Pig and Whistle!

Ken Smith wrote a book, Mr Merch and Other Stories,
he was an ex seafaring steward, born in Great Mersey Street in Liverpool and went to sea on a wide variety of ships including Queen Mary.
Unfortunately he became ill and has died. His book contains many yarns and poems. He wrote one about the Pig and Whistle on the ships..
.
The Pig, the Pig , the Jolly old Pig
Where the stewards have sorrowed and sinned
and none gave a hoot in the old Swine and Flute
when their heads were three sheets to the wind
.
The Pig served a brew to a thirsty crew
as they sang of the `Brothers Malone`
and they spoke about Kings and all manner of things
and the beautiful women they had known.
.
The Pig The Pig the Jolly old Pig
where the sailor sat popping his cork
where he paid a high price as he threw crappy dice
as the ship took a trip to New York
.
The Pig was the Bar in the grand CPR
where the tankards were dripping in foam
and the Pig, to some wrecks, with no ar5e in their keks
was a bloody good home from home.
.Ken Smith

The book was £2.95 from the Maritime Museum shop also on google.
Cheers
Brian

Hi Capt
Sounds like a great little Book there!
I like that one !!
Cheers

Like Colin we had no Pig and Whistle in my time at sea

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Colin Hawken

You Guys make me quite envious at times.I was never fortunate enough to sail in a Ship with a Pig and Whistle.Didn't have them in Tramps and Tankers. My fault really.It was my decision after a couple of Union Castle Mailships,that passenger Liners weren't for me.

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For a lot of het blooded men UCL was not the place to be. But if you were a little 'odd' it could be home from home!!!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cappy

nothing wron with sitting round the arsend with a couple of beers on a warm tropical nightand good shipmates

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It all depends on which end of the arsend you were.

How many “ands” in a row?

How can you put the word “and” 5 times in a row in the same sentence? I need to tell a story. The landlord of a pub called The Pig And Whistle asked a signwriter to make a new sign. When he saw it he thought that the words were too close together so he said to the signwriter “I want more space between Pig and And and And and Whistle”.

I had the same problem with my pub the Fondle and Finger, too many bloody 'ands

Apparently: The name Pig & Whistle has had a place in British history ever since daily rum rations were issued to all men aboard Royal Navy ships in 1655.

As the story goes, it was the job of the junior midshipman to go below to draw the rum for the shop's company from the barrels - called "pigs". One day the junior officer arrived on deck drunk with the rum for the duty officer of the day. The next day the officer ordered the midshipman to keep whistling until he returned on deck with the rum, this way he wouldn't be able to drink while carrying on his task. Therefore, the name "Pig & Whistle".

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Charles Louis Barron

Like Colin we had no Pig and Whistle in my time at sea

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Hi Lou did'nt the Duchess Of Bedford (Empress Of France) have a Pig when you were on her,maybe being a boy you were not allowed in there.
Regards.
Jim.B.

In the early 50s the France had a good forard Pig and one amidships for mostly the catering lads.
All the CPR boats did as did Cunard, always two on each one.
Cheers
Brian

Brian i dont recall two Pigs on the France and I can say for definite that there was only one Pig on the Britain.I did one on the Carinthia two on there I was in the 1st class plate house the meal bar was next door so we could even get a pint there whilst we were working.Hot work in the plate house so we always had a pint on the go when the meal was on.
Regards.
Jim.B.