Pint Glass.

[Jim Brady]

This one should be of interest to Captain Kong and if anyone can answer it it should be him.I was talking about the "Big Ships" and the "Pig" and how we had to take our own pint glass with us,if you did'nt have a pint glass you could'nt get a pint in the Pig.If you were joining a ship the last pub you were in you robbed a pint glass.I dont know how many glasses the Pig and Whistle lost being the last pub nearest the stage.
Anyway my mate Andy (many of you guys that sailed on the France should know this guy as John Anderson) he reckons on the France they had pint glasses served in the Pig and that there was no need to take your own glass with you.I was only with CPR and Cunard where you did need your own glass what happened in these other companies??I'd like to know.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Jim,
They were always short of pint glasses on the Empresses and Cunard. Many times I used those big round glass covers for the deck lights. They held about three quarters of a pint so you lost out. also you could not stand them up having a round bottom. so you had to hang on to it.
If you went to the bathroom some one would steal your pint glass. so if we went into Tom Halls or the Pig and Whistle on the bottom of Tithebarn Street? or The Old Style House, when alongside the stage you had to hide a pint glass under your coat when you went back to the ship.
On the old Franconia when we turned to up on the prom deck or Boat deck we always had a pint glass on our belts, the ones with a handle, and then while soogi ing or painting passed it through the window in the Passenger bar and the barman, forget his name now, always gave us a pint.
Happy days
Brian.

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Jim
Well as far as i can recall,we who sailed with UCL never had the need to have our own Pint Glass (or Mug) those were supplied in the Pg and Whistle !
But there may have been other UCL ships that i never was on that may also have had the need to bring your own Pint Glass!?
Cheers

[Jim Brady]

Yes Brian,the pint glass was like gold,never let it out of your sight.After the Pig wash it and lock it in your locker.Cargo boat men joining the big shps for the first time (plate house,engineers steward etc)did'nt know the score most disappointed could'nt get a pint.If you knew somebody had a pint glass and they were'nt going for a pint they would often lend you theirs.I only did one trip in Cunard (Carinthia)I could'nt believe how easy it was to get a pint,you felt that you could get a pint any time of the day.Midship Pig and Forward Pig far more easy than CPR.I was in the 1st class plate house the Meal Bar was next door,the pint of Wrexham lager was flowing right through the meal times,all at 9 pence a pint.Yes me and my mate got our glasses in the Pig and Whistle,by the way Brian what happened to the Style House? I was looking at the google street map and could'nt find it.
Regards.
Jim.B.

---------- Post added at 11:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:41 PM ----------

Vernon,from what you are saying did they have lots of pint glasses behind the bar so you could double up if you wish.Cunard was'nt to bad if i remember but CPR was a nightmare.I dont think we finished until about 9pm and the Pig closed a 10pm.You can imagine all hands just finished and in the queue.Just a small window and the barman with a gun,which was the pump.If you were in company and it was your round next you had to stand in the queue drinking your pint,when you got to the hatch and it was your turn all hands(the company) passed their glasses over to you .I seen many a half pint thrown under the settee to stay in the round.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Captain Kong]

I went up Tythebarn Street in October I was going to a Party for George Skelly the author of The Cameo Conspiracy, for his book launch. [I am in it by the way.] There is just a square of empty ground, Gone. The way a lot of alehouses are going.
Cheers
Brian.

[Doc Vernon]

Jim
The memory isnt too good on that issue,and i could have been wrong,but i know for sure that i didnt have a Glass of my own the time i was at Sea!
I actually do recall that a few of us on the Dunnottar Castle sat together having a Drink,in the Pig and each time we wanted another we actually got a new Glass! So possibly they must have had plenty of spares there!

Now that i sit and think a bit hard,it comes to me that there were Guys who had their own Glass or Mug,as i am sure i can now recall some who actually had their names on the Glass ot Mug ?? Or was that somewhere else!?
Gosh the time has gone,so is the memory!
But there are sill lots of memories too that i do remember! haha!

[happy daze john in oz]

Vernon mate I never saw a pint pot on any UCL unless the owner was with it. I had one of those lantern pint pots with a handle. Someone had 'come by' a case load of them and sold them to whovere wanted for the price of a pint. We all stuck transfers on them so we knew who's was who's. I still have that old pot after all these years.

[Doc Vernon]

As said John
I may be wrong on this,but i cannot recall ever having my own Pint Glass!?

And mate a drank like a bleedin Fish those days! Maybe that was the reason i cant remember !

Always under the weather even when serving,like many others!
But we could hold it then,if i tried that nowdays i would keel over and splatter all those Bloods on the Deck haha

Things may have been a wee bit different in 1958 ??
Cheers

[Albert Bishop]

Pint glasses were never a problem on ould tankers and cargo jobs. No pig and whistle, and all our beer came cans. You lot must have been spoilt rotten. You will be telling me next that you had sheets on your bunks. Cheers Albi.

[Dennis McGuckin]

Think it was on the Andes. Was told we could take our own glass to the Pig.where we would be charged sixpence a glass.
I found a LARGE vase. Worked like a charm.
Den.