Merchant Seamen

[j.sabourn]

To anyone who is not a seafarer and not experienced the actual living conditions sometimes in cramped quarters 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, and sometimes well passed the year, must think it unimagineable and think we are peculiar creatures. I cant think of any other occupation where men were thrown into such close quarters for such long periods of time. Even the Forces in Barracks were given nights and days off. Our R.N. service people would have spent as much time in Shore establishments as on ships, in peacetime. Our submariners even to this day usually finish up either in accomodation outside their enviroment usually in hotels when abroad, leaving only a token watchkeeping crew onboard. The only people I can think of are prisoners in her majestys jails, and I am sure their accomodation is on at least a par with seafarers if not better, their enviroment is one of ease and plenty and are not subject to the harsh conditions of climate and storm. Of the 40 or so men on the average ship of years ago you always had 40 different personalitys, there was always the Sea Lawyer who thought he knew it all, he funnily enough kept us all on our toes trying to keep up with the present regulations and our rights as we saw them, really we had none but we all lived in cloud cuckoo land, thinking of the next run ashore. The best wire splicer who everyone tried to match, the one usually more than one with the sweaty feet who always got the hose on him when washing down, the model maker, the fancy knot man, the canvas shoe maker, they were numerous and all individuals in their own right. Their loyalty was to the ship and themselves, even though the ship used to be cursed every day, it was still home. These type of seafarers would be hard to find nowadays, as went with the demise of British Shipping as such. The landllubber reads a few books written by other landlubbers and think they know it all, if they but knew they dont even scratch the surface. Cheers John Sabourn

[Tony Wilding]

Could not have described it better myself John, i was lucky, the most i shared with was 2, but when i was Storekeeper or Donkeyman it was single berth, *nearly got lumbered on Queen Elizabeth, *wanted me to sail as a Fireman,had heard tales of 14 to a cabin, *so i was Donkey Greaser at the time and refused it, Pool Man said i was fussy, *but some Ships were bad feeders. bad cabins, if the Crew were OK we were happy, did meet some gifted people , *was suprising *the skills some had, *i found a life at Sea taught you to become a Jack of all Trades. found it hard when i came ashore to integrate with non Seaman. Tony W.

[j.sabourn]

Tony Sailed with one AB who had sailed on the QE said it was the worse ship he had ever sailed on. As you said about 14 to a cabin, should have called them dormitories. Have sailed on 5 and 6 to a cabin but never 14. Cheers John Sabourn

[robpage]

Some of the old Clan Line Ships had a single cabin for the assistant stewards and the cooks that was often a 12 berth , I would have described it as a Hell Hole rather than a cabin , and that was the ships built before the mid 1950s . I thought that many men in a cabin was more akin to an Army barracks rather than a ship the difference being that the Barracks had five times the space

[happy daze john in oz]

Worst I ever had was a four berth and not too bad, except first thing in the morning. Go to the heads then come back, you could almost cut the smell with a knife, goodness knows what it must have been like with 14!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gulliver]

And Dr.Samuel Johnson said(and let's face it,he said a lot!):-

No man will be a sailor who has contrivance enough to get himself into a jail; for being in a ship is being in a jail, with the chance of being drowned... a man in a jail has more room, better food, and commonly better company.

But still we did it !

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[Jim Brady]

When we signed articles it was always two years unless it was a Running Agreement so if you were catering it meant a seven day week for as long as you were away.Deck and engine would have the weekend off in port or maybe get a "job and Finish" on the funnel and the remainder of the day off,no such thing for the catering dept.if you went adrift and had a day off you paid dearly for it.Also the deck and engine day workers were off of a weekends at sea unless there was any overtime going.John sometime you also had someone who could cut hair,he did'nt get a ciggy issue as his charge for a haircut was usually two packets of fags.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Tony Geeves]

I remember my first single berth cabin, Shaw Swivles "Majestic", 1968. She also, if memory serves me right, had air conditioning! Did five trips on her, loved it.regards, Tony Geeves.

[Glenn Baker]

Yes the new ships were Luxury, the old Durham a federal ship had no aircon, we had a few electric fans bolted to the Bulkheads that churned out more heat than cool air and the little brushes inside them were kept going with silver paper out of a ciggie packet.
always remember the strip of bacon one button of black pudding and one egg, all for brekkie and it was a 7 am turn too on the Holystones brekkie at eight, such luxury was the order of the day, i believe prison rations were somewhat superior to what we had.
Never mind we joined the Merch to see the sea and we saw . Glenn now an old fella Australia

[Captain Kong]

The worst accommodation I had was on the old BEECHFIELD, one of Savages, [ what a good name for a Company],
Sailors and Firemen in an open focsle, underneath the Chain Locker, no ports and a coal bogey throwing smoke, and ash around. Access was by a verticle ladder, bunks no towells , no sheets, just a manky mattress covered in coal dust and ash and a filthy blanket. I lasted one month.No bathroom, to go to the Toilet we had to wait till we got to Belfast or Derry and then leg it to the Mission.
EEH it were tough in the old days.
Brian .....still recovering.