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Thread: Sea training schools

  1. #21
    Keith at Tregenna's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sea training schools

    #16: Is that correct - 6 weeks for catering.

    Just wondered.

    K.

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    Default Re: Sea training schools

    It was 6 weeks for catering at Gravesend school Keith,so would have been the same for Vindi, kt
    R689823

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  4. #23
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    Default Re: Sea training schools

    Was that just for waiting ? cooking ? both ? etc ?

    As said just interested.

    Keith.

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    Default Re: Sea training schools

    Post#1 Hi Michael, reading your post the name Wellesley set something ticking in my mind. I found it today, a book of short stories AHOY THERE! by Jack Smith. Jack as a thirteen year old was involved in the theft of quality racing cycle which he tried to sell to a dealer, when asked how much he wanted for it " three pounds ten shillings" he said. The dealer asked him to come back in the afternoon and he would settle up. He came back and was confronted by a detective who knew the cycle was not his and was taken to the local police station. He ended up in Juvenile Court, The judge said to him I see by what is written you wanted to go to sea " yes said Jack". He received two years three months in an approved nautical school on the windswept Northumberland coast. As he says Blyth is a long way from Brixton. He went on to have along career in the Merchant Navy.


    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellesley_Nautical_School

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    Default Re: Sea training schools

    6 weeks is about right I was at Gravesend from Dec 49 to Feb 50 freezing no water at times

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  10. #26
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    Default Re: Sea training schools

    Quote Originally Posted by Keith at Tregenna View Post
    Was that just for waiting ? cooking ? both ? etc ?

    As said just interested.

    Keith.


    Truly, just interested as, I cannot see much being taught in so little time, Rodney might be the best person to reply, prop going through this basic and achieving so much himself in reality over time.

    K.

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    Default Re: Sea training schools

    I was at Gravesend in 1953 and in catering. There was no cooking classes. it was all to do with waiting. There may have been spud bashing, but I never did it. The first four weeks were sort of how to carry a tray, and plates without using a tray, and serve with a spoon and fork. The fifth week, the top student in the class was selected to be the captain's tiger. A combination bedroom steward and dining room steward. The second highest was the offices mess steward. I made it to the second slot. I guess this was to get the feel of first class service or officers mess stewards on a cargo ship The third selection was to be mess hall stewards, I guess a sort of training for the second class waiters on passengers, or Engineers mess stewards on cargoes. Of course there was roughly two more years to go as a catering boy before one got a rating.

    The food for us inmates was god awful. Three old witches operated the kitchen and could have been cast as the witches in "Macbeth". Stirring a cauldron of cabbage, boiled until it was good and soggy, and the water then doubles as soup.

    The last week was lifeboat drill, and I remember rumors where always flying that if you didn't get a passing grade you had to stay an extra week and do over lifeboat week.

    As Officers steward. I had to get up at 5am, this was in December in balmy Gravesend, nestled on the banks of the Thames. And the gods of the weather made sure I had ample rain to dash across from the dungeon I slept in to officer country. Where they gave me the privilege
    of cleaning out the grate and lighting a fire so they would be toasty warm as they had their tea and bickee served by yours truly, to be followed of course by breakfast served by yours truly again. The rest of my day was spent cleaning and fetching and serving. Of an evening, I could sit in a cubby hole back in slave quarters. No door, no heat, and await for one of the royals to buzz me., so once again I could run through the rain up the stairs. Knock softly on the door..."Come!" I'd enter... "Empty the ashtray, steward." This crap would be going on all evening until I was released at 9pm.

    I was due to finish purgatory on Saturday for hell week with lifeboat drill week commencing (I think) on Sunday. When on Thursday I was told I was pulling another week in Officers Mess, as three or four representatives of shipping companies were visiting the prison camp for a tour, and would be having lunch with the officers and the captain, and the captain's tiger held over too, to be my helper. So we ducked life- boat week.

    However, two of the three witches were bringing over the food and serving it to us waiters. All went well until the entree (main course) the captain said to one of the reps, (Port Line) that I had a letter offering me a position as catering boy with Port Line upon completion of the course. He said something like "what's your name young man." which standing at attention and scared to bits, I told him, as a Witch gave me a nudge and passed me a serving tray. I forgot to use my serviette and the bloody thing was red hot and I wouldn't dare drop the it and by the time I got my serviette under it my fingers where cooked...!@#$%^& ugly old cow. and she gave me a smirk too.

    The first thing I did on the way home to Southend was to toss my hat and tie out the trains window, but not using my bandaged hand for throwing.

    Cheers, Rodney
    Last edited by Rodney Mills; 17th January 2021 at 09:39 PM.

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  14. #28
    Keith at Tregenna's Avatar
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    Default Re: Sea training schools

    Quote Originally Posted by Rodney Mills View Post
    I was at Gravesend in 1953 and in catering. There was no cooking classes.
    Cheers, Rodney


    Thanks. Keith.

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    Default Re: Sea training schools

    Ah Rodney , and those bloody decks where we all slept, in the event of a fire we would all be toast, kt
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    Default Re: Sea training schools

    Not the same i guess but when i was at the Catering Training at SASSAR in Cape Town for the South African Railways, we were sent to the Catering Camp there (An old Aerodrome at Wingfield ) for a period of Six Months, to do an advanced course in Waitering Silver Service, This included all Areas of Serving with full Silver Service, and after a short while we were then having to actually serve Members of Parliment, who came there to eat. We were not allowed out of the Complex at all for the Duration, so a long stay.
    But had many happy times within the place, and lots of fun besides the actual training. Was like a short Military Session there.

    And that was how i got to obtain my 1st Class Asst Stewards position on my first Ship out of Cape Town, What a Buzz!
    Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website

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