peggy`s peggy

[Keith Tindell]

Hi, i sailed on the Stirling castle in the late 50,s for three trips as a deck boy, one trip i was a bridge boy (gofor), one trip as the PO,s peggy, and the final indignity deck boys peggy!!!, in those days if my memory is correct, we had 12-14 deckboys as crew, we had our own messroom and accomodation, 4-5 per cabin, and right up in the bows of the ship, right next to the chain locker. If i had high ideas of going to sea they were quickly crushed. eventually spent the next seven years at sea as AB, but for a young lad of seventeen the Stirling Castle was an ego buster. I wonder how many deck boys are on the modern passenger ships and what their duties are? Regards Keith Tindell

[Ray McCerery]

Hi, i sailed on the Stirling castle in the late 50,s for three trips as a deck boy, one trip i was a bridge boy (gofor), one trip as the PO,s peggy, and the final indignity deck boys peggy!!!, in those days if my memory is correct, we had 12-14 deckboys as crew, we had our own messroom and accomodation, 4-5 per cabin, and right up in the bows of the ship, right next to the chain locker. If i had high ideas of going to sea they were quickly crushed. eventually spent the next seven years at sea as AB, but for a young lad of seventeen the Stirling Castle was an ego buster. I wonder how many deck boys are on the modern passenger ships and what their duties are? Regards Keith Tindell

I would imagine none, the deck crew are mainly Filipino and they will all be ABs.Different times now Keith unfortunately.

[Doc Vernon]

Hello KEITH T
Dont know much about the Deck ,but sounds as though you werent at all happy on your first trips with the Sterling!
I served 3 Trips on her in 1958/59 as Asst Stwd and found her to be a great Ship! But that is of couse just my opinion haha!
Good days then!
Cheers

[Capt Bill Davies]

Hi, i sailed on the Stirling castle in the late 50,s for three trips as a deck boy, one trip i was a bridge boy (gofor), one trip as the PO,s peggy, and the final indignity deck boys peggy!!!, in those days if my memory is correct, we had 12-14 deckboys as crew, we had our own messroom and accomodation, 4-5 per cabin, and right up in the bows of the ship, right next to the chain locker. If i had high ideas of going to sea they were quickly crushed. eventually spent the next seven years at sea as AB, but for a young lad of seventeen the Stirling Castle was an ego buster. I wonder how many deck boys are on the modern passenger ships and what their duties are? Regards Keith Tindell

Have no experience of passenger ships whatsoever Keith. My first trip as Deck Boy was on the Blue Funnel ship ‘Memnon’ in 1955. There were two Deck Boys onboard and we used to alternate the duties of POs peggy and Sailors peggy on a monthly basis. I was fortunate in that the crowd on that ship were excellent so it did not make much difference. I recall Capt Laxton was Master. The trip was 11 months in duration and I signed off as JOS.

Brgds

Bill

[john sutton]

my first trip was on the capetown castle.Started off as PO,s peggy but was sacked as the skipper caught me doing a board of trade washup(throwing the crockery through the round locker)I was 15 at the time.Disrated to peggys peggy.
Many years later I used to go shooting with a retired General who was proud of the fact thet he had been a peggy before joining the army.When I told him that I had been a peggys peggy he was very impressed.
thre,s not many of us is there
john sutton

[Keith Tindell]

Hi Vernon,
Times were not all hard on the Stirling, had some great times, as a 17 year old, grew up very quick, i remember going down into the galleys for the POs tab nabs( they were better than the seamans), and on the way out nicking rum ba ba,s from the first class pastry rack, was fine the first time, but the pastry chef was waiting the next time, caught red handed, he gave me such a clout , my ears were ringing for a couple of days, lesson learned, still not fond of rum ba ba,s to this day, best regards Keith Tindell

[Terry Cadet]

Really that was part of a boy putting to sea my first voyage was a blessing at fourteen and half coming from a childrens home I was now a free spirit
I sailed with a old Scottish Skipper who one night while I was on Monkey Island lookout on the 12-4 watchhe came and stood along side me asked. ''Are a one tripper or was I going to make the sea your life?
That night he gave me two pieces of advice.
''Laddie, you can be like many of your fellow deckies they voyage the world and see it through the bottom of a beer glass and when they hang up their oilskins and retire to sit and write their story they will have seen little,but laddie, they will be able to tell how many beers they can buy for a dollar anywhere in the world.
"Or laddie you are or will become an observer thats what you are as you voyage around this world look listen and observe and when you come to hang up your well worn oilskins and write your life story believe me you will have seen much I took the latter advice now I write my stories as a log of my years in a great industry The British Merchant Navy.

[Louis the Amigo]

hi shipmates, I was a peggy as a deck boy Thats where I learn to make proper mustard, for the crew mess was told I make the best many years later{another story} by a V.I.P. I remember doing a fry up for the crew on tank cleaning duties first trip and helping The cook in the galley all skills. I learned at sea as a boy . which have come very handy in life in many ways

[Lou Barron]

I suppose there would no be many deck boys who did not have a turn at being the peggy .I did a couple of tmes in fact i was the peggythe night we got sunk i had just cleaned up in the messroom and joined a couple of the boys for a game of crib when the first shells hit us .

[Colin Hawken]

I did my fiest trip on the Stirling Castle in 1949. The dreaded"Swiveleye Lloyd" was Chief Officer.Like all Deck Boys then I did my turn peggying. Bosun's Peggy,PO's Peggy but never got to be Boys Peggy. I did a year in her then did two trips on the Winchester Castle. She was a happy ship. Bosun was "Lardy"Perry. A rough diamond but a damn good Bosun.Things "Lardy" taught you,you never forgot. I still remember now and that's over sixty years ago. I finally realised Passenger Liners weren't for me. There followed an assortment of Tankers and other Tramps,finished up Home Trade. That was good fun,in the pub every couple of nights.I did a year on one of Stevie Clarks Colliers,the Hayling. She was a good ship.The only Ship I ever sailed on with single berth cabins.I was the only one that wasn't a Geordie. Took me a couple of weeks to understand the "Foreign language they spoke.after that it was great fun.