Signing Articles

[Bill Cameron]

I was trying to explain to a landlubber what it meant to "Sign On" , but I have forgotten the Northerly and Southerly degrees of Latitude we were articled to sail between, can anyone help?

[j.sabourn]

Believe it was 60 north and south. Might be wrong but almost certain. These were the old 2 year Articles. If wasn't 60 then 70, as thinking back went above 60 north many times in the North Sea and these were the same as FG Articles, 60 north was the uppermost limits for Home Trade I believe. So for 60 read 70. The Articles of Agreemant could have additional clauses inserted and this was usually inserted in the agreement by the old shipping master and the copy displayed in the messroom normally. For example I flew out to Montreal to join a ship, the Articles had expired in Japan and everyone would only sign on the new ones if it was stipulated in the Arts. that they would be relieved on the first return to the Eastern Seaboard of North America. When I joined they had been there 2 years and 4 months. I always stipulated on foreign vessels a 12 months maximum, and then had the option of getting out early if necessary. Cheers JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

HI John.
It was different for us ABs the shipping master said sign here, and you signed.
Cheers Des

[j.sabourn]

Des you probably had a bad head when signing. You probably had more rights than you realized and could of demanded to read them first, but as had already read the same print on previous ships just signed to keep the queue moving. The 6 month running agreement were the first set of Articles to show a thread of civilization. I sailed with Hong Kong chinese and if they didn't get their 2 years work out of it wanted redundancy. On a 8,000 ton ship had three galleys, as deck and engine room from different parts of China mainly Fuchow and Shanghai spoke different dialects and ate different foods. They then went ashore back to mainland China for a year. All on 28 pounds a month. Another set of Articles the NE coast Agreement was for the colliers which I tried to get into. The crew was made up of 50/50 NEand London. The Londoners were off when ship at Battersea, and the Geordies off when in the Tyne. Worked very well, think maybe now doesn't exist unless others know. Cheers JS

[Captain Kong]

I signed on the CASTLEDORE, in Liverpool. a new ship maiden voyage, 10,000 ton , five hatch, ten derrick job. On 10 October 1957.
We signed on for a voyage of no more than two years unless the vessel returns to the UK or Continent.
My mate Len Seed was Bosun and I was Lampy, She was going to BA and then to Rotterdam, so that meant we could pay off in Rotterdam.
On sailing day We were told to stand by for sailing, I was in the alleyway and noticed that a copy of the Articles, on the bulkhead, had been altered, the Words Continent, had been crossed out. Which meant we could only pay off in UK,.
She had a two year contract, Coal to BA and grain to Rotterdam, No Chance of paying off for two years.
So I went to the Captain on the Bridge. "Why have the Articles been altered, " response, "Get off my Bridge and go and let go". the tugs were alongside. I went and told all hands we were being Shanghaied. and we walked off. The Captain was going demented . I phoned the Union and then phoned the Shipping Master in Cornhill Liverpool.
They came down to the ship.
It turned out that the Captain had altered to Articles after the sign on.
We had to be paid off with One Months wages, and had the choice of signing on again with the UK ONLY CLAUSE.
I went home.
A few months later I was in BA on the Urmston Grange and Len Seed came on board, to see us. he was not a happy man. he had to do the two years on that run.
Cheers
Btrian.

[Ivan Cloherty]

(1)Articles of Agreement states 'it is 'suggested' (my inverted commas) that for voyage agreements the maximum period inserted should not exceed 24 months'

(2)Trading limits 'xx calendar months duration to any ports or places within the limits 75 degrees North and 60 degrees South latitude'

(3)The Master shall have sole discretion to end the voyage at such port on the Continent of Europe (within Home Trade limits) as may be required by him

#1 Always read the small print!

#3 Doubt in reality Master would make that decision if ship was heading to UK after reaching the Continent as he wouldn't want to be responsible for 60 -200 Ferry fares that Owners would be faced with in each direction for crew changes.

[Captain Kong]

I have just looked at my old Discharge Book.
Signed on 10 October 1957, paid off 10 October 1957,
and where the Description of Voyage was, it usually says , "Foreign" , That has been scribbled out. Only just noticed it.
Cheers
Brian

[Bill Cameron]

Many thanks j.sabourn, I dug out an old chart and I have come to the conclusion it would have been, 70 degrees North and South, I have only been in the region of the Arctic circle which is 66 .33 degrees north when in the Cod War in 1960 on the RFA Wave Ruler, we were on "Foreign running agreement" articles. Usually a 21 day trip going round and round Iceland topping up various warships, great days, we got 10 bob and a tot of neaters very day we refueled a warship or a RAS "Refuel at Sea". what I remember most was the mad dash of trawlers and us to reach 61 degrees North, then the bonds could be opened.

[Keith Tindell]

I always understood ,rightly or wrongly, that it was any port between Kiel canal and Brest, after completeing six months. My last trip we were in Hamburg, just shy of the six months, and the skipper said he was not breaking articles. Several of us told him we would not be leaving with him, and eventually he agreed to pay us off, and the company paid for our fare home. That was my final voyage 1965, kt

[Ivan Cloherty]

Home Trade Articles state any port within the limits of Elbe and Brest including the Republic of Ireland.

Middle Trade Articles state any port between the White Sea and Black Sea including Baltic and Mediterranean Seas as far south as Casablanca.