Mutiny on the high seas

[Austin Carl Largan]

Greetings fellow lamp swingers, and g’day mate to my companion in arms from under there in Oz.

I am so pleased that my memories have prompted so many replies and I thank everyone who has contributed in responding. Rather than reply to each and every input (is that a blog?) I will write a ‘one page covers all’ response as I know in my heart that if I try to figure out how to reply to each and every reply separately I would only make a balls of it, so here, in appreciation to all, is my two ‘pennorth worth.

J.S. (Mr. Sabourn), I belong to the same school of thought as yourself, I was indoctrinated into the loyal and honorable society of ships scribes under the full understanding that there was only one true officer on board, and that was the R.O. Not even the old man himself had the honor to have the subfix “officer” entailed after his grade in rank. Not that I suppose any of them really cared what they called him after reaching that lofty pinnacle. Still, I do recall there was quite a bit of snobbery out there amongst the ladder climbers. Who outranks who, who is more senior to another, who has time in grade, who kissed **** to get there, who’s a pinko, who’s a queen????, and so on. But this I know, and know it well, all of the petty jealousies and back stabbing , all the vituperous finger pointing between career contestants; all the midnight dump taking into the dress shoes of the antagonist which had been left outside their staterooms for the Boots to shine, …..it all amounted to nothing. For you see, everything passed through the writers office and our decision was final. That which we wished to happen….happened. The numbskulls for whom we were the subordinates would sign anything which we placed in front of them. To be honest, most of them were too grogg soaked to take any notice of that which we placed in front of them anyway, and cared even less. (a little bit of tongue in cheek there maties) But you know, I was not aware that the British M.N. had a rank of Chief Officer, to my recollection there was the Mate (Harry Tate or Jimmy the One), 2nd mate, 3rd mate and apprentices. Correctilocate me if I am in error.

John in Oz……..

Hello there shipmate. Ahhh, got to correct you there, the humble writers department never handled money, that would have been the domain of the crew purser. The old man decided upon the punishment, the Harry Tate carried out his orders and the crew purser informed, thus duly. And as an aside, there was never any animosity between those who were logged and the writers as we were all on first name terms with them anyway and for the most part it was all considered to be rather a bit of a laugh and just a necessary requirement to see that justice was seen to be done after someone had trodden upon someone superiors’ corns. Which was not hard to do.

Gawwd, everyone was half drunk anyway. The bar opened for officers and writers at something like 1030 and the Pig (Pig & Whistle) started serving beer to the crew around 1130 (I think) Anyway, to a man the whole of the ships crew was at least half full of beer by 1300. In the galley on the R deck all and every available space to park a pint pot was occupied with a beer glass . All of the coambings over the entrance doors into the restaurant were lined with pint pots of beer as was every other spot where a man could park his pint pot and subsequently swill from, in between trips between the saloon and the galley. The fact that the waiters breathed fumes of Wrexham lager over the “bloods” whilst serving them apparently never occurred to anyone. As busy as the Tourist class restaurant was, and considering the difference in temperament between those in the employ of the 1st class restaurant, it was only obvious to foresee that territorial disputes should arise along with internecine squabbles over pint robbing ( a stabbing crime) stealing plates of food which had just been placed in front of a passenger, to have it stolen by another waiter who was a plate short and a hundred other complex and hierarchical crimes which were committed on a daily basis by the tourist class mules. …..Never happened in first class of course.

Regarding the poached egg chit…well, you do not mention which shipping line you sailed with but to the best of my knowledge the bloods in tourist did not have a choice as such, rather they got what was put in front of them. And from what I could see, (having spent a lot of time hanging around in the galley) there was not a lot of difference in appearance between one egg than another, regardless of how it was described on the menu. Aaaaanyway, even if such a choice were theoretically possible, then that would have been in the domain of the kitchen clerk to facilitate. Writers department once again exonerated from any implied connivance or complicity. Many of us went on to be lawyers you know.

Graham Shaw

Hello Graham, well, regard the two Purser C/S’ s and assistant, this was probably the old ranking system of Chief Stwd and 2dn Stwd. From what I remember, as the industry was dying the major companies had a restructuring of the departments with one of the major shakeups being on the catering side. Realizing that the Chief Stewards position was purely administrative and 100% clerical, they decided to roll Purser and Chief Steward into one rank and thereby ( in some companies), eliminate an employee. So, you were in your experience just looking at the old Chief Stwd/2nd Stwd arrangement but just under another name.

At the same time the really big boys in the industry, realizing where cruising was going, reorganized the whole Purser – Chief Steward thing and herded them all together under the title of Hotel Management. I think the title of Chief Stwd vanished but every department ended up with the top dog having four stripes and the fell into these categories ,Hotel Manager (Purser Chief Stwd) , Chef ( a long time deserver of recognition,) Captain and Chief Engineer.

Gentlemen, this is enough for tonight……..I hope I have thrown out a few kindling sticks to re-ignite an enormous fire of if’s, but’s maybe’s , how dare you sir’s and so on

All the very best shipmates and I challenge each and every one of you out there to come up with a story whereby you had bettered a ships writer.

We were ‘Radar’ to the Colonel in “Mash”.

Austin

p.s. if I missed anyone out ‘please excuse, I’m at the end of a long, hard day.

[j.sabourn]

Re my answer as per titles , will just illuminate a bit further as to my beliefs in my younger to middle age years .The title Chief Officer was a made up title for the likes of Ben Line and oil tankers and distinguished a non watchkeeping mate. The title of captain was purely complimentary , as is a military title and must hold the Monarchs commission to demand and receive the use of. The title of purser as regards the catering department and the use of by the chief steward was to my otherwise occupied mind at the time to enable him to become a member of the MNOPF rather than the seaman’s pension scheme where I have yet to meet one who received anything at all. The title of Commodore I should also have added was just bulldust and was a naval title just below a rear Admiral and a lot of masters whether liner or trampship used to like to call themselves that if they were senior in seatime in the company to others . I certainly didn’t call them that . Thanks your taking the time to answer any queries some of us had. Cheers JS.....

I must reiterate however my one adventure with a Palm Line purser had nothing to do with food, I would have called him a supercargo , however he preferred the title of Purser and signed on as such. However must say today in Shipping is up to the master what he signs people on as , on foreign vessels I signed many on as just sailor , and they were the same as who sailed on Indian ships that is what kalassi means in Hindi. The British merchant Navy out of all Shipping was the best adjusted country of them all, all now gone though. Cheers JS

[happy daze john in oz]

Austin, thank you for your lawyer style reply, very informative I assure you.
The eggs in question was with UCL and the cost of such would be detrimental to the bonus of the second steward.

As to drinking, engineers were in a league of their own when it came to such.
Tough job, but someone had to do it.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Austin.
Good story there, you should write a book. I was a writer, I wrote to my mother on all the ships I was on, only wish there had been a writer there.
Cheers Des

[j.sabourn]

Were you one of those who wrote home Dear Mum no mun, Your Son
And your Dad used to reply Dear Lad, too bad , your Dad
JS

[cappy]

Were you one of those who wrote home Dear Mum no mun, Your Son
And your Dad used to reply Dear Lad, too bad , your Dad
JS

and ist tripper writing home ......Dear mother its a bastard ,.....answer..... dear son so are you....cappy

[Tony Taylor]

Austin, thank you for your lawyer style reply, very informative I assure you.
The eggs in question was with UCL and the cost of such would be detrimental to the bonus of the second steward.

As to drinking, engineers were in a league of their own when it came to such.
Tough job, but someone had to do it.

What? the drinking or the engineering?
Only found it tough on occasion (usually when there was no cold beer in the fridge).

[Ivan Cloherty]

Thank gwad I sailed on tramp ships after finishing my time on Cargo liners??!!, a different world and enjoyable despite the uncertainty of length of voyage, but we did see the world and reached ports Mr Heineken couldn't

[j.sabourn]

Most of the engineers I sailed with drank no better or worse than others . They had their work ethics and in the likes of Japan as normal would pull a piston starting at 0600 hrs and go for job and finish and usually ashore by 1400 hrs . Other ports they worked what they they called tropical hours depending on the life ashore to fit in with their sightseeing . JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

John, Sightseeing? That's the first time I've heard it called that.
Des