Is this a fair wage for an deckhand trainee and ratings?

[Trampshipman]

Hi Collisto,
I first went to sea in 1949 as deck boy. { no trainee deck hand rating in those days]. My pay was £7. 10 shillings a month [£7.50 in todays money], and out of that I alloted £4 a month to my widowed mother, leaving myself with £3. 10 shillings. When you made `junior ordinary seaman` your pay went up to £10 a month, then `senior ordinary seaman`at £12, 10 shillings, and If you made AB [after 4 years actual sea time] then I think the pay was £22. though I`m not too sure of that figure now. Some one will correct me if necessary. Now, for my £7, 10 shillings per MONTH I lived in an `open foc`sle`[in the bow if you didn`t know what that was]. No comfortable cabins for us. No bath or shower, just a bucket ! Only water supply a hand pump ` midships. Always hungry on BOT ration scale [on your pound and pint]. No refridgeration just a stinking ice box on lower bridge. After a few weeks out meat was green and stinking. Flour full of weevils. lentils etc full of weevils. You ate them any way or starved. No TV`s of course those days, but not even a radio provided to listen to. No central or electric heating. No mess room. If on a `watch` then of course you worked 7 days a week and thought nothing of it. You could be `turned to` at anytime for no extra pay if `the Old Man` declared it for the safety of the ship. No laundry facilities, just your bucket. No drying room or suchlike to hang your wet gear. All pretty primitive eh ?
Now, I know that we cannot really equate pay rates of that era with the rates of today. However,
considering the facilities and conditions you are able to enjoy on todays ships, along with the pay you have quoted, I would suggest that you are not getting a bad deal ! Actually, if I were in your position today, I would probably think I was in paradise.

Regards,

Ken.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Shipmates ,Hi KEN, you and my mate Laurie 85yrs, speak the same language. But he was down below with a shovel feeding the boilers with best welsh coal, he never today moans about anything? only its my turn to get the drinks again!!!! did you have burgoo or brown stew or fish head soup only a good feeder? I was very lucky I missed all the mines and convoys and all the bad stuff that happen ,most of the ships in my time at sea were compared to my mates day great feeders and my money was much better we had Cinema ,and a make shift swimming pool on some of them {no dobie bucket } or wash board on the tankers we had proper washine machines and on some Cargo ships . But everyone at sea has a tale to tell about the conditions some were good ? some even in my day were very bad.

[Trampshipman]

Hi, Louis the Amigo !
Enjoyed your comments re` your mate of 85. Without being sarcastic [honestly] it does seem that there maybe be one or two around these days who really do not know that they are born. Yeah, I well remember `Bergoo` alright, never any sugar in it, and we daren`t use our own in it as we never had enough even for our tea. Mind you, never got more than a couple of spoons of `bergoo` per man anyway.
However, I did later on find one or two good feeders. Notably with BTC [ now BP ]. They fed us` like Kings`, possibly because they often found it hard to find full crews. Most men tried to avoid them simply because once you got aboard one you rarely IF EVER got the opportunity to get ashore again until you eventually `paid off` maybe months later. Could sometimes be MANY months at that ! `Turn around` in port in those ships used to be only around 12 hours, much like todays container ships! Mind you, never got chance to spend your money, so you came home `rich`. [Well you thought you were !] Oh yeah ! BTC ships had washing machines too, AND they even provided free washing powder. `Paradise`!

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Ken, Hi Shipmates, As i have said many times on our forum "I was very lucky my time at sea was the best time" No salt horse, or ships biscuits ,or brown stew {tropics} or fish head soup . Some of the old timers' who i knew had it plenty bad.

[Arthur John Harvey]

WAGES.One must assume today that any salary over £15000 a year is a reasonable start but like anyone a shore you have to compete with foreign nationals prepared to take lesser wages, good example is some ships flying the red ensign. I join the 85 club and started my sea career in 1941, wages were £3.50p per month half of which was war risk payment, so the shipping company contribution was £1.75p.Seven day week with two watches plus two field days, rations based on the 1894 shipping act, two weeks holiday a year, cheap labouring them days. In spite of those conditions and pay life was still enjoyable and one was pleased to have survived the war. Even when I made Master my wages were not fantastic but conditions had improved. I have no regrets over my life at sea nor now as I am still working running my own company.

[Charles Bryan]

I( was employed during 50s as edh Union Castle Line and abs were paid a pound or to more for the Lifeboat ticket,but as most of the older guys we didnt complain and just got on with the job,i finished my career as Master on Tugs in Australia,wages at the time I finished were very good,with a 5 week on 5 week off system and paid same wages on leave as when working I had no complaints,10weeks paid leave over and above normal leave for every 5 yrs of Service,but then we had strong unions in Australia,and Unions are only as strong as there members,that is why the no Ticket no Job! system worked,far be it we should go back to the bad old days,but me thinks !that Collisto as Shakiespere said Protests to Loudly!!!!!!!

Charles (KALIBAH)

[happy daze john in oz]

I find it very hard to draw a line between what is now and what was when we went to sea. Before shipping out in 1960 I was earing four pounds ten shillings a week out of which came eight shillings and sixpence N.I. contributions. As a bell boy I was earning about 24 pounds per month all found. Better life style and so much more enjoyable than shore side life. So the question remains, is it the salary that is the most important item, or being at sea? The wages being all found even at the rate quoted I think is O.K.

[Colin Hawken]

Pete,you may not realise that most ships flying the Red Ensign today do not carry British Crews. Most of the Cruise Ships out of Southampton are now American owned,even the Cunard"Queens." Imagine what the wage bill would be if these ships were flying the Stars and Stripes. The crews on them are a mixture of Filipino and other races. They're cheaper than British Seamen. The Red Ensign today is really just another flag of convenience.
I believe the Royal Fleet Auxiliary(RFA) are still crewed by British Seamen. I believe most of these ships fly the Blue Ensign,not the Red oine.

[Colin Hawken]

It comes down to what all of us know. Shipowners are B*****ds. They always have been and they always will be.Still do it all againthough,if I could.

[Charles Bryan]

I tend to agree with Hawkeye,one only has to remember crews namingt for shipping companys

B.T.C. Better Times Coming
Shell.S:HELL
Shaw Saville Line.Slow Starvation.
Blue Star Line. Bullsh*t Sugee Loggings.
B
aron Line.HUNGRY Hogarths.
B.H.P. Bigger and Higher Profits
Esso.EAT SLEEP SH*T AND OVERTIME.
Canadin Pacific.Constant Pain.
P.S.N.C. P**y Sailors need cures.

[I]m sure there are more out there RerdsCaarles (Kalibh)