Crew linen issue.

[Jim Brady]

I haven't had a dream about being back at sea for years but last night this one seemed to go on all night.There was more to it than this but the gist of it was this.Docking day the crew had to return their bed linen to the 2nd stwd (funny enough in this dream the 2nd stwd was Mike Hall)But lets forget about the dream the query is this (I don't know because it did not affect us stewards)What was the "incentive" to make the deck and engine crowd bring back their bed linen and towel before they could pay off,I recall there was some routine regarding the linen that had tobe gone through before one was allowed to pay off,what was it1!?
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Captain Kong]

I saw many times in the 50s and 60s on cargo ships on docking and Pay off day, men just leaving their bunks as is.
Just tied up in Liverpool, shave, shower and shampoo and into the saloon to collect the pay off and book.in a taxi and home.
The cleaning ladies came on board and cleaned the cabins then, and removed all the linen and towells.
In ESSO we changed the linen on our beds and made the bed for the next man. [after the stewards had been removed in job cutting]
The crowds were almost always the same, you knew your relief and so it was reciprical.
Cheers, Brian

[Jim Brady]

Brian,the situation I am talking about no linen brought back no pay off.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[j.sabourn]

Think you may have had to produce when you signed for your overtime. My bugbear was getting the cabin keys back, this is how I used to do it when signing for the total overtime at end of trip or if 72 hour Running Agreement when you were asked back or not. Cheers John Sabourn

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, dont recall anything about this subject, except the beds were striped and the fresh linen/blankets was put on the bed, on signing on, only used keys in port to lock door, used hooks at sea never locked my door.

[j.sabourn]

Louis, although people very seldom locked their door at sea, a key had to be provided to every joining crew member. If I remember correctly if they did not return on leaving they were charged a pound or something to pay for a replacement having to be cut, the Ch. Stwd may of had a similar way of getting his linen back as Jims original query was. Cheers John Sabourn

[Jim Brady]

John, you say a key was issued to each crew member on joining.I only recall one key per cabin wether it was one,two or four berth. I was only thinking about this after reading your post,we always "hid" the key on a beam above the cabin door when going ashore how stupid was that I'm sure that every good ships thief knew that.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Keith Tindell]

I also remember the key to the cabin, and in some cases you could lock the door while it was still on the hook, ie slightly ajar, so could be used in this mode in port KT

[j.sabourn]

Ref. keys, I knew mates who ordered a little vice and always ordered key blanks and used to cut their own for spares. Normally there would be 4 or 5 spares for each cabin on the hooks in the spare key cabinet usually kept in the mates cabin. Also a pass key was usually kept by the Master, Mate and Chief Engineer. Also unbeknown to some handcuffs and sometimes leg irons were kept by the mate, never really checked up, but this may have been BOT requirements. Going back to the linen question, I can visualize on at least one ship everyone going along before arrival with their bedding in a pillow case and the 2nd. steward throwing sheets pillow cases and counterpanes towels into separate piles for the shore laundry. Believe this is when it was probably checked. I know someone is going to pick on the word vice, this is not of the carnal or any other type but of the very small variety. Cheers John Sabourn

[Jim Brady]

The linen went ashore to the laundry,but does anybody know the answer to this.When did the blankets ever get dhobi'd,were they on the ship for the duration of the ships life,I as a steward never ever remember carrying blankets ashore or bringing them back on board.
Regards.
Jim.B.