Tombo Mary

[Captain Kong]

For all Elder Dempster and Palm Line men who got to know the legendary Tombo Mary..--

Tombo Mary's.


Apapa was the venue for our lads run ashore,
On the coast of Africa where tourists never tour,
The bar was Tombo Mary's where she ruled the roost all day,
Customers were seafarers - keen to spend their pay.


In this one-roomed shanty, with hard mud for a floor,
Palm fronds on the thatched roof and canvas for a door,
Our black mama Mary - a wondrous female sight,
Would choose a handy sailor for her carnal joys at night.


Raised up on a dias just behind the bar,
The centre of attention from here to Calabar,
Was a huge four poster bed with linen and fine lace,
Imported from some far off land and taking pride of place.

It`s where Mary held her lover-boy for a torrid night of fun.
Piccaninnies and the bar staff - at the setting of the sun -
Would sleep below this raft of love, with tassels hanging red,
While the sailor did his duty - in Tombo Mary's bed.

Author unknown, but he must have been there.

[Albert Bishop]

Nice one Cappy. I can't say I ever met Tombo Mary, But I well remember the one roomed shanty bar in Apapa Village. I will, however, play safe and abmit to no more. Cheers. Albi.

[Jim Brady]

I was on a tanker the Hamilton,we were in Apapa Village Jan.61. I think the bar at the time was the Rainbow Bar.We ended up at a funeral wake,they rejoice death there apparantly.We were drinking large bottles of Heineken the Palm wine was flowing free,it was like drinking the old coconut hair oil.We were also chewing some kind of root which made your mouth dry up.We were there three days and had one good p*ss up.When we sailed and I turned in that night I had at first what was a most terrifying experience.The previous three day's antics came up on the bulk head like a cinema screen.I could hear the music and see everybody dancing in the bar,I thought I was going bananas and panicked a bit then I just decided to lay back and enjoy it.I dont now what the root was that we were chewing but I think maybe that had something todo with it,plus the Palm wine and Heineken.
I've never experienced anything like it since.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Captain Kong]

Come on Albi, we all know you were there with Mary,
Now tell us whole story, we wont tell anyone.

That Tombo realy was something, it was a kind of ...........
Wine, that is, Palm-wine, called Tembo or Tombo is made from the sap of various palm trees (usually the African Oil Palm or Coconut Palm), or sugar-cane juice. Once the sap or juice is obtained, it begins to ferment on its own. It must be consumed within a day or two before it becomes evil.

[jimmys]

The big black mamas had blond wigs and silver dresses and feet you needed a licence for. Beautiful, beautiful plumage. I am not to sure if it was real or a drug and alcoholic illusion. I was in West Africa somewhere. I dont want to think any more I maybe will have a coronary.

regards
jimmy

[Albert Bishop]

"Blond wigs and silver dresses!!!" The place must have gone up market after my visit. We opened that Lagos tanker berth on the" Br Fortune" in 54, and all I remember about Apapa, was a compound with mud huts and an shanty bar, Sorry Cap, it must have been pre- four poster days, I think Tombo might have still been in her cot,


I'm sure the women were still wearing loin cloths, and it was Bl**** dark in those mud huts, ( one of the lads told me later) Cheers, Albi.

[Captain Kong]

Hi Albi
I was there first in 1953 on the Tarkwa one of EDs, one of the mud huts I was in had a picture of the King George V1 and Queen Elizabeth hanging on the wall, Very off putting [my mate said].

[Jim Brady]

Me and my mate took some bedding ashore to sell for a bevvy.We ended up in the chiefs hut,he had the big brass framed bed and the lovelly glass paraffin lamp with"Home Sweet Home "etched into it.All of which must've come from Paddies Market in Liverpool.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Albert Bishop]

Always remember the much quoted phrase down the West African coast. "All red inside, like Queen Victoria." Cheers, Albi.

[Captain Kong]

When I used to run down the west coast we always bought a lot of things from Paddy`s Market in Liverpool.
They loved the big brass alarm clocks, they would tie them around their necks on a piece of string.
Also a pair of wellies, they would cut the feet off and walk atround with just the legs on. Umbrellas were also a favourite for them and rolls of cloth.
Flash for dash was always something to look forwrd to, the Mamios would come alongside in their canoes, and shout "Flash for dash, I flash you , you dash for me".We would throw down a packet of soap or a loaf of bread and then get a swift flash of her bosoms in return. One day a mamio came alongside shouting flash for dash, I couldnt find anything but a seven pound tin of Greengage Jam, I dropped it into the canoe and it went through the bottom of the canoe like a cannon ball, and then the canoe sank, she was in the water swimming across the creek cursing me with the JU-JU man. I never got the flash.
A couple of days later I fell 40 feet off the mast table when we were rigging the jumbo, and fell into the winch bed, I broke two legs and my right arm and then taken to the hospital. The Ju-Ju man had got me. I never did flash for dash again.