Mutiny early 1900s for lack of food aboard

[Chris Payne]

My grandfather told a tale of crew mutiny where he and another were charged in Oz court for complaining about having to eat doughboys when the ship ran out of food - probably in the Atlantic on the way as he was out of the UK. Lady Astor purportedly was in charge of food and provisioned incorrectly. It may be a tall tale but he reckons they were treated very well in the Oz jail. Any suggestions where to find out any info gratefully received.

[j.sabourn]

Lady Aster had a bad name amongst seamen, she was American by birth and supposedly a good friend also of Lady Runciman. it was supposedly her who stipulated that think it was 1 tin of condensed milk per man per month should suffice. It was spread around among seamen whether true or not that her daughter was given a present by a merchant seamen. She is also said to have proposed that all merchant seamen should wear a black arm band to denote they were a health risk or even worse. Not a great follower of the British Merchant Service. Cheers JS

[happy daze john in oz]

The story about some crew being eaten as the rest were starving has been around for a long time and many historians consider it to be true.

There was in Southampton a magistrate and heaven help any seaman who came in front of him.
His daughter had been potted by one who then took off and left her with the bundle.

[Ivan Cloherty]

My grandfather told a tale of crew mutiny where he and another were charged in Oz court for complaining about having to eat doughboys when the ship ran out of food - probably in the Atlantic on the way .

If they had run out of food in the Atlantic on the way to Oz, then there would have only been corpses on board as the vessel proceeded on passage to OZ with no one to man the engines or sails and no one on the bridge to navigate.

if prior 1914 then they would have to pass Cape of Good Hope or the Cape Horn (unless going via Suez) so if they ran out of food in the Atlantic they could have victualled at BA or Capetown, or Suez if via that route, if after 1914 they would probably have gone via Panama where they could have victualled, all reasonable places to mutiny.

Think Grandpa may have been gilding the lily with a bit of 'Aaargh Jim lad'

[Trevor Bodiam]

Quick look up of Doughboys gives a definition of a boiled or deep-fried dumpling.

[j.sabourn]

That’s what I thought the reference was to Trevor , any other and the charge would of been murder and cannonbalism. Cheers JS

I have a post on here somewhere in about 1987 we left Georgetown on the Mackenzie River , Guyana, bound for Italy. Stores consisted mostly of water melon , and the cargo was not fit for human consumption rice. We didnt have to resort to eating the 6 Cape Verde crew , if we had to eat anyone it would of been the idiot Yugoslav master who was the cause of it. We would of been a good advert for weight watchers on arrival think it was Savona. Cheers JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
I think Lady?? Astor called for all seamen to wear a Yellow arm band, the story going around was that her daughter got something that was not exactly romantic from a seaman, must have been a hofficer as she wouldn't have gone out with a lowly seaman, I think she would have wanted them to wear a bag over their heads.
Cheers Des

[j.sabourn]

Knew it was something like that Des but going back in time a story always gets slightly off course. I sailed with a second mate when I was 3 mate and he had visions of grandeur. Most people didn’t realize that even then and probably still can apply to the palace through the proper channels for access to certain individuals . He wrote applying for a date with Princess Margaret , he got a reply back with a form of application and had to state where he would take her and the money he had available for an evening out and all his background before they approached Margaret herself . So it was possible to get closer than people think. He showed me the correspondence , think in the finish he got cold feet. All mouth he was, no sense of adventure ? JS.

[Red Lead Ted]

Quick look up of Doughboys gives a definition of a boiled or deep-fried dumpling.

Trev, Doughboys played a big part in my diet all my life and still do, Basically a dumpling made of dough and boiled in a good pan of scouse. Terry

[Trevor Bodiam]

Terry, Mum did the same , but dropped into the stew made from scrag end of mutton. Tasted fantastic.