Your first job at sea

[happy daze john in oz]

On UCL there was no problem in getting beer, the Pig was great.
But I know from, experience getting beer on a cargo ship or tanker was not so esay.
Two can a day and not even cold??????????????????

[J Gowers]

Hi John,
I was at sea with Denholms for 10 years then a couple of years each with BP and Swedish Caledonian this was in the 70s and 80s sailed on all types of ships except passenger ships and I never saw any beer rationing on any ship I sailed on you could buy as much beer and spirits as you liked but your tap would be stopped if you went over the top. I have been surprised to hear there was rationing with some companies in those days. My last experience of buying beer on a ship from the Chief Steward was on the Blue Marlin in 2005, I was in the drilling industry at the time and the Blue Marlin was a semi-sub heavy lift vessel which was transporting two Jack-Up rigs from the USA to India and and we (rig skelaton crew) lived in the crew accommodation on the ship, which was very nice with a fridge in each cabin and you could buy beer, took me back to my MN days.

By the way what was the Pig??

[j.sabourn]

Most rationing if any was at the time you mentioned was due to the master, never usually the company , it was the company ruling later that most ships returned to being dry the same as it was in 1953. So in my time went from dry to wet and back to dry which it mainly is today, there is always someone or something to blame for catastrophic calamity’s . It is usually the innocent who suffer. JS

[Keith Tindell]

53, the Pig, or Pig and whistle was the crew bar on passenger ships, such as Union Castle, Cunard etc. This was just like any bar, in my experience you paid cash as you drank, but i could be wrong on that. The usual entertainment was on most nights, the Queens performed in their refinery, cards darts, crown and anchor board etc. No limit to what you drank, but had to perform your duties, otherwise loggings.

[Graham Payne]

Hi Keith , Same on the P&O passenger ships.
Beer in the pig approx 1/- a pint but no spirits allowed circa 1968.

[Keith Tindell]

I could be wrong, but on Union Castle the pig beer was Orangeboon ?, i had aways drunk brown and mild ashore, but that Dutch?, beer gave you a nice sore head.

[J Gowers]

First ship I was on in 1974 had Orangeboom beer, yes it was Dutch, it certainly gave you a Boom-Boom headache, can't remember the price but on my second ship a boxboat it was 10P for for a pint of draught beer which I think was Skol or it may have been Tennants it was 5P for a spirit, some ships (very few) had a cash bar most were signing the book and paying the Chief Steward at the end of the month with a cheque. Some guys liked a cash bar as it stopped the Captain seeing exactly what you were spending on drink.

[Doc Vernon]

Keith
As far as i recall the Pig had the normal English type Beers , i remember Drinking Bitter and on some of the UCL one even managed to get the Black and Tan, which was my then favourite.
I have had that Orangeboom Beer which said gave a real kick and Hangover but not in the Pig. However i stand corrected.

Another Beer which i found terrible though and gave you a worse Hangover was the old Black Label, hated it!

But one i recall and also liked was the old Scrumpy!!

[Des Taff Jenkins]

I was only on one ship were you could buy beer from the steward, I think from memory it was the Baron Elibank. All the ships I sailed on where dry.
Des

[Keith Tindell]

I stand corrected Vernon, could have sworn it was Orangeboom, but i only drink bitter now, most British pubs have the bitter pumps, and also lager, but nowadays its very hard to find a pub selling mild.But at £4-5 per pint i don't drink in a pub very often, pubs today only survive on selling food.