Docker dodges

[Frank Ferri]

Hi Folks.
I'm no DOCKER, but have been their social convener (or concert secretary) at Leith Dockers Club for 25 years and heard some wonderful yarns of their five finger discount practices, accidental dropped cases of whisky, frozen whole salmon down leg of trousers, quickies with ladies of the night etc etc .. Have any of you got tailes to tell, I'll post them on their notice board for a giggle.
Frank ..

[Louis the Amigo]

Hello Paco {The Chopper} and The Young Mrs Mae,I was never a docker no book, for Cardiff docks, But My mate Laurie was on Flechers' Wood yard on the deal boats on the dock for 37 years,His nickname was the {Perisher }all the Dockers' had them, I only worked for K and b anti pollution around South Wales cleaning out ships tanks in dry docks, and railways rolling stock and oil spills. and Government stuff { Plenty of work in them days} Laurie knows hundreds of Dodges' he wrote the book, he never got caught We allways had plenty of fruit and meat in our family thanks to him , I will asked him for some of his trade secrets, but his brain only works' if i buy him a few drinks {Rum} will get back to you soon.

[happy daze john in oz]

Many years ago there was a cafe in the K.G.V docks run by the union. The owner got all his goods from the dockers at a 'specal price' and he sold all his goods at very good prices. Union delegates ate free and many an unsuspecting ships official ate there very often on food from ships of his company, if only them had known.

[Doc Vernon]

Hi John,
Was that the Station Cafe! In Tilbury!
Cheers

http://www.merchant-navy.net/gallery...5797&ppuser=18

[Louis the Amigo]

Hello Paco {The Chopper} and the Young Mrs Mae, I was out last night with my mate Laurie, 85 never had much time to talk to him about his 35 years on Cardiff dock. but he promise to write some dodges down for me, with{ nicknames only} to protect his friends.

[Frank Ferri]

Thanks Louie .. This looks like the begining of a long friendship (Casablance)
Heres lookin at YOU kid
Frank ...

[happy daze john in oz]

Hi Vernon, no mate it was in the K.G.V docks, not far from the main gate. It was close to that gate that I first made enquieries about joining up, think it was opperated by the pool at that time. Rememebr eating in there before I went to sea, cousin of my mother was an A.B. and he took me for a tour of the area.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi Paco {The Chopper} and the young Mrs Mae, How to get someone the sack or into trouble on Cardiff Dock, On all docks so I have been told there are rats, not the ones' with fur, but the 2 leg type,If you were an outsider for any reason? Things use to happen,Planting stuff in your locker, or in your car. or push bike . and some one would talk by the the rat his job? was to watch out for the Cargo and make sure none stolen an{ impossible job} then If he caught anyone stealing , he was on a bonus, and could get them the sack, even more bonus big cash payout ? This person was not a policeman, but a docker working for the docks police? every docker knew his name,and made sure he was out of the way , in the ships' hold or in the dock shed when things did go missing.

[alf corbyn]

hi john. i think you are refering to the dockers canteen.coming from the connaught pub it was inside the dock on the left before you got to union castle offices. i was working by for UCL and we had a good dodge. we used to hide in a pile of packing cases. we would wait for a docker to come and ask for new tyres for his car. go and find an export job with the same size tyres, drive it back to the UC offices, swop the tyres over and drive it back. result one docker with new tyres one export car with old tyres and half a dozen happy shirkers. the pay was good as tyres were hard to come by at that time. cheers. alf

[Red Lead Ted]

lots of diff and funny tales regarding the dockers, one was called batman? never left the dock without robin,another was known as the spaceman? always off to his mars for his dinner, the best tale i heard, was a gang of dockers comming up out of the hatch a bit of a list?. they found a barrel of pure alchohol down the hold of a ship happy days.a woman from the lpool tropical medican centre. arrived to collect the barrel a few days later it was a monkey pickled in alcohol for research. few of them guys spitting feathers for weeks? regards lads terry.