Sulpher

[gray_marian]

Was reading recently about sulphur candles in 1930 cinemas being lit on a Friday evening then snuffed out the following morning in time for Saturday matinee. What was used on ships in your era?

[Frederick Lacey]

Electric Light Bulbs. DC current. on board.

Where I was born gas lights with mantles, moved in 1935 then had electric light

F

[Ivan Cloherty]

Electric light operated by DC current, but also sailed on coasting vessels where in port generators were shut down and we relied on paraffin lamps. This latter not new to me as I never lived with electric light until I was 12 years old just before I my first trip sea at 13 years old on a deep water trawler. Also never had water taps or toilets in the house until I was 12, mum had of course experience these things before we were bombed out three times so it must have been particularily hard for her.

[gray_marian]

Thank you Fred, Sorry I meant what was used in the internal area's on ships to
annihilate the fleas.

[Ivan Cloherty]

Thank you Fred, Sorry I meant what was used in the internal area's on ships to
annihilate the fleas.

What fleas?

[gray_marian]

#5, I assumed [wrongly?] that ships would need to be fumigated periodically, what with carrying grain etc, hence rats, fleas and also the using of straw mattresses for crew?

[Frederick Lacey]

Fleas no, bed bugs, maybe, cockroaches sure thing. ..F.

Marian, are you saying your cinema had fleas?? all the old cinemas were called Flea Pits in those days. ....F.

[cappy]

##joined a hains boat .......the accomodation doors on all levels were closed as were all ports we were put in a seamans mission i think it was birkenhead .......stayed ashore 24 hours .....could smell strong smell when came back aboard ........down of the azores a while later cockies wre running wild .....we painted all the galley in a thing called silvereen they didnt like it ....but nothing ever kills them the eggs hatch in warm weather and it just goes on.....little barstewards.......cappy an ace with a flitgun......

- - - Updated - - -

in shields we had a fleapit called the impy you could get in for 4 jamjars or three lemonade bottles

[gray_marian]

#7, Thank you Fred but no I was referring to an 1930 cinema that had a member of staff light the sulphur candles on a Friday evening #1. However a few months ago was in the Cameo Picture house in Edinburgh when a mouse rang across my daughter's foot...scream!! I nearly spilt my wine

[Ivan Cloherty]

From my personal experience ships were never fumigated on a regular basis as a matter of course, a lot depended upon what cargo you were loading and what was the previous cargo carried or port visited prior to loading current cargo. Only in severe cases of infestation were vessels shut down completely and crew billeted ashore, otherwise it was sulphur (or other pesticides) bombs thrown down the holds, all vents covered etc . Never knew of cases of fleas was declared safe, aboard, it was always cockroaches, weevils, rats etc, we were always advised when cleaning the holds after the bombing never ever step on a dead cockroach as it will discharge hundreds of live eggs which will evade your best sweeping efforts and they even survived a hold washdown with powerful hoses, apparently they are the oldest surviving species, apparently alligators are the second, but thankfully never had to sweep those up!