Ringbolting

Hi Des,
I do not remember too much ringbolting in Oz, but one particular instance comes to mind, we were going from Fremantle to Adelaide I think, I was galley boy on the 'Otaio' and the Asst. Cook, Graham Penny, asked me to take his ringbolter her breakfast, after questioning why the lazy so and so did not take it himself, he said he was too busy (sic). So I tookk in her breakfast and I could see why Graham was so reluctant, she was enormous, she overfilled the bunk, although Graham was tall and skinny I still could not see how they both managed to fit in. For the next couple of days he had a haggard and haunted look! Ha Ha.
Cheers, Paul.

I’ve just come back from a club meeting. One of the Lady’s an 80 odd year old who is the Secretary was describing her experiences when she first emigrated to Oz many decades ago. Said she was a shy young girl then. Kept silent when she was asked by some yobbo if she was one of these 5 pound pom baskets. She said she just remained silent.I should have told her what I did when asked a similar question, was “ well it’s better than being a10 pound Oz. “.
What’s that ? Was the usual question , “ 5 pound on each ankle “ would be the reply. JS.

I went to NZ and Aus from 1955 to 59 with NZSCo and Shaw Savill before changing to Houlder Bros, when I paid off my first trip I was
very surprised to see my releif was an old school pal from Wood Green, he stayed on for the next trip which was Aus. He told me that his
dads old army mate lived in Sydney and we had been invited invited to meet them, Sydney was our first port of call and it was the first
time either of us had been there so it was nice to have a family to visit. They lived in a apartment block, mum dad a son and two daughters,
we all got on very well but I was surprised when dad said "You Poms are all the same," I mean he had only been there for about 5 years himself:)
anyway we made a date with the girls and for me that continued for another couple of years when in Sydney, dads name was Bert and he had his
own building company, sally was a great girl and I really liked her but she was getting serious and was talking marriage, the last time I saw them
they had moved to a large detached house across the harbour very near the bridge, Sally was quite excited and Bert called me aside for a beer
and a chat, he told me his company was expanding and doing very well. Bert offered to take me on and teach me the trade if I was to move to
Aus, well that came out of their blue, the son Ken had an Austin Healey and took me across the bridge a few times riding around town, it all
sounded great lovely girl, great family and a promising future BUT I was still nineteen enjoying my life at sea and most of all my freedom to
do what I wanted, when I left it was still an open door but I never went back as my next two trips was back to NZ andthe the B A run, then I
came ashore and had a very hard time settling down until I met the girl of my dreams then it all came together and we had 48 happy years
together maybe sometimes these things are meant to be. cheers
My first time in Auckland 1955', we were carrying munitions and anchored off Rangitoto Island flying the red danger flag also yellow for
quarantine, we went to the NZRN base on the island to watch movies and socialise in general, when we finally docked at Princes wharf I was
very eager to get ashore as we had been at sea for six weeks. Even on my first trip I did notice how warm and friendly the girls were, so
different to home and a new experience for me, I loved it there, the reason the girls went for us lads from the ships was, the Kiwi lads were
at that time very clean cut, most were dressed in gabardines and wore a sports jacket, they had one interest and that was sport only, our
lads wore suits ties had Tony Curtis hair cts, knew all the latest songs etc, maybe a bit like our girls went for the Yanks in the 40s. The only
dance halls I knew in Auckland were the Poly and the Orange, the Poly was a hall above some shops and was a bit basic but packed with girls
wanting to dance to pop records, the Orange was a more refined but not so much fun, the only trouble I saw in Auckland was 1957 when
the NZRN lads from Rangitoto Island started beating up lone seamen because they were jealous, there was some serious beatings and I
got cout up in it, I'd been on a date and was walking down Queen St on my way back to the ship when I was ambushed by about a dozen NZRN
lads all in uniform, I was surrounded and the ringleader came towards me swinging a heavy white rope with a big crown knot, his purpose was
obvious and I had one thought in mind "If I'm going, you're coming with me" it took him by surprise when I hit him as hard as I could, straight
left from the shoulder lean into it with all my weight, he dropped his rope as he went flying back into the crowd, his mates caught him and he
was stunned, but before anything else happened a copper appeared, he knew exactly what was going on and said to me "Off you go" but kept them talking, the next night a few of us were having a beer in my cabin when we heard a load of noise outside, we saw a group of our lads about 60-70
on the quay shouting for us to join them, it seem a lad had been severely beaten up and that was the last straw, the mate sood at the gangway
shouting No ships gear to go ashore, followed by the sound of shackles etc hitting the deck, we walked up Queen St escorted by two police cars
but nary a sailor to be seen, I never heard of it happening again, cheers

Remember those days well, Shaw Savill, shore bosun was Big H, Helen Mac.

Thanks Paul, brings back happy memories of several trips to the Kiwi coast in the seventies, the most memorable on the ex NZSCo Mataura on which we had about 2 months on the coast going from port to port with many ringbolters. Many stories with which I have been known to bore the pants of my drinking partners :-).
One particular memorable event was in Gisbourne. It was the RO's birthday and he and one of the Nav Cadets were dispatched to the local hospital to round up some lovely nurses for the impending party. They returned with two girls and a guy (Not a great result) the drinking continued, with stories of the escapades at ward 7 of the hospital.
Some time later the gangway watch turned up at the Officers bar with a couple of policemen. They were looking for three inmates from ward 7 one of whom was a commited inmate (Local looney bin) and yes these were the three aboard. We managed to persuade the three to leave peacefully. Suggested the two policemen come back after their shift for a few drinks, which they did. This resulted in a return match to the police social club. (Another story among many) Loved Gisbourne .
Regards
Rob

Hi Robert,
Thanks for that, you say you have been boring the pants off your mates with stories; well let us hear them. I am only putting these little articles of mine out there because as my Ruth says, if I do not they will be lost. There may also be an ulterior motive behind her encouragement; the more time spent telling all of you my tales, the less time I have in boring her with an oft told yarn Ha Ha.
Cheers, Paul.

Hi Paul.
My wife doesn't mind a few yarns, she likes to think of me as an old swashbuckler. I swash-buckle around the lounge at times.
Des :th_thth5952deef:

Before this Thread was started i must admit that i was not aware of the word Ringbolting?

All i recall was like a Stowaway or Hidden Crew Member.
However why i am replying here now is that i had a long time ago posted a true short story of my late Brother
Yes quite true !

I heard a few Stories like those above in my time,and especially on the UCL there seemed to be many at the time!

I told a wee story about my late Brother some Years back , he did Stowaway (Ringbolt as you now tell me )at one time, and actually worked on the Ship as an Entertainments Officer, he was some brazen Lad in his days.

Yes that is a very true story, that i can vouch for.
He got nabbed halfway Mid Atlantic,though and was kept in the Brig till the Ship reached Southampton. He actually got away with it all too,just a good talking to and made to repay the fare for the one way trip, wasnt too much at the time .
Cheers

Hi Doc,
It may be apocryphal but I heard of an NZSCo. Chippy who took the front off his chest of drawers, made a 'door' of the drawer fronts, and hid his girl in there homeward bound. According to the story they had gone from Kiwi and only got caught in the Atlantic, apparently on one inspection the Chief Officer noticed not only two toothbrushes but also feminine toiletries, but that may all be an urban myth.
However, when I was on the 'Arawa', around six hours after leaving Papeete in Tahiti, a ringbolter gave himself up, he had been hiding in a winch house; he was a Legionnaire from the French Foreign Legion, as he was from Glasgow, he was well looked after!
Cheers, Paul.

Ringbolting girls around the coast in NZ was normal we took 6-7 from Napier to Timaru on the Wellington star ,when we got there ,we worked out a way to keep one step ahead of the customs etc .Once cleared 3 of us including a Maori girlfriend went to the bar in Timaru ,I cant remember the bars name but the Royal rings a bell. After a couple of hours we were rat arsed and the girls husband walked in. he had come all the way down by car .it ended them throwing pool balls at each then she cracked him with the cue .police came sorted it out and told us to get a taxi. We went outside the bar jumped into a taxi we were so drunk it turned out we were siting in the police car. They took us to the station. Questioned Cathy ,then let us go, all the girls were ringbolted to Bluff our last port ,where we saw each other off with rousing drunken Maori girls & British seaman's Harmony Choir version of Now Is The Hour ,brought tears to your eyes .