Pay

[Ivan Cloherty]

Ivan are you referring to those employed through the pool? I never worked out of the pool I was always a company contract while sailing British Flag from 1969 to 1973.

Lewis that was the system I sailed with whether the ships be Pool nominated or Companies had contacted me direct. Surely on a company contract you would still have to sign on and off ships Articles either on board before a Shipping Master or at the Shipping Office, unless you sailed on the coast on Home Trade then you could sign on or off on board utilising an ENG2 Form at a port agreed twixt yourself and Master, the Master would then have to present the ENG2 Form to the Shipping Office at the next UK port of call or first available opportunity within the UK

[Keith at Tregenna]

Hello Robert. If you have ever seen the film Tiger Bay. The opening sequence is the crew being paid off at end of voyage cash in hand.

Full Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=501zqQ5K2xo

[Evan Lewis]

The Port of Pay-off, though opening Scenes.
Featuring the Suspension Bridge . Newport , Middlesborough ,perhaps?

Looking forward ,to viewing all ,again ,now. Did See it at a Cinema , when it first came out.

Course at that time Hayley Mills ,was becoming ,very appealing. Not even Sweet sixteen ,or thereabouts.

[Keith at Tregenna]

My favourite movie, shot locally, Tiger Bay obviously, Cardiff. Transporter Bridge was actually Newport, many Barry Dock scenes. The last time I was at the Church on Bute Street, Cardiff was for the laying up of the Standard - Russian Convoys, a few years ago now.

Keith.

[j.sabourn]

#9 Very true Ivan. In the 70s however it was unnecessary to have a Shipping master present. For anyone who thought they were a company's man they were still a member of the Shipping Federation whether they knew it or not. They had to be cleared through the Federation, maybe the shipowner did this himself or not remains to be seen. I was in foreign vessels from 66 to 71 and found my own company when came back. Had to get cleared through the Federation. Had in my case to do it myself. When asked where I had been told them to mind their own business. If that had been 5 years previous I wouldn't have been cleared as was a no no to go on anything but British Flag. Was unnecessary by this time as well to have a Shipping master present all could be done by the master himself. Different Articles of Agreement in many cases. Was the start of the roller coaster going down hill. Whilst on Foreign vessels money was given in different ways, sometimes monthly in cash. I used to go home with a money belt a bit awkward these days being searched at airports etc. As master on most foreign vessels I was on they worked on a monthly portage account so had to make sure you were always in the black or you short

changed yourself. Varied from ship to ship.such as all stores bought you paid cash for. Used to carry large amounts of cash in safe, usually in US dollars. In the old days always knew in plenty of time when the pay off was going to happen and the imminent arrival of the shipping master, when the saloon was cleared out and the soup dishes were placed on the table for all the different valued coinage. Cheers JWS

[j.sabourn]

My mother in law taught my kids to sing " clap hands for daddy coming up the Tyne with a bag full of money and a bellyful of wine". Do you reckon. She didn't like me ?. JWS

[happy daze john in oz]

Only ever recall being paid in cash in a small brown envelope with details a slip inside with details of wages, tax etc.

Thne the union man waiting to take his bit and we also got the cheap rail ticket back to London.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Only ever recall being paid in cash in a small brown envelope with details a slip inside with details of wages, tax etc.

Thne the union man waiting to take his bit and we also got the cheap rail ticket back to London.

Same system as #9 then John, you would still have to sign on and off either on board or at the shipping office, the envelope method kept your earnings only known to yourself and speeded up pay-off operations on vessels with large crews such as passenger vessels

[Keith Tindell]

i recall on one ship after a long voyage the mate who was an Australian, and never knew who his father was, when he asked us to sign for our overtime before payoff, refused to recognise the Loss of Doss pay, so threw the system into panic. he did eventually pay it but only after a near brawl on pay off. Most of the ships i served on the mates were pretty good with the overtime sheets, and this was in the days when there was masses of overtime, and we did not normally bother with loss of doss. This guy had been a real rissole all trip, kt

[Lewis McColl]

Lewis that was the system I sailed with whether the ships be Pool nominated or Companies had contacted me direct. Surely on a company contract you would still have to sign on and off ships Articles either on board before a Shipping Master or at the Shipping Office, unless you sailed on the coast on Home Trade then you could sign on or off on board utilising an ENG2 Form at a port agreed twixt yourself and Master, the Master would then have to present the ENG2 Form to the Shipping Office at the next UK port of call or first available opportunity within the UK

I was only ever in the Pool once and I think that was to tell them I was on an Ocean Fleets company contract. I seem to remember If I joined in Liverpool signing on while doing my outwoard bound interview in India buildings.Other times it was sign on and off while onboard. I do have one ENG2 stamp in my discharge book when I paid off in Stavenger why I don't know.