First pair of Denims.

[George Gunn]

I was young and just wanted to be one of the boys and I quickly worked out that I needed to wear the unofficial uniform, a pair of Levis ,wranglers or a pair of Lee jeans.The deck crew wore them for work and going ashore they even had them cut down to shorts !! the galley boy wore them and the stewards wore them when going ashore. I had to get a pair !! Managed to get a pair of Lee jeans in Rotterdam I was over the moon the only problem was that they were hard and stiff and could stand on their own. I asked some of the old hands how can I get them to look like there's , worn and faded , you can imagine some of the suggestions, scrub with caustic soda, with diesel, and vinegar etc, etc.The option I went for was to tie a line through the belt loops and secure to the railing then over the side and leave overnight !!!Next morning ,no jeans !! heartbroken !! Anyway couple days later joined some of the boys for smoko and tab-nabs out on deck became aware that they were smirking and looking at me couldn't work out what was going on until I looked up and there were my Lee jeans attached to a samson post, more ribbing but it never did me any harm.
PS.
It took a lot of scrubbing to make me look like an old hand.

[Mo Docherty]

were you in the jeans

[Tony Taylor]

I was young and just wanted to be one of the boys and I quickly worked out that I needed to wear the unofficial uniform, a pair of Levis ,wranglers or a pair of Lee jeans.The deck crew wore them for work and going ashore they even had them cut down to shorts !! the galley boy wore them and the stewards wore them when going ashore. I had to get a pair !! Managed to get a pair of Lee jeans in Rotterdam I was over the moon the only problem was that they were hard and stiff and could stand on their own. I asked some of the old hands how can I get them to look like there's , worn and faded , you can imagine some of the suggestions, scrub with caustic soda, with diesel, and vinegar etc, etc.The option I went for was to tie a line through the belt loops and secure to the railing then over the side and leave overnight !!!Next morning ,no jeans !! heartbroken !! Anyway couple days later joined some of the boys for smoko and tab-nabs out on deck became aware that they were smirking and looking at me couldn't work out what was going on until I looked up and there were my Lee jeans attached to a samson post, more ribbing but it never did me any harm.
PS.
It took a lot of scrubbing to make me look like an old hand.

I once sailed with an engine room storekeeper who joined in Levi jeans and jacket and baseball boots, white teeshirt under the jacket.
That was all he had. He turned to in jeans and tee shirt, baseball boots minus the laces. Washed all every night and just lived in a towel.
Going ashore, he put laces in the boots .