the galley boy

[cappy]

the galley boy rose at the crack of the dawn......shuffled into the galley and felt the range warm......down to the bunker to top up the coal.......then stumbled a bit as she did a slight roll......on with the geysers the steam hissing loud .....then put on the burgoo beloved by the crowd.....the bacon he grilled the eggs he did fry.........seven bells nearly he gave a loud sigh......in swaggered the cook also known as the doc......sleep in his eyes a face stoney as rock.......you idle young bugger but the boy was to quick.......and the doc wasn't fast enough to give him a kick .......sorry folks but the comp wont tabulate

[Jim Brady]

From and old galley boy.

Down in the galley
The galley so low
He peels potaters
And mixes the dough
Taters for breakfast
Dinner and tea
Along came the captain
More taters for me.

Regards.
Jim.B.

[cappy]

All you need to do Cappy is to press the enter key on your keyboard whenever you want to start a new line.

eg.
the galley boy rose at the crack of the dawn (enter key)
shuffled into the galley and felt the range warm (enter Key)

thanks tony but for some reason enter key not doing the goody

[John Albert Evans]

As an ex galley boy for 15 months with two trips on the same ship first was 2 months then 1 month working bye in Camel Llairds then a 12 months trip all on the San Fernando, Eagle Oil Shipping Company Ltd. all I can say is i enjoyed it all, The Chief Cook on the second trip was a bit of a task master but fair, he also taught me to cook.The Second Cook was great ,Harry Travis lived in Lancaster but was an Ozzie from Port Mcquary he taught me how to knock a batch of bread down without the use of the Hobart, he said you never know when you join a ship if they had one and you had to do it by hand. He was right as I learned later when I was Second Cook and Baker. As far as spuds go like all galley boys you got sick and tired of peeling them but that was part of your job and you just got on with it. A few years later, my now wife came on board a ship while we were berthed, I was Second Cook and Baker, she saw the galley whose first trip it was aged about 16, he was peeling a sack of spuds. My wife took one look at him and said to me give that lad a hand with all them potatoes. I just laughed, she wasn't amused and got a spud peeler and started to help him, after about 10/15 mins she gave up complaining her wrists were hurting. I think is was a good start and it taught you many things for later on in life, you get to work on time do your job as best you can repect your bosses and enjoy what you do. It really is a shame that nowadays the opportuntities that we took for granted when starting out in the Merchant Navy dont seem to be there for the 16 year olds. We cann't turn back the clock to our days when we started out and I dont profess to know the answer and I better stop now before I start signing "Those were the days my friend"

John Albert Evans

[cappy]

#5 that's the way it was john.....and what a great start to a youngmans life couldn't ask for better saw the world when it was still young and came back after ist trip with a barrel of money.....9 months on a tramp and came back solid in body and afraid of nothing.....understood what true mates were.....and would go to the wall for them......don't think I would have ever known my true potential if not for my seatime....regards cappy

[robpage]

When we have had some aspiring cadet , navigation or engineering here doing a survey as part of their final exam write up ,. I can look sceptical at times , we were all taught our job from the basics , we were taught the craft skills that we needed to actually carry out the basic tasks , so when you asked someone to do that in your own old age .,you knew exactly what was involved . I have seen too many bright degree educated engineers design a whole project and when a £1 million machine does not fit through a doorway , they have not got a clue how to lump an inch of brick off , or crowbar off a door-frame , because it is not in their skill sets . I have seen some Ships cooks perform feats of surprising excellence , and the deck department splice ropes and wires that were huge , I believe that these crafts are mostly dead , no Hobart , no bread , or no freezer , no microwave , no dinner . I know strops and crimpd wires are probably safer at the safe working load , and machinery driven by computers has replaced mans hand and eye skills , and yes it probably is an easier World , but is it a better one

[Jim Brady]

When i was galley boy on the Millais the 2nd cook/baker was a real good bread maker.On the way down to BA he said to me "do you want to learn how to knock a batch of bread down gal" I was all for it and I used to make it in my own time some time's in the galley until about 11pm. proud of my results.There was a method in his madness,once we hit the coast and he was suffering a large hangover he would ask me would I do the honours and knock a batch down for him.I did'nt mind I said ok as long as he peeled the spuds.Knocking down a batch of bread with a hangover in hot weather can realy take it out of you.all part of learning the game.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[cappy]

Testing on behalf of Cappy by Tony Morcom

the galley boy

the galley boy rose at the crack of the dawn
shuffled into the galley and felt the range warm
down to the bunker to top up the coal


Try it for yourself now Cappy as I have tweaked your settings. Cheers Tony

[happy daze john in oz]

All you need to do Cappy is to press the enter key on your keyboard whenever you want to start a new line.

eg.
the galley boy rose at the crack of the dawn (enter key)
shuffled into the galley and felt the range warm (enter Key)

From what he was writing I do not think he needed a key, he obviously had access to all the food

[happy daze john in oz]

thanks tony but for some reason enter key not doing the goody

Maybe you need a locksmith Cappy??