Gravesend peanut

G'Day John, I went to GSS in 1959 and the word was started about then maybe, I'm sure I remember being called a peanut by some local yobs.
Cheers, Roger

I thought the term 'Peanut' was used by the townies because of our monkey style haircuts & the wearing of the 'monkey jackets' when we went up the road.
I was there from November 1977 to January 1978 on the deck side. I remember Neil Swainsbury (Senior Leading Hand) from Gillingham, Dave Norton from Sheerness & Vince Lavell from Sunderland.
It was what I imagined prison to be like, but when I look back now, I would like all teens to spend 3 months in an institution like that. It shaped me well for what was to come when I went to sea. I lost my discharge book, but here are a few of the trips I remember;
Fina Britannia (Common Bros.)
RFA Regent
Straits of Canso (Common Bros.)
La Falda (Buries Markes)
Warden Point (Hudson Steamship co.)
Narnian Sea (Globtik)
RFA Appleleaf
Marchon Venturer ( Marchon products)
Africa Palm (Palm Line)
Zinnia (Stag Line)
Thamesfield (Huntings)

I was at Gravesend from 28/12/49 till 10/2/50. don't remember the Peanuts moto, but do remember it was very cold, and spent a lot of our time in the mornings soaking up condensation on the windows with folded newspapers. The Supt at the time I believe was R McKellar, and one of the Instructors was nicknamed Tommy Trinder as he looked very much like him. Fred.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tommy the T

oooh now i must be getting old, as i can,t remember the class i was in, but i think i was in dorm 29 on the top floor of the building looking down onto the seamans mission.

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Hi Tommy,

When were you there mate ?

Regards

Trevor

Peanuts the answer!

A monkey jacket is a waist length jacket tapering at the back to a point.

Historically monkey jackets were commonly worn by sailors.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_jacket

Well I think its the most logical answer let me know what you think !

Hi Trevor

Had to wear these monkey jackets for three and a half years (age 12.5 to 16 years old) whilst at Trinity Navigation School House in Hull in the early 1950's. Worn by sailors in Nelson's day, called monkey jackets because you were always pulling the bloody things down at the side to try and keep warm,(not allowed to wear pullovers with them) so your arms were always in a semi circle, mind you we did walk straight, but in the old days on the sailing ships where seamen inherited a natural rolling gait to counteract the constant movement, the men viewed from behind with their rolling gate and constant semi circle movement of arms to pull the jacket down would have borne a strong resemblance to our Darwinian forbears, hence the name. The slang term probably initiated by the sailors themselves.

Because being sailors we can take a joke!

Regards Ivan

Hi Ivan,

Thanks for the interesting information, which sounds like you had it a lot harder than we did.
I agree about the sense of humour 100% I can remember dating a girl from Gravesend while at the GSS & then getting a "Dear John " from her on my first trip, which my cabin mate put on the crew notice board. I soon learnt to laugh along with everyone else !

Best regards

Trevor

Hi.Fred
looks as though we missed each other by an intake, I left there 2.12.49. I can't remember the nickname Peanut either. I know we weren't popular with the local lads because we nicked all their birds.
Capt. McKellar was in fact the skipper and Tommy Trinders name was Mr.Roswell.
Cheers
Pete

I was at the nstc Dec 1980 - end Feb/March '81 and this post has brought back memories :)

Orvil was there same time as me he got a bit of a hard time poor guy. I was in k class (catering) anyway on topic my next door neighbour at the time was from gravesend and she told me that i would be called peanut when i got there so it was being used in the 50/60's

I personally never went to G.S.T.S. I was informed by a catering boy on a shell tanker in the 70s, that boys at the school were called peanuts by the locals. For the habit of purchasing salted peanuts from a vending machine. The machine was situated supposedly by a newsagents just outside the gates of the sea school.I had no reason to disbelieve the story at the time. If it is untrue he certainly made a monkee out of me:)