Pay advance.

[Terry Smith]

If, for instance, your ship arrived home after a long voyage at say 3.30pm, in plenty of time for a pint but too late to sign off because the Company and Federation offices would soon be closing for the day, was a sub available to tide you over till the following morning when you paid off? Just wondering, because I recall docking late in the day on several occasions and clearing off ashore for a drink; I just can't remember how I paid for it because like everyone else, it's a fair bet I was skint.
Many thanks in advance for any answers.
Best regards to all.

Terry Smith

[Peter Trodden]

Hi Terry,
in those circumstances you could get a sub (Channel Money) to tide you over 'till Pay off.
I docked in various Ports after a Deep sea voyage and was given Channel Money and a Travel Warrent back to my Port of engagement Liverpool. Pay of next day at Cornhill Shipping Office.
ttfn.Peter.

[alf corbyn]

on union castle you were paid your overtime and sudays at sea money the day before docking (channel money). most of this was lost on the various gambling games, roulette, crown & anchor craps etc. unless you were lucky. alf

[Captain Kong]

I was paying off a tanker in Tonsberg, Norway.The old man asked if I wanted a Sub, I said No, I would be home in 90 minutes from Oslo to Manchester and if I had money then I could get bevied. I wanted to be home sober for the wife and kids.
Meanwhile the Company had sent a telegram to say I would be in Manchester airport at 3.30pm on Wednesday.
Meanwhile they agent gave me my tickets and took us to the airport in Oslo and left us there. The other lads were flying different airlines and away they went. My flight was at 2pm. I went to the check in and left my case. I wandered around until boarding time when I discovered that British Airways had gone on strike. I was stranded with no money.
I went to several Airlines desks to see if I could transferr. SAS said they could fly me to Stockholm and I may get a flight to Manchester from there. So that evening I was in Stockholm and getting hungry.
I complained to SAS when I found there was no flights available to Manchester.
I said you got me here so get me out. So they took me to Copenhagen , there could be a flight to Manchester from there.It was near midnight so no more planes that night, I slept on a bench. Hungry.
Thursday I wandered around Copenhagen Airport looking for a flight to Manchester. no luck.
I went into the cafe and looked around, someone had left a sandwhich on a table. I ate it.
That evening I got on a Sabina flight to Brussels. landing late at night, no more planes until the following day.I slept on a bench. Hungry.
Friday, Sabina said they could fly me to Brussels, I am getting nearer to home as the days go by.
In Brussels I found a two sandwiches on a plate in the cafe and a cup of coffee that did not seem to have been touched I took them away in case the person came back.
I went to Sabina again, They said we can fly you to Stuttgart in Germany and there is a flight there going to Stanstead Airport in England, I`ll take that, if I can get to England I am almost there. That evening I was in Stuttgart sleeping on a bench, Hungry.
Saturday I got a stand by on a Lufthansa flight to Stanstead. Arriving late Saturday afternoon.
I was wandering around the airport glad to be in dear old England again and I found a DAN AIR desk, I told them my problems they said they would fly me to Manchester. I arrived in Manchester late on Saturday night. Hungry. I was scruffy, stinking, unshaven. I bummed a few pence off a fellow passenger after telling him my woes. I phoned the wife, "I am at the airport come and pick me up" I only live 20 minutes away. "Get back where you have been" she said hanging up the phone.
I phoned a mate Fred. He came and picked me up and took me home. The wife. gob on her, arms folded, looking like Andy Capps wife. "And where do you think you have been for three and a half days. "
I started to tell her what happened. saying I had been to Stockholm and then Copenhagen...... " She screamed, "COPENHAGEN, COPENHAGEN, THAT IS WHERE ALL THE PORN THINGS COME FROM, DONT COME NEAR ME, YOU STINK AS THOUGH YOU HAVE BEEN AT IT".
Sometimes you just can`t win, I slept on the sofa that night, after a good shower, still Hungry.
It was a very cold leave. I phoned the Office and told them never ever send the wife a telegramme again.
My case arrived at the door three days later.
The wife, arms folded like a wrestler, "I dont know why you are unpacking that, you can take it with you now. back to Copenhagen."
A couple or so years later she did the only decent thing she ever did for me, She ran away with an old friend. I sure do miss him.
I always got a big Sub after that when I paid off.

PS I often wondered how she knew that Copenhagen was the Porn Capital.

[Brian Galloway]

This is class ! You could'nt make it up.
B

[happy daze john in oz]

The crazy thing is all these stories and others are true. Try telling that to some who have never even been to Spain, let alone sailed as we did.

[Brian Galloway]

After a voyage the 'boys' would usually have a 'meet' in a pub and do a post-mortem on the trip we just had. The strange looks we used to get in pubs in Belfast when we talked about the everyday things we did at sea, ashore and afloat. People thought we were from another planet! I remember going swimming in the Grove Baths in Belfast in 1968 and did'nt realise the pool was only open for swimming lessons, in this case the Police women from the Royal Ulster Constabulary. they agreed to let me share the pool as there was only about 10 of them. I had a deep tan and was wearing yellow 'budgie smugglers'. I felt like a film star with all the 'looks' and comments I was getting from the ladies.
There were very few package holidays then and no one had a tan only foreigners.
Times certainly have changed.
B

[Graham Payne]

Hi Brian
make you right re the "Tan",
I remember "paying off" RFA Tidespring 23rd Dec '66, as a 19 year old kid and after 6 months or more in the far east even I had a kind of tan ( Ginger Hair ).
In my local pub on x-mas eve, all my mates were very pale compared with me hence I ended up with the prettiest girl and had one of my best leaves ever. I like to think it was my PERSONALITY and SUNTAN, Nothing to do with my "Pay Off Money" of course ? :