Is this term realted just to RN or Merchant as well?
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Is this term realted just to RN or Merchant as well?
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I thought this was another gay pride thread when I read the title.
My grandfather was at sea from the age of 14 (1924 ) till he retired at 65, I remember him telling me that his job was a Donkeyman / Greaser but in the Royal Navy he would have been called a Stoker and that Stoker was the Navy's term for Engine room ratings.
He was under RN terms a few voyages during the war and as such classed as a naval rating for the trip.
Still remember seeing his seamans book, with the stamps of all the ships he served on, plus 3 with "Discharged at sea" stamped across the entry. They were the ships that were torpedoed from under him, and his wages stopped as soon as the ship sank!!!!!!!!!!
Wages ending in the Merchant Navy ( not sure of the Senior Service) historic, a seaman is paid for the term of the voyage, when the voyage ends so does the wage..........There is a story about seamen from the Titanic, who were given £5.00 by a wealthy passenger in the lifeboat they manned after the sinking, They were considered pariahs and one young mans mother when he returned home slammed the door in his face and never spoke to him again.
My grandad, told me the only extra hazard pay was if you crewed a Tanker particularly aviation fuel .
Alan Burns's book Tribute to the brave goes into detail the way merchant seaman were treated,during wartime http://www.sunderlandecho.com/daily/...ost.3460948.jp
Here is the payments to an AB during WW2
"In 1941 the Merchant Navy paid able-bodied seamen ten pound, twelve shillings and sixpence per month plus a war bonus of ten pounds per month." google
After the war the ship owners tried to stop the war Bonus. This started the 1947 strike by the merchant seamen, led by Billy Hart.
In 1952 when I went to sea, a Deck Boy or Catering Boy was on £10 a month, a 56 hour week, an Efficient Deck Hand, was on £24 a month, EDH was a man who had passed examinations in Seamanship and a Lifeboat certificate, for his ABs certificate, but had an increment of £1 every year for four years, then he became a full Able Seaman on £28 a month, that was a skilled tradesman.
This wage was similar for Stewards and Firemen when they had the sea time in.
Billy Hart in the 1947 strike was demanding £28 a month for ABs.
My great grandfather's occupation is given as ship's fireman or boilerman between the 1880s and the 1910s - does anyone know if there is a difference between the two?
He was born in Co. Offaly, Ireland but lived in Saltney Street, Liverpool from about the age of 5. He went to sea sometime after 1881, and lived in the east end of London between voyages until his death in the 1930s. My mother said he sailed around the world twice - one by sail and once by steam. I would love to trace his career further - any suggestions as to how I mght go about it? I'm completely confused by the records available. His name was Patrick MacRedmond.
Thanks
Teresa
www.widnestown.co.uk - Widnes Til I Die!!
I hope this helps...
Rates and ranks of the Royal Navy in ascending order:
* Able Seaman
* Leading Rate
* Petty Officer
* Chief Petty Officer
* Warrant Officer 2
* Warrant Officer 1
* Officer Cadet
* Midshipman
* Sub-Lieutenant
* Lieutenant
* Lieutenant-Commander
* Commander
* Captain
* Commodore
* Rear-Admiral
* Vice-Admiral
* Admiral
* Admiral of the Fleet
The term 'stoker' applied to those shovelling coal into coal-fired boilers for steam turbine engines. I've never heard that it only applied to RN personnel, but then I only ever sailed with diesel engines.
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