Sea farers' language

[Bruce Morris]

"Sparkys" were electricians.

I was "Sparks" - the Radio Officer. Very often shipmates didn't know my real name - SPARKS wanna beer?

Crews from the sub-continent usually called us Marconi Sahib: Chota - little) for the Junior R/O, Burrah (= big) for the Chief R/O.

I also remember with amusement the Goanese steward coming in with the menu and stating there was "Marconi Cheese"!!!

[happy daze john in oz]

I have seen such made by some who claimed to be a chef.
The term used by your guy was very close to what some produced.
Tough and stringy but how it came to that is anyones guess.

[Colin Wood]

On one ship with chinese crew, the Scots Chief Engineer was very upset that they could not make Yorkshire pudding togo with roast beef. So he sat with chief steward and wrote down exact instructions on making and cooking Yorkshire pudding. Come dinner time, and, "Yorkshire Pudding sir' Baked boiled or fried.

[Ray Crabtree]

more technical stuff, usually associated with painting over the side on stages - gaskets, lizards, and was it 'falls' or 'lanyards' - for the long supporting ropes ? - I forget

[Michael Black]

# 74, morning Ray. Gantlines (gantlins) were the long ropes used on staging and bosuns chairs if I recall .
Regards Michael

[happy daze john in oz]

Then from around the corner came a very Scottish accent.
The new senior second engineer.
Then he appeared a non white version, extremely non white.

[George Bis]

Golden pillow
Deckhead Survay

[alan vickers]

Ok bit like a Quiz, Tabnab = sandwich cake, biscuit. Rosie= tea urn, Farmer= 3rd element of watchkeeping. blackpan & bell breakfast will guess either grey funnel line or steward related, Tiger= Captains steward, Sougie= washing bulkheads etc. The following is my contribution Dobie=wahing clothes, sparky= radio operator,Lampy=Bosuns mate, nozzer or peggy= first tripper,Truck= top of Mast.
Anyway thanks for the opportunity. Roger

Black pan was a meal for the 4-8pm watch keepers coming off watch

[happy daze john in oz]

Not in our house, it was more like a dinner the mother in law cooked.
Not just the pan being black.

[Colin Wood]

I don't mean bad language, no, things that would
be double dutch to shore fellas for example
Tabnabs, Rosie, Farmer, blackpan & bell breakfast
Tiger and Sougie I'm sure you can all think of
many more could be fun

A blackpan was common on all British ships I sailed on, and was the food usually left out for the nightwatchman, but also used by crew coming back late and hungry.