on the Empress Of France Gala Night outward bound and Gala night homeward bound.On the old ships the dining room was about three decks high so about one deck up was a small balcony where the orchestra played their music during evening dinner.On Gala Night,when I was bellboy,it was my job to go onto this balcony and blow up loads of balloons.When the band stuck up "I've got a lovelly bunch of coconuts" I was supposed to stand by the rail and discharge all of the balloons to all parts of the dining room.Being a shy boy as I was I hid down behind the rail and proceeded to pass all the balloons over in the one spot.The result of that was the captains table was directly below so consequently him and his passengers ended up with all the balloons.I didn't get away with that homeward bound.A bit embarrassing at the time but fond memories.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[John Albert Evans]

Wow this post made me remember that when I was in my last year (1956)at Hawarden County Grammar, School North Wales there was another boy of a similar age who played the saxaphone at the school extremely good. He joined the Merchant Navy just a few months before I did and sailed as a musician (Saxaphone) on passenger ships out of Liverpool, I cann't remember which Line he was with but his name was Tony Harper.

John.