Suits

[Louis the fly]

When I first went to sea all seamen used to wear smart suits and ties when on leave. It was even possible to know where they were running to by their suits. The Cunard yanks wore wide shouldered single button suits from the States The guys coming home from the Far East had shiny silk suits made in Hong Kong and Singapore. We were better dressed than the bank manager.
Blue Funnel ships carried bolts of suit material, usually in hard to get places, No.1 and No.2 hatch, but there was always a way. A couple of suit lengths would be cut off and a tailor in Liverpool would make them up.

I read a newspaper article some time ago where Lady Pauline Prescott of Kingston upon Hull said how handsome John looked when he arrived home from sea wearing his uniform. Don't know which hatch he pinched that from.

[Ivan Cloherty]

[QUOTE=Louis the fly;.

I read a newspaper article some time ago where Lady Pauline Prescott of Kingston upon Hull said how handsome John looked when he arrived home from sea wearing his uniform. Don't know which hatch he pinched that from.[/QUOTE]

Now there's a picture that would sit well on a dartboard !!

[Jim Brady]

I remember buying a suit length and had it made up.First night wearing it I went out with some friends to meet a friend of their's and the friend had the same suit as me "SNAP" his was knock off as well. I think we used to pay about £2.00 for a length ( 2 and a half yards I think) about a fiver to have it made up,not bad when a good suit then was about £14 guineas.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Louis the fly]

Hi Jim. There were many little, mainly Jewish tailors tucked away in the side streets of town who would make up the suits.
There was also a large one in Strand Road called Cohen's. He was the father of the conservative politician Edwina Curry who used to share a bunk with John Major.

[Mike Hall]

I do not remember buying a suit whilst I was away.
However I do remember buying some wrangler jeans in new York, only to find they were scarce in new Zealand.
I did not get any wear out of them on the first shunt but when we went back to new York ,I was ready.
so I bought as many as I could and made a fair profit.
I managed to sell them all except the pair I was wearing.

[Neville Roberts]

I only once bought a bolt of cloth in hong kong and had a suit made up in Liverpool by a tailor that we went too for our suits they were not cheap , I ended up with 6 suits and changed them by the day , my family thought I was a poser and I guess they were right going down town to the clubs and dance hall I/e Locarno and grafton,with a flask of yates aussie white for bashing the oj on the balcony. and a taxi home with the tart I picked up , tart is a Liverpool saying for your girlfriend ,and not a pro, as the Londoners used it for .I was saddend at seeing the dress of today when visiting Liverpool some years later when I went back. but I guess its more casual now . and I too rarely wear a suit now , just weddings and funerals of wich the latter seems to be more of now .

[Keith Tindell]

I think when we were all young and on the pull Saturday nights, we all wore suits. To remind myself what good money i was earning as an AB in the early 60,s all my suits were tailor made, something i cannot afford now. Mind you, now 73 and married 49 years, i think my *pulling * days are over !!!! KT

[John Gill]

I think when we were all young and on the pull Saturday nights, we all wore suits. To remind myself what good money i was earning as an AB in the early 60,s all my suits were tailor made, something i cannot afford now. Mind you, now 73 and married 49 years, i think my *pulling * days are over !!!! KT

never too late to pull, kt.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Saturday night is still suit night for me, with correctly ironed shirt, and shiny shoes, not going to let my standards slip because someone else is a slob. Also it shows a respect for your wife or partner as they always make an effort. It is sad to see so many young pretty girls who have gone to the trouble to make themselves attractive being escorted by yobs in their best (not always) jeans, football shirt and trainers which seems to be the norm these days even in the best hotels............sad...........but I just may be a grumpy old man.

[Jim Brady]

I realy loved my clobber I used to have at least 2 made to measure suits a year tailored by Burtons and then the casual gear.I was sailing out of Port Talbot for quite some time and decided the next trip was my last then i was going home.Got measured up in Burtons Port Talbot for my suit to be ready for me in Liverpool after three week trip to Poti docking in Manchester.
Regards.
Jim.B.