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2nd February 2021, 07:41 AM
#1
Peoples names
As most of us knew many people at sea , and probably sailed with same and may even be on site, but names do not ring a bell. I have in the past seen familiar looking names only to be wrong for which I apologise. The few names that do stick well and cemented in are usually associated with some occurrence either funny , not so funny , or in some cases associated with a total different unmentionable subject. With a recent misnomer of Andy Main his recollection goes back over 65 years but is still there. Stuck in my mind because at the time he was then a man in his 60s with a bad chest used to spit a lot of phlegm which he used to use capstan tobacco tins to dispose of into the same, these were scattered all over his cabin. He used to deliver to the old man every evening about 2000 hrs.weiner sausages which he was very addicted to , he used to soak these weiners in his cabin washbasin before delivery 2 decks up. There was no bathroom in his cabin and I strongly suspect he used to utilise his sink when caught short. I have always envisaged the old man consuming these weiners with gusto. Even today when anyone mentions Hygeine as regarding food I still see those wieners . That Andy Main would if alive today be about 150 years old , so if he wants to have his say will have to rematerialise , he was a real old fashioned ex ships cook and would of probably been happier in the galley but we all got older and had to give into old age,: JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 2nd February 2021 at 08:00 AM.
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2nd February 2021, 08:12 AM
#2
Re: Peoples names
Cappy that was on the Avonmoor. If you remember the ch, stewards cabin was off the main deck on the starboard side of the bridge housing forward of no.3 hatch abaft no.3 hatch the next housing was the stewards and apprentices on the starboard side and the engineers on the port side. Aft was all the rest around the steering flat. The three apprentices on the 4 to 8 I always found when it was my farmer easier to sit in the ch.stwds cabin as was more assessable to the bridge . So was very aware of Andy Mains personal habits . He may of even been there when you were. I wouldn’t have told you about his weiners but would have watched you enjoy them and then told you, isn’t that what friends are for ? Cheers JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 2nd February 2021 at 08:16 AM.
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2nd February 2021, 08:57 AM
#3
Re: Peoples names
John Andy main seems to ring a bell ...but i cannnot recall in what context ...i new many chief stewards in shields .....good and bad .....as for his chest condition chucking up green that was a ...mainly collier disease as the heating systems on them ie coal burning stove inside accom was often the main form of heating indeed my grandfather Will cram died of bronchial pneumonia.....after spending the latter years of his life on colliers....often wet vessels when fully laden ......as for the avonmoor i have an old photo of her but can only remember living down aft ...apart from going for your ciggies ,,,,,although skeeting down to the midship accom a couple of times in heavy weatherand up over the boat deck i seem to recall ...with safety lines all over the deck and the galley door tightly shut coming through the oz bight .....happy days .....just as a matter of interest we have about 4 inches of snow at the moment and forecasting more today.....why should i worry ...work done house warm plenty food in .....WHY I WOULDNT CALL THE KING ME UNCLE.....regards cappy
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2nd February 2021, 09:42 AM
#4
Re: Peoples names
He was supposed to have a fleet of houses in Shields, if you had to go over the boat deck coming from aft we lived directly under the spud locker 4 of us at the end of the catering staffs alleyway. One bathroom and toilet at the far end for 10 men. Spent 2.5 years there ( not in the bathroom ) which had one big square bath in with one shower. that bath never contained water the 2.5 years I was there. Spent the next 18 months on the Glenmoor and thought I was on the Queen Mary . JS.
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2nd February 2021, 10:27 AM
#5
Re: Peoples names
Re # 1.
Reading this post made me feel sick, absolutely disgusting and to make it worse Gobby Andy was the ship's cook.
Fouro.
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2nd February 2021, 10:31 AM
#6
Re: Peoples names
Well john after being at sea in her any other vessel was a dream ....down aft firemen and sailors in a semi circle round the quadrant but funny enough after a while the noise never bothered you .....but you could tell who was at the wheel all part of lifes rich pattern ....but the weevils cockies and old food taken from another runciman vessel for her last voyage home was not fit ...ie i have mentioned before ....the swimmers in a jar of pickled onions ....you couldnt make it up ...but it got cappy home after adventures good and worse than bad.....but the memories and tales for the grankids is worth the weight of the old avonmoor in gold ........have mentioned that shower system many times .....an egg cup full..then pump up the water gain ...turn on the steam ...too much you scalded ...to little you shivered ....shouting to your mate to give you a pump up and all the catcalls that went with it .....but a good hardcase old crew ......as you say many been through the war and seen so much carnage..but a few beers and just all laughs and humours .....we had one guy from manchester a fairground boxing family ......i think it was brake in germany a boxing ring in the market square challenging all comers our fireman flattened one ... i think it was a fiver or so in deuchmarks.....then took on the second one the krauts were wearing hoods ......he won again.....the germans packed up .....leaving us ready to do the town....the making of a young englishman to have the knowledge of such happenings...we were gifted to see such times....R683532
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2nd February 2021, 10:33 AM
#7
Re: Peoples names
#5 That would of appealed to a lot of chief stwds fouro .If you didn’t eat that would keep their feeding rate down ,at the time in question was 7/6d. Per day. Anything under that and the ch. stwd.got a company bonus. You would of been his best friend. Cheers JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 2nd February 2021 at 10:35 AM.
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2nd February 2021, 10:37 AM
#8
Re: Peoples names
Originally Posted by
Fouro
Re # 1.
Reading this post made me feel sick, absolutely disgusting and to make it worse Gobby Andy was the ship's cook.
Fouro.
a queasy tum then fouro ....lol regards cappy
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2nd February 2021, 11:09 AM
#9
Re: Peoples names
I learned at a very early age shipboard lore. All the years I was mate on British ships I carried on with what I knew. The place to find out what was happening on a ship was usually about 0830 hrs .I used to make a point of visiting the Ch. Stwd. At that time the cook would usually join us at that time to get his menus for the day. As well as getting a drink be it coffee tea or something stronger was immaterial. The conversation was what was interesting .One got the feeling of the ship from these two discussing menus etc. The galley radio apart from propaganda put out other truer information , and as long as you kept a low profile and didn’t butt in with useless advice you stood to learn a lot and in some cases stop problems arising by subtely nipping it in the bud. One of the beauties of sailing on British ships with British crews to me. Foreign crews it was like a hand grenade the first you were aware of problems was when you heard the pin hit the deck. JS.
Last edited by j.sabourn; 2nd February 2021 at 11:13 AM.
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2nd February 2021, 11:28 AM
#10
Re: Peoples names
Marian if you are referring to the capstan tins, that is nothing people do get sick even seamen, if the figures were ever published with the numbers of seafarers affected. By asbestosis and other lung diseases caused. By poor
Living conditions some might get a surprise. Scurvy lice and rats were no strangers to seamen even in our times . We are going through a pandemic at the present moment in time , a hundred years ago similar happened at various times , we learned then the only way to combat an unknown disease was isolation or quarantine this still applies today until a vaccine is found . Just look at those who can’t accept such . When they catch will be the first to point the finger of blame elsewhere.. An appropriate description for them would be they’re a scurvy lot. Cheers JS
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