Ratguards

[Keith Tindell]

The *rosie* that i recall on the general cargo ships of the 50-60s that i was on, was an old 5 gallon drum with lid cut off, and a rope handle, and was in the mess room pantry, even typing this brings to memory of the old steam geysers, and tea making gear. The rosie was quite heavy if fully loaded, humped out on deck trying to avoid spillage, and dumped over the lee side, kt

[Ivan Cloherty]

even the gash bins in your cabin were called a 'rosie'

[John F Collier]

The *rosie* that i recall on the general cargo ships of the 50-60s that i was on, was an old 5 gallon drum with lid cut off, and a rope handle, and was in the mess room pantry, even typing this brings to memory of the old steam geysers, and tea making gear. The rosie was quite heavy if fully loaded, humped out on deck trying to avoid spillage, and dumped over the lee side, kt

Agr\


Whilst watching the wind direction .

[Doc Vernon]

It was called the Rosie by many as i recall as the saying went Dont get too close to the Rosie with your Nosie!
Cheers

[John F Collier]

Yeah that’s Right Doc, in the pantry the gash can was called the Rosie, but it was always emptied too regular to cause a stink, cheers.

[happy daze john in oz]

I recall on one of the UCL ships one of the first class bloods, being somewhat over refreshed spent some time speaking with Huey on the big white telephone.
This resulted in his top plate being part of the offering he made.
He requested the skipper send some one down into the bilge to retrieve them for him.
He spent the remainder of the voyage eating well cooked and soft foods.

[Chris Allman]

Come on lads, Ratguards are the subject please ..............................

[Ivan Cloherty]

Oh! OK Chris, now here's a little story of Rosie the Rat...………………...once upon a time...……...

[Bob Dunkley]

Where the rat guards to keep the rats of the ship or keep them aboard, Often wondered about that one, I can remember cleaning the hold of a ship that had just discharged a full cargo of grain while brushing the last of it up rats running every where we used to squash them with our steel toe cap boots. Then someone invariably had to bilge dive one hand on your meat and veg if you drew the short straw time for a little pay back from the rat

Ted on all the ships I was on the rat guards were put on to stop rats coming on the ship, and no one ever said its wrong .We were in Pusan South Korea on the Sugar importer 1969 and they made us change all the rat guards around to stop the rats coming off the ship. the rats on the quay were massive they still had midnight curfew at he time so it was grab a girl, if you had the money and go home with her at midnight ,stay in the bar again if you had the money, or back onboard with your tail between your legs or get arrested and spend he night locked up .

[j.sabourn]

Rat guards as said I used t think that, but if you look into port regulations they are to stop rats coming ashore off ships. That’s why they were put on , otherwise stood to be fined. Although it was practical to think otherwise as rats would use them for coming on board. So served both interested parties. JS

On the history of the UK and the great plague of London it was put down to rats, not the rat itself but the fleas that it carried. Must have been the days before rat guards on ships , a good old British rat would never have fleas ? JS