Customs Dodges

[robpage]

On the ferries where we were doing day on / two days off we were allowed an open half bottle of Spirits and 50 cigarettes although I would say we normally would get away with the half bottle of Spirits and 100 cigarettes very few times we came through Portsmouth and they were that awkward but the people they really use the turnover would be very often carried special branch and the customs used to treat them very badly .

I've only just realised that this was originally Alf corbyn's post nice tribute to him that it is s still going

[Keith Tindell]

Hi JWS, sounds like the Liverpool police were less scrupulous than those in Southampton, paying off from a Castle boat was always a ten bob note under your pass ,per person on the gate for crew taxis, when you think how many crew taxis went through that gate every week, usually 4 crew per taxi, those coppers must have all owned their own homes outright, and drove a new car every year

[j.sabourn]

That’s becaise coming off a passenger ship you exuded an ambience of wealth. Coming off a tramp wearing one of the Liverpool’s best tailors suit cut to size and without him holding a fistful of the back seam in his hand saying a perfect fit old boy, it just flopped , and you appeared what you were a poor sailorman being starved and dehydrated. For the past 9 months and couldn’t afford more than 5 bob. A ten bob note in those days was over a packet of fags a Pint and a bag of porkie scratchings and if Cappy was around with Mary her thrown in as well. 1/6d sticks well in my mind. They can take everything else away with their council taxes and drops in the OAP but the can’t take those memories , they would in any case die of fright if they did. Cheers JS.

[robpage]

I don't know about Liverpool but Southampton were BTC, coppers , Transport / railway poilice

[j.sabourn]

They. All must of had pointed heads to fit in those pointed helmets Rob, I just remember them as Dockyard Police, and 5 bob. Keith was a big tipper. Cheers JWS

[cappy]

only time i was stopped and had after to pay was ist trip in liverpool.......got to the gate ......plod comes out his box......open your case ....i had two hundred ciggies and about a hundred loose.....he said i could be fined so he took the two hundred and told me to scarper ....never ever got stopped at the gate again...... arriving at the iron ore quay in shields no coppers customs anything always had a haul there to take home ........

[robpage]

I expect South Shields police and customs were busy checking the Ferry

[vic mcclymont]

Strangely enough never had any problem with Police at any port, never stopped.
Vic

[Keith Tindell]

I came into London on a Mc Andrews boat, and i had bought a pair of those Spanish fancy Cowboys boots ( i was young and stupid ), and the customs officer came in to my cabin, and the boots were in my locker, obviously been worn. The custom officer asked me why they were not on my declaration form, i told him they were personnel use, he said thats no excuse, they should be on the form, my smart **** answer was , I've bought my underpants abroad as well !!!, oh ok says the guy, they are not on this form either !!!, at that point sense kicked in, and shut your mouth Tindell, fortunately that was enough, and he let me off, KT

[Chris Allman]

I remember buying a Roy Orbison LP in Brazil with all his hits on it. When we got back I did something which I thought I would never do, I fooled the customs. I taped the LP to my towel rail and covered it over with my towel. When the customs officer came into my cabin he searched my uniforms in the wardrobe and found a couple of packets of fags, opened of course, but nothing else. He said " you are pushing me with those fags so watch it in future " and left. I retrieved my LP and still have it, problem is, I don't have a record player any more.