Chief Stewards Info

[Stewart Polson]

I'm looking for some general info on Chief Stewards. Can anyone help me ?

1. When did it become necessary to hold a Ch\Stwds cert to sail as such?

2. How long was the Chief Stewards course?

3. When were Chiefs renamed Catering Officers?

4. What was a Chief Stewards Salary 1958 - 1968?

Thanks

[j.sabourn]

Not being a Steward, but to my knowledge was no such thing as a Ch./Stwds cert. that is to Q1 which wipes out Q2. Some called themselves catering officer most signed on as Ch Stwd, If they signed on as catering officer thats what they were then, same job different title. Q4 Depended on Company. Anybody with the BSF book for the era in question would know the answer . Most ch stewards I sailed with on cargo ships was progression from Chief Cook to Chief Steward. Cheers John S

[robpage]

Clan Line had " Purser/Catering Officers" as did Sealink and Gulf Oil , they always had a Ship's Cook's Certificate , although the cook's own certificate covered the requirements , so I suppose it was a reserve in case the cook fell over . They were always known on board as the Chief Steward though . { amongst several other names } between 1958 and 1968 , I know Junior Engineers salary 1970 was £88 pcm in 1968 and Second Engineers £200 pcm so I would guess the P/CO was around £170 pcm then , as for earlier not a clue

[Jim Brady]

The idea of going to sea was to see as much of the world as possible so we jumped from company to company never getting involved on one run a trip down here and a trip down there.Many of us stewards could've reached the dizzy heights of chf.stwd if we were prepared to stay in the same company.Asst stwd for a few trips and then 2nd stwd then chf/stwd.How some of them made it I dont know because they were quite thick most of the time,it was just a matter of staying in the one company.I sorted the state a King boat was in the chf/stwd left it to me he never had a clue when we came back to the UK I was asked to join Clan Line as Pur/Chf/stwd.The credentials of a chf/stwd were nil some did have a cooks ticket.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[j.sabourn]

I have an in law relation who was in the galley with BP for a year or so. He went on to get a City and Guilds in Hotel Management or something. Whilst probably standing him in good stead for a Ch. Stwds job had n othing to do with a seagoing qualification. Maybe nowadays something similar is required, but never heard of when I was at sea. Cheers JS

[John Callon]

Posts Nos 1 & 5
John You never heard of a Chief Stewards certificate because it did not exist. Shipping companies sent their employees on a Chief Stewards Course.which on completion, you received a certificate to verify the fact that you had attended the course and completed the entire course. There was no exam at the end. The Ships cooks certificate of competency course was a different kettle of fish. I obtained my ships cooks ticket in 1965 at the Nautical Catering College Liverpool. It was pretty evident from day 1 of the course that some of the entrants had no idea what was expected from them. I remember quite clearly on that day we had to prepare, cook and serve Gnocci Romaine. Most of the class had no idea what the tutorial chef was talking about, and as he knew I was galley staff in Cunard and he also knew my Dad who was Restaurant Head Waiter on the Caronia, asked me to step in and give a hand. Several years later when I was with Bibbys as Purser/Catering Officer they sent me on this Chief Stewards Course and after day 2 I just walked out as it was a total waste of my time, not to mention the Companys money.
Regards
John

[j.sabourn]

#3... Rob, maybe Clan Line paid their own salary scheme. 1964 to 1967 I was mate with Dalgliesh and the BOT salary was 101 pounds 12 and 6 pence a month, with 27 pounds 2 and 6 pence a month in lieu of overtime. I went then Foreign Flag in Canada for 650 US dollars a month about 230 pounds a month when 2.80 to the pound. When negotiating wages with a British owner the only thing you could do to get an increase was to insist on seniority i.e. length of time in that position and not with that particular company. There was always a shortage of engineers, one I knew was receiving a retaininig daily rate awaiting a ship from 2 different companies, when it came time to go, he knocked back and went with someone completely different. Law of supply and demand. Now you wouldnt even get a job. Cheers John S

[robpage]

Clan line and Gulf Oil as well as Sealink all paid above BoT , I was contract with B&C ( Clan Line ) and Established with Sealink , I did two trips with Gulf Oil which had been Watts Watts but paid considerably higher than B&C , there were annual seniority increments and increments on promotion , to encourage you to stay , when I left in 1973 a Junior Engineer was on £112 a calendar month and going to Gulf put me on £200 a Calender month , I moved because getting Steam Certificate sea time with B&C was getting increasingly difficult , two trips with Gulf and I got it all in , took my certificate , wife announced no 3 child was 8 months away so I went Rock dodging in 1975 , Second Engineer was on £240 a month , new boys got the car ferries , old stagers hung on to the mail boats , every time the anchor went down you got 4 hours pay every ship shift you got 2 hours pay , as the " junior " ship the car ferry had to keep moving out of the way of the mailboats first weeks pay was over £300 . Unfortunately when the Mailboat realised their cushy life wa snot as well paid we consolidated , but it was a good rate too , I stayed there until Mr Sherwood bought the company and hd a few ideas how to improve things , so it was time to go ashore after 21 years in 1987

[john walker]

I'm looking for some general info on Chief Stewards. Can anyone help me ?

1. When did it become necessary to hold a Ch\Stwds cert to sail as such?

2. How long was the Chief Stewards course?

3. When were Chiefs renamed Catering Officers?

4. What was a Chief Stewards Salary 1958 - 1968?

Thanks

I can only give you information about my own experiences as a chief/steward - catering officer purser etc. different companies had different ideas on what qualifications were needed for that position. The company that I was working for (Buries Markes) expected you to have the Merchant Navy Training Board 'Head of Catering Department Non Passenger Vessels certificate' which I had studied for at the Nautical Catering College in Liverpool the duration of the course was I think either 6 or 8 weeks this was in 1980. They also expected you to hold the Board of Trade Certificate of Competency as a Ships Cook and the Ship's captains medical training certificate. I can not remember how much I was paid at the time but I think it was about the same as a ships 3rd. mate so I will hazard a guess that in 1958//1968 the pay would have been the same as a cargo ships 3rd mate. I hope that one of our ex deck officers will be able to say how much that was. I hope that this is of some help in your search for info and that others on this site can come up with more concrete and constructive information cheers J.W.

[j.sabourn]

In 1957 as 3rd. Mate with a second Mates certificate and on company contract, the wage was 47 pounds 2 and 6 pence a month. Cheers John S