superstitions

[Captain Kong]

The Friday sailing has been a superstition amongst British Seamen for a few hundred years.
It was bad for ship owners who lost money having their ships held up until the following day.

So one Liverpool ship owner, who had had enough of this practice of refusing to sail on a Friday decided to prove it was just a myth
He ordered a new ship to be built on a Friday, the Keel was laid on a Friday, the ship was launched on a Friday and named SS FRIDAY, they even found a Captain Friday to take command.
A crew was found and the ship sailed from Liverpool bound for New York on a Friday.
And the SS FRIDAY , Captain Friday and its crew were never seen or heard of again.

True story
Brian

[Keith at Tregenna]

HMS Friday is an urban myth concerning a disastrous attempt by the Royal Navy to dispel the superstition against sailing on a Friday. While widely circulated, the story is in fact untrue; moreover, there was never even a ship named HMS Friday.

The details of the story vary, but it usually follows this form:

Sometime in the 19th century, the Royal Navy attempted to finally dispel the old superstition among sailors that beginning a voyage on a Friday was certain to bring bad luck. To demonstrate the falseness of this belief, they decided to commission a ship named HMS Friday. Her keel was laid on a Friday, she was launched on a Friday, and she set sail on her maiden voyage on Friday the 13th, under the command of a Captain James Friday. She was never seen or heard from again.

This story, in numerous variations, is frequently recounted, often as fact. It also appeared as a small "filler" item in the magazine "Reader's Digest", its format giving the impression of having been historically researched.

In fact, there has never been any Royal Navy ship of that name. It is unclear where the story originated; however, it seems to have gained in popularity after its recounting by comedian Dave Allen on his BBC television show Dave Allen at Large, Series 1, Episode 2, first broadcast 4 February 1971.

[Chris Allman]

HHmm Laamport+Holt ships nearly always sailed from Liverpool on a Friday as they were scheduled sailings. Bad weather sometimes stopped us and then of course sailing day was a lottery between Saturday or Sunday. The crew often disappeared into the pubs and we had make sure we got them back in time to sail.

[happy daze john in oz]

How do you get HMS out of SS????

Thankfully I am not superstitious touch wood.

[Richard Quartermaine]

Maybe they sailed on Friday the 13th?
Richard

[Keith at Tregenna]

How do you get HMS out of SS????

HMS Friday is an urban myth concerning a disastrous attempt by the Royal Navy to dispel the superstition against sailing on a Friday. While widely circulated, the story is in fact untrue; moreover, there was never even a ship named HMS Friday.

The details of the story vary.

[Captain Kong]

Keith it was NOT HMS Friday BUT SS Friday.

[Keith at Tregenna]

It never occurred.

According to the myth, the Royal Navy launched HMS Friday on a Friday and put a Captain James Friday in command before it mysteriously disappeared.

BBC NEWS | England | Hampshire | Naval Friday 13th myth unfounded

[happy daze john in oz]

The SS Friday was a MERCHANT SHIP, not Royal Navy.
They are two different services.

[Keith at Tregenna]

HMS Friday is an urban myth concerning a disastrous attempt by the Royal Navy to dispel the superstition against sailing on a Friday. While widely circulated, the story is in fact untrue; moreover, there was never even a ship named HMS Friday.

The details of the story vary.

I would appreciate any details, source of information on the made up SS Ship in your
version on the myth.

K.