Seamen's Missions

[Gordon Turnbull]

OK, here are a couple of wee stories for you. Hopefully more in line with what you are looking for  Some involve prostitutes, some just females looking for a little bit of fun and solace as we were.
My first ship was the Windsor Castle, joined her, in Southampton obviously, April ’72 having just turned 16 in the February. Young mining village boy getting thrown out into the big bad world. I would love to say I was a nice young innocent cherry boy, but I wasn’t unfortunately and had been lucky enough to have had a few dalliances before then. Nothing spectacular happened on my four trips. Met a couple of nice passengers of my own age, had a bit of fun. Picked up the odd female from the Navigator’s Den, Smugglers or Beach Hotel, but nothing great anecdotally. The brothel in Las Palmas (Green door or something???? Someone help me with that) once, but as we were not in port for long and as a Bell Boy, money was not exactly in great supply, and I guess added to that the fact it was not exactly thrilling, never bothered going back. The laundry lady on the afternoon shift did behave improperly to me when I went to change my jacket one day. Conversation went along the lines of “Where you from son?”. I answered. “Wanna shag?” was her reply. “Not really” says I. “well you’re gonnae get wan then” being her reply resulted in rolling in the laundry with a rather rotund if not downright fat female more than twice my age. I never went back in the afternoon unless another Bell Boy was with me.

Next ship, Bridgepool. Joined her in Glasgow (Meadowside Granary). September ’72. West Africa runner and really my first meetings with aforementioned dusky maidens (well, more black than anything but you get the picture). Anyway, Dakar, Abidjan, Lagos, Kpeme, Freetown, Monrovia, wherever. I was like a kid in a sweetie shop which was basically what I was like. I did not really have a permanent girlfriend at home so was in no way “playing away”. Most of the girls were around my age, a few years older maybe. Couple of things come to mind. In these days we used to get “fux for Lux” where a few bars of soap set you up for the period you were in port. Anyway, sitting on a barstool in a bar in Dakar one afternoon, way way under the weather (paralytic actually). I woke up to find a young lady performing oral sex on me. Very nice way of introduction. Spent the next few days with her. She was 16 and the only breadwinner for her family. Abidjan, two gorgeous young ladies came on board. It was a Saturday and we were having the usual Saturday evening buffet so we were pretty busy getting it ready. The young ladies spent the morning down the sailor’s and firemen’s alley making a few bob before heading upstairs. The caterers cabins were next to the PO’s who were next to the cadets. The cadets had the biggest cabin and as we had no bar, this was the party cabin. The two young ladies joined us and after having had sex with, I reckon at least 15 of us, left, sore I would imagine but a lot of money in their pockets.
I am not going to moralize on the rights or wrongs of anything by the way, just tell them like they were.
Next ship, one of Fred’s, nothing to report. 
Now, the Wellington Star, also at Meadowside, Feb ’73. I guess that could be a book on its own. Betty’s Bar in Glasgow was a bar of some renown and it was there I got in tow with Senga. Probably silly in hindsight but again a few drinks and it is amazing who you wake up with. Senga was an orphan so she told me, homeless and 18, so she said anyway. Thankfully we were only in Glasgow a week or so having moved round to Govan drydock just down the road from Jim Baxter’s pub. Although Glasgow was my home port I never really spent much time there so Betty’s was a bit of an eye opener. We sailed, I had a dose. Up to the mate for a jab. Heading for Kiwi, stopped at Panama and my introduction to bestiality seeing the donkey show. Not pretty in hindsight and I shall not elaborate. The more rings removed, the more money she earned. Had a short time, we sailed, I had a dose. Up to the Mate for a jab. First port in Kiwi, Opua in the Bay of Islands. Scotland is beautiful, Bay of Islands is breathtaking. Unfortunately not a lot there. Fortunatley on the second day the girls arrived. They had been give the wrong date for our arrival. All is well that ends well and no prostitutes were required for the rest of the stay on the Kiwi coast (around two months if I remember correctly). Back to Europe. Docked in Bootle. I went home for the weekend (Scotland were playing Brazil at Hampden and my brother was getting married the same day, football won I am sad to say, theory being he would probably get divorced and have another wedding but Scotland might not play Brazil again). Returned to Bootle on the Monday. Next weekend sitting in my cabin (two berthed) at smoke-o when we were told there was a female next door quite happy for a gang bang. I believe it was 13 of us as there were certainly 13 of us at the Mate’s office after we sailed. Again, no moralizing. Down to Tilbury, sent to the clinic for the old umbrella. Not nice and something I can still feel to this day when I think about it. Thankfully we were in for a while and cleared up allowing some dalliances with a young local girl. Chartered out to Brocklebanks I believe and took a cargo up the Red Sea. Canal still closed so round the Cape. Broke down off Dakar so that allowed us to have some fun, but nothing noteworthy. Had to stop in Durban for a wee bit of repairs and bunkers etc. Nice little dose of crabs for me there. Mahe was our first scheduled stop. Black Cat club. Wonderful. It seemed there were half a dozen women to every man. We sailed, I visited the mate again. Port Sudan, about 15 of us went up to the shanty town. One prostitute short!!! Boy rating, last in line so no nookie for me, or so I thought. Madam goes away and comes back with an absolutely stunning female. Off to her quarters. Think shanty town and think people through the walls etc etc. Not that this hould be any source of embarrassment considering earlier anecdotes but just to let you envisage it. “Greek?” she says. “No, Scottish” says I. “No, Greek “she shouts. “No, bloody Scottish” I shout all the louder. This went on for a while, meanwhile little John Thomas is getting pretty peed off and wants some action. Lots of shouting from around me telling me to shut the f*** up and get on with it. So we did. We sailed, I visited the Mate but at least she had tried to warn me. Over to Aqaba in Jordan. We picked up a family there that was travelling down to New Zealand in a converted army ambulance but got stuck because of the war. We took them on board and this was the first time in my life I fell in love. I will not go into that story as it certainly would not be fair on that once young lady to say anything further. Down to the land of the Oz and my darling left me, with her family, in Brisbane to get the ferry over to the land of the Kiwi. Broken hearted, but straight up the road to find me a nice girl. Couple of ports later we end up in Newcastle where I fell in love for the second time. Cheryl was sent to look for her cousin who was a lovely lass who was quite happy to sail round the coast with the boys. She found her in the Star Hotel (now infamously and sadly closed), but fell for my boyhood charms. She ended up living on board as well. What did they get from it? I guess not a lot. We fed them and watered them and loved them as much as we could. Sailed from Newcastle down to Sydney, couple of weeks there. Funny story there. A couple of days before we were sailing we came back on board drunk. Incapable of climbing into the top bunk we forcibly got the galley boy into the top bunk and we took his. Sailed a couple of days later for Melbourne. On the way, crabs again. Not possible to have come from Cheryl as she was certainly not hirsute if you see what I mean. Further examination of the galley boy’s linen did indeed show that it was he who had the crabs. Dirty wee bugger. Dirty wee sneaky bugger in fact as we never knew he had been dallying with anyone. Cheryl decided it would be a good idea to go back to Newcastle and get some clothes before coming down to Melbourne by road with some of the other girls. Unfortunately when they got there she was questioned on her age, gave her real DOB and was taken into safe custody!!! She was only 16. I was questioned by police etc and threatened with statutory rape etc. I was only 17 myself for crying out loud. Anyway, they sent her back to Newcastle so I jumped ship and went to Newcastle as well. Things are never the same though are they? Broke up, broken hearted, no dose!!!! Result. Caught, jailed, deported.
The Oakworth, nothing of note apart from walking through Tilbury and saw the young lady I had been with the year before walking towards me pushing a pram. I ran. Florida and back and never so happy to leave a ship.
The Exmoor. Joined Rotterdam, Red Sea trade, more of the same as Welly Star with girls near enough every port, Massawa, Djibouti, Port Sudan etc etc. Nothing spectacular I can think of at all. Just a lot of good fun and what seemed like the right thing to be doing.
After that I joined BP and things were a wee bit different as you never got ashore so much. However when we did, we enjoyed it. Standing in a bar in the Reeperbahn. Topless barmaid and porn on the tellies. Company I was in was giving the poor lass dog’s abuse about her rather pert breasts etc. They all went to “bag off” leaving me. I was going home next day and due to my preponderance for doses thought it prudent to behave ( I had a girlfriend by then). Asked barmaid for another beer. She spoke good English and I told her so. She was Geordie working over there so had obviously understood everything they guys had been saying about her.
Vunda Point, Fiji. In a night club. Only one of two I have seen around the world where there was a cage around the bar. Up dancing. Someone stole my mates shoes so he had to walk home in his socks, feet ripped to shreds. We had a couple of nice females with us as well. In the morning I can assure you they were the ugliest I have ever seen.
Darwin. In a night club. Mate falls asleep whilst I am chatting up a female. Convinced her to come back but she would only come back if my mate would go with her mate. Wakes him up and off we go. Just finishing the business when he burst into my cabin. “Turnbull, you bas****, that was a bloke” Oh well.
Met the future missus not long after this so all dalliances ceased.

As I said earlier, no moralizing. It was what it was at the time. My morals are a fair bit tighter these days obviously but I regret not one of these, and more, incidents. What I did then has made me into the well rounded, intelligent, articulate and moral person I am today. Hope this helps a bit more and maybe also give a bit of a laugh.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Well there you go Patricia, Gordon has taken all the romance out of prostitution

maybe now you will get a bit of one upmanship, Whoops sorry wrong expression!, but then again perhaps not these days

[Eddie Grant]

Hi Captain Kong. oh boy you made me laugh with "viente cinco de mayo" BA how i remember it well from the 50s and May Sullivan i can see her sitting behind the bar playing cards and the dark glasses on the left as you go in. Know it well as it was the only bar i got thrown out of in BA. She was known the world over What a Gob! just like an orangutans A--E. I did go there myself a few years ago on a holliday for old time sake, never thought i would pay to go there at my age as no would let me work my passage. Thanks for that memory. Eddie Grant.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Try again. Hi Patricia, you may think from some of the foregoing that it all seemed very rough and business like, there were times when it seemed more like romance. On my first visit to Cuba when I was 16, it seemed like romance, remember this was a time well before the advent of cheap travel and in the immediate post war years when things were still hard to obtain in Europe.

This is an extract from my book (copyrighted)

We were in Havana, Andy seemed to know where he was going entering a bar alive with rumba and samba music. A vision of lovliness ran towards Andy jumping into his arms and wrapping her legs around his waist, I blushed a deep red, Andy laughed "Maria go and tell Rosita we have a little cherry for her" Maria dashed off and I could see her talking to an older woman at the bar, pointing in my direction and laughing. Maria returned to Andy saying to me "don't go away Rosita has a little present for you" with that she dragged Andy away who shouted "whatever happens don't go back to the ship without me, I know where you'll be" with that he was gone. I turned around to be confronted by Rosita "say hello to my little Dolores" I just stood mouth open looking at Dolores who was perhaps a couple of years older than myself, she was the same height, deeply tanned with long dark hair and black luminous eyes with a figure only seen on hoardings advertising luxury lingerie, I had thought that such girls were a figment of the artists imagination, but this one was real, so real. She wore brightly coloured clothes rarely seen in post war Europe where the emphasis was on durability rather than enticement. These Cuban girls were enticing with their sensuous walks, swaying hips and barely covered "deck cargo" as bosoms were known or referred to by seamen.

Dolores smiled "tell me your name" my tongue refused to work, but finally managed to blurt it out, "thats nice" she said taking my hand "come sit over here with me" leading me towards a small cubicle then sitting almost on top of me. The smell of her perfume pleasantly attacked my nostrils, she snuggled closer the warmth of her body transmitting to mine "don't be nervous, I'm not going to eat you" adding "tell me about yourself, have you got a girl back home" she waved to the barman gesturing for two beers to be brought over to us, handing me a glass she clinked her glass with mine saying "salute". Whilst sipping my drink she slipped her hand in mine, I experienced a glow never felt before "tell me about your girl, is she pretty" I told her about Susan and the letter I had received and what it meant to me.Dolores appeared to listen whilst sqeezing my hand tighter and tighter, the music was playing the beat very intoxicating, "do you dance" she asked, I shook my head saying I had never learnt to dance the way the couples were dancing on the floor before us "come" she said "time for Cuban lesson number one", she had a voice with an accent only heard in movies, was this really happening to me.

Dolores held me tightly "I know you will have held a girl before, just close your eyes and pretend I'm Susan" I found this very difficult to do, Susan whilst lovely, still had a schoolgirl figure, Dolores was fully developed and hard to ignore. She put her arms around my neck drawing me close, her body was getting warmer as she began to gyrate to the music, was dancing always going to be like this, we were dancing around the floor as if we had been dancing together all our lives, our bodies entwined as one. Dolores kissed me holding me tighter, I could feel myself blushing, my body getting uncomfortably warm, it was not an unpleasant feeling and I made no move to stop dancing. The music stopped and she led me back to the table handing me a cold beer, "you'd better drink this before you burst into flames" she said laughing, but not in an unkind way. She was looking at me somewhat bemused "you are not like the others" adding "are you thinking of your little Susan whilst you are holding me in your arms, don't feel guilty my little shy boy, your Susan will not be pining for you, she will be out with her friends, perhaps a new boyfriend" how prophetic that was going to be

An hour or two had passed, perhaps even longer, I could feel myself being drawn into a situation akin to being swallwed by a whirlpool but not wanting to escape even if I could. We danced frequently, it felt so natural returning her kisses, all memories of that distant land called home receded into obscurity. we consumed a couple more drinks then Dolores said just one word "Come" and led me to a small hotel where as they say at sea, I lost my cherry. It was an experience never to be forgotten with a girl whose beauty and energy left me breathless and would long remain in my memory, the girl with the dark smouldering eyes, long black tresses, heart shaped lips, lithesome feminine body who had transported me to a place beyond my wildest dreams.

Andy was knocking at the bedroom door "come on lad we'd best get back to the ship" I shouted that I would be right out, but Dolores had other ideas and Andy was kept waiting sometime longer. My heart was breaking leaving Dolores, saying I would be back, she smiled saying "I will be here but fate and ships may keep us apart" adding "you don't have to tell Susan about this, it is all part of life" She blew me a kiss and I closed the door gently. Andy said "lets get back to the ship and don't make a noise going up the bloody gangway" we apprentices were not supposed to frequent Ale Houses or Houses of ill repute" but none told our hormones........................................

There you have it Patricia, romance with a prostitute, who had a great heart, as did most of them, I never did see Dolores again, although I tried on subsequent voyages, my only guilt was not remembering having left her any money ( I was in another world) and she never asked for any, I would have liked to have found her to make sure that she was alright for money, but life sometimes throws a wrong curve

Ivan

[Lou Barron]

it was in auckland nz at a dance one night i got tangled up with this girl in her twentys a very good dancer and if i may say so i was not to bad she ask me what ship i was on and i told her then she told that she worked at the flying angel as the night progressed she said to me why didnt book into the mission for the night so i did i think it cost five shillings for the night about one o clock there was a knock on the door and there she was another episode how good the seamans mission worked to keep us away from the flesh pots

[Patricia Hosie]

Hi Gordon,

Well that was some story that perhaps suggests the missions were not that successful! Thank you for being so frank because all these stories give a rather bland dissertation a bit of 'spice'. There were a few bits I didn't quite understand but I'm not going to ask!

What I would like to share with you is that as a school child I saw the launching of the Windsor Castle at Cammell Lairds. It was raining and my mother had purchased a paper flag whilst all the other kids had fabric ones and mine got wet and fell to pieces so I had nothing to wave when the Queen Mother arrived.

Thanks again
Patricia

[Patricia Hosie]

Hello Castleman,

What's the "Pig and Whistle"?

Patricia

[Patricia Hosie]

Hi Ivan,

I like Dolores and your romantic interpretation. It's a lovely story and I just don't see how the missions could possibly compete!

Best wishes,
Patricia

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Patricia
Well on this site it is a place to post things that perhaps some Eyes shouldnt see,(Members Only Section) this is so as to keep it away from the younger set ,as there are many visitors here an we dont know wht ages look in on site!
Thus the Pig and Wistle for all the wee bits and pieces haha!

At Sea of course as you may wel know its the gathering place (Pub) for all the Seaman to have a good old Chinwag about all kinds of things both sesible and nonsensicle LOL! And of course a few good Bevvies with the Lads
Cheers

http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/f129/

[Ivan Cloherty]

Hi Patricia
Well on this site it is a place to post things that perhaps some Eyes shouldnt see,(Members Only Section) this is so as to keep it away from the younger set ,as there are many visitors here an we dont know wht ages look in on site!
Thus the Pig and Wistle for all the wee bits and pieces haha!

At Sea of course as you may wel know its the gathering place (Pub) for all the Seaman to have a good old Chinwag about all kinds of things both sesible and nonsensicle LOL! And of course a few good Bevvies with the Lads
Cheers

http://www.merchant-navy.net/forum/f129/

Of course Patricia you must realise that not all ships had a "Pig and Whistle" it was mostly the liners, us poor wee cargo ship men had our saloons and messrooms so no chance to escape to the bar, a lot of our cargo ships were dry !so there was no chance for ALL seamen to have a chinwag. Like the old saying goes above the Devil's door "All who enter here (the forum) do so at their own peril" you pays yer moni yer taks yer chances!

Ivan