Best & Worst jobs

[Richard]

The two jobs I remember best on the bridge were the steering, my favourite job. The worst was the Bridge cleaning between 06.00 and 08.00 every morning.
I loved the steering, great fun, even in difficult conditions, and I was pretty good at it, if I say so myself.
As for the cleaning, just a routine chore that I found onerous. Corrugated cork decks, that had to be swept and mopped, then swept again to sweep up the bits of mop. Windows, inside and out, flat surfaces wiped down, ashtrays and bins emptied, toilet cleaned etc etc. All done at a rush before 08.00 when the watch changed. Fortunately there was no brass on the tankers, but acres of it on the passenger boats. On one ship, the Capetown Castle I think, had a brass steam whistle. I hated brass polishing. All brass should be painted black I reckon

[Varley]

I never liked coated aerial tubing and always stripped and polished it. To chagrin of responsible depot when I found bodged connection (using odd left overs I suppose). We had to have something to amuse ourselves.

[jmilcon]

Originally Posted by Richard

The two jobs I remember best on the bridge were the steering, my favourite job. The worst was the Bridge cleaning between 06.00 and 08.00 every morning.
I loved the steering, great fun, even in difficult conditions, and I was pretty good at it, if I say so myself.
As for the cleaning, just a routine chore that I found onerous. Corrugated cork decks, that had to be swept and mopped, then swept again to sweep up the bits of mop. Windows, inside and out, flat surfaces wiped down, ashtrays and bins emptied, toilet cleaned etc etc. All done at a rush before 08.00 when the watch changed. Fortunately there was no brass on the tankers, but acres of it on the passenger boats. On one ship, the Capetown Castle I think, had a brass steam whistle. I hated brass polishing. All brass should be painted black I reckon

Hi Richard
Didn't they have any deck apprentices to do the bridge clean up. Spent too many mornings, as the junior sprog on the 8-12, scrubbing-out, soogeeing bridge-wing dodgers, hanging out of bridge front windows and polishing metres of brass. Character building(?).

[Richard]

Originally Posted by jmilcon

Hi Richard
Didn't they have any deck apprentices to do the bridge clean up. Spent too many mornings, as the junior sprog on the 8-12, scrubbing-out, soogeeing bridge-wing dodgers, hanging out of bridge front windows and polishing metres of brass. Character building(?).

I don't recall apprentices doing bridge cleaning on BP. That's not to say they didn't of course, but if they did, it was never part of their regular routine when I was on the 4-8. They did muck in with the daily routine of the ship on many occasions though. Tank Cleaning etc. Often to give them a taste of the hard and dirty work that the crowd did. The "You can't be expected to give orders to do something you haven't/can't do yourself." Example.

[Chris Isaac]

Best job in the merchant navy had to be Staff Commander on a passenger ship.
Nobody had any idea what you did or even if you did anything at all.
The only duty I could find was to present prizes at kid's fancy dress competition.
You did require a master's ticket to get the job....... why?

[Farmer John]

Originally Posted by Chris Isaac

The only duty I could find was to present prizes at kid's fancy dress competition.
You did require a master's ticket to get the job....... why?

To give you an air of gravitas? vital when giving out prizes.

[R58484957]

The same can be said about the staff chief engineer on a large passenger ship, in all the years I never saw him near the ER, he spent nearly all day in his cabin playing the violin.The hardest work he ever done was carrying his brief case to a masons meeting on board and he had a chiefs ticket god knows what for.

[tony allen]

hardest of all was the galley boy left on his own while all got their heads down soon as lunch was over and had a list a long as your arm .up at 6am .woke up chef a 4pm with a cup of tea .then wait until told he could have 2 hours before back to a mountain of pot and pans and to wash down the galley when all finished after dinner

[Islay]

Brasso polishing the butt ends, portholes and the ships whistle every second morning, c. 8 am.
Apprentices job. Full stop!
The ships whistle was a bummer, especially on deep laden tankers in a heavy swell ... go figure!
Clinging on for dear life ... no sign of any 'elf and safety around ... lashed to the funnel ladder!
All good fun back then ... a shame I didn't "unscrew" the 2 feet high brass whistle and take it home with me
when I was aboard a couple of the vessels when taken to scrap in Scotland ... it would be a prized trophy today !

[sibby]

The worst jobs on a ship were in fog with no radar, hanging out of the wheel house window listening for other ships and being at anchor standing on the foc'sle ringing the bell every few minutes freezing to death for an hour.

[Pat Kennedy]

Without question, the very worst job at sea was the sailor's peggy on a Bluey.
Anyone who ever experienced this hellish existence as a sea going drudge, spending ten hours a day scrubbing alleyways and bathrooms, messroom and rec room, serving all the meals and washing up all the dishes after the crowd had eaten, will agree. Throwing the contents of the rosie into a shit chute on the poop, then throwing the contents of your stomach after it. It went on, seven days a week for months on end without any sort of respite.
You either quit after your first trip as many did, or you survived and got promotion to Junior ordinary seaman after 9 months seatime.

[BobClay]

In July 1967 with starting at Leith Nautical College coming up in September I needed some money to supplement my grant. (Students could get grants in those days.) I'd done a couple of years at sea as an Engine Room Rating, and from the Shipping Federation Office on Pier Head I got a job for two trips on the Empress of Canada signing on as a 'wiper.'

I can remember my Dad asking me what a 'wiper' did, a question which I found very funny.

I did a month on her and the first Atlantic crossing was as 'peggy' cleaning the ER's accommodation, and also the cabin of a high petty officer (can't remember what his rank actually was) who was known onboard as the 'Aga Khan.' Some ex Canadian Pacific people might know the name.

The second crossing I actually got down the engine room cleaning mainly down there. So my last trip as a rating was with Canadian Pacific.

Years later after sparkying for CP Ships from 76 to 86 I came ashore. So my last ship in that job was Canadian Pacific !!

Not many sparkies can say there were a peggy for the Aga Khan I bet, although being a Sparks was a far far better job than the dreaded peggying.

[Pat Kennedy]

Originally Posted by BobClay

In July 1967 with starting at Leith Nautical College coming up in September I needed some money to supplement my grant. (Students could get grants in those days.) I'd done a couple of years at sea as an Engine Room Rating, and from the Shipping Federation Office on Pier Head I got a job for two trips on the Empress of Canada signing on as a 'wiper.'

I can remember my Dad asking me what a 'wiper' did, a question which I found very funny.

I did a month on her and the first Atlantic crossing was as 'peggy' cleaning the ER's accommodation, and also the cabin of a high petty officer (can't remember what his rank actually was) who was known onboard as the 'Aga Khan.' Some ex Canadian Pacific people might know the name.

The second crossing I actually got down the engine room cleaning mainly down there. So my last trip as a rating was with Canadian Pacific.

Years later after sparkying for CP Ships from 76 to 86 I came ashore. So my last ship in that job was Canadian Pacific !!

Not many sparkies can say there were a peggy for the Aga Khan I bet, although being a Sparks was a far far better job than the dreaded peggying.

Ive heard of the Aga Khan Bob. I seem to recall he was engine room storekeeper on the Empress boats, but its only a vague memory.
I wonder if you came across an engine room rating on the Canada named Johnny Lynas, AKA Miss Fontaine. A most unlikely"tranny". He was a big, ugly, and very hard scouser, who could often be seen swanning around the working alleyway in all his finery.
Regards,
Pat

[BobClay]

Sorry Pat, the only name I can remember from those days is the Aga Khan. It was fifty years ago.

Yes your description of the Khan's rank sounds right, I think that would make the boss blocker for engine room ratings. I also remember visiting an Expo Exhibition I think in Montreal during that trip.

When I paid off her in Early August 67 I walked down the gangway and the next time I walked up one was as a junior sparks (The Ben Dearg) in 1970. The time between those two dates at Leith Nautical, a bit extended because I missed a term due to a road accident.

BSA-A7 0, Daimler 1.

[Pat Kennedy]

Originally Posted by BobClay

Sorry Pat, the only name I can remember from those days is the Aga Khan. It was fifty years ago.

Yes your description of the Khan's rank sounds right, I think that would make the boss blocker for engine room ratings. I also remember visiting an Expo Exhibition I think in Montreal during that trip.

When I paid off her in Early August 67 I walked down the gangway and the next time I walked up one was as a junior sparks (The Ben Dearg) in 1970. The time between those two dates at Leith Nautical, a bit extended because I missed a term due to a road accident.

BSA-A7 0, Daimler 1.

I was in the Empress of Britain Bob, horrible ship for the sailors, six in a cabin which had steel bulkheads, so constantly running with condensation, dreadful food, we had to pay a winger to get us passenger food.
Everyone seemed to be working some kind of racket. some stewards set up a little business washing and ironing their colleague's tuxedos, while paying someone else to cover their work, and back handing the chief steward to ignore their activities. Others were bookies, one rented out a projector and a selection of blue movies, another had a library of risque books and magazines to rent.
I was glad to get back to general cargo ships and clean air!
Pat

[BobClay]

I was astounded when I walked into the mess room at night. It was like a casino !!! But I've never been into gambling and I figured I'm just here temporarily so knuckle down and look forward to being a student.

[Varley]

That reminds me of a favourite story of an ex-USN Sub. Supply Officer.

He would excuse himself when being given chapter and verse of why he was doing what he was doing with "It's not as if this is a career choice!"

[Quiney]

Originally Posted by BobClay

I was astounded when I walked into the mess room at night. It was like a casino !!! But I've never been into gambling and I figured I'm just here temporarily so knuckle down and look forward to being a student.

On my second trip as a jnr sparks, the lecky got myself and two deck cadets playing cards for money. We were obviously very green, it was a regular trick of his. We were all down on our money when we had a genny failure/blackout. The time up in the radio room made me see the error of my ways and I've never gambled since.

[Chris Isaac]

Originally Posted by Pat Kennedy

Without question, the very worst job at sea was the sailor's peggy on a Bluey.
Anyone who ever experienced this hellish existence as a sea going drudge, spending ten hours a day scrubbing alleyways and bathrooms, messroom and rec room, serving all the meals and washing up all the dishes after the crowd had eaten, will agree. Throwing the contents of the rosie into a shit chute on the poop, then throwing the contents of your stomach after it. It went on, seven days a week for months on end without any sort of respite.
You either quit after your first trip as many did, or you survived and got promotion to Junior ordinary seaman after 9 months seatime.

Character building!

[tony allen]

Originally Posted by Pat Kennedy

Without question, the very worst job at sea was the sailor's peggy on a Bluey.
Anyone who ever experienced this hellish existence as a sea going drudge, spending ten hours a day scrubbing alleyways and bathrooms, messroom and rec room, serving all the meals and washing up all the dishes after the crowd had eaten, will agree. Throwing the contents of the rosie into a shit chute on the poop, then throwing the contents of your stomach after it. It went on, seven days a week for months on end without any sort of respite.
You either quit after your first trip as many did, or you survived and got promotion to Junior ordinary seaman after 9 months seatime.

Pat cannot remember his name now but the peggy and I were very close in our jobs as young boys and alway went ashore together .in yokohama just up the road from the berth was an american diner for their personal and we went inside .guy looked at us and said you are not personal what are you doing hear peggy replied we are from that british ship at the dock down there,and would like to taste a hamburger please .he said sit in the corner and brought the biggest thing we'd ever saw with a mountain of what they called french fries salad and cold slaw and large coke "really did not know what it was" what an experience for 2 young scouse lads and best of all it was free .could not thank him enough .he said nice to meet 2 young limeys ,have a good trip back home I will be going home in 2 months my self thank god 1955

[Pat Kennedy]

Originally Posted by Chris Isaac

Character building!

You would not have thought so if you had to do it. Nor would you have appreciated standing to attention in the sailor's mess every morning at 10.30 while the march of the unemployed processed through wearing white gloves, looking for the faintest smear of grease or speck of dust. Character building my royal arse, it bred resentment and ill feeling.

[Pat Kennedy]

Originally Posted by tony allen

Pat cannot remember his name now but the peggy and I were very close in our jobs as young boys and alway went ashore together .in yokohama just up the road from the berth was an american diner for their personal and we went inside .guy looked at us and said you are not personal what are you doing hear peggy replied we are from that british ship at the dock down there,and would like to taste a hamburger please .he said sit in the corner and brought the biggest thing we'd ever saw with a mountain of what they called french fries salad and cold slaw and large coke "really did not know what it was" what an experience for 2 young scouse lads and best of all it was free .could not thank him enough .he said nice to meet 2 young limeys ,have a good trip back home I will be going home in 2 months my self thank god 1955

Tony,
On my first trip on the Achilles, I went ashore in Kobe with the pantry boy, a fellow Wallasey lad. We went to the cinema, and saw The Defiant Ones, with Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis. Coming out of the cinema we met some Yanks who were crew off an American Merchant ship berthed close to the Achilles, called Golden Bear.
They invited us back and fed us unlimited burger, coffee, coca cola and loads of Camel cigarettes, they were a great bunch of guys and Ive always held Americans in affection since then.
Regards,
Pat

[janmike]

janmike, After reading the above, my worst job was cement washing the main fresh water tanks, coming out looking like a statue! the next one was spray painting the flying bridges from the focsle to midships then onto the poop deck. All done whilst sailing down the Red Sea on the way to Abadan.
No masks or goggles in those days of the fifties

[Tom Alexander]

Worst ---- Whirly hammer the rust off the starboard after deck in 98 degree F heat.

Best -- Helmsman on the St. Lawrence Seaway. Just steer the ship and enjoy the scenery.

Between --- Just about everything you can think of.

[Finkenwerder]

Worst job - as cadet clearing out and repairing a blocked and jammed no-return valve for 'human waste' outlet, in the days when the 'stuff' went straight overside.

Best job - being a daywork Chief Mate for one 6 month trip after many ships as same on watches and field days; positive luxury!