Bootsie ,Billo and Me
I joined the Jason in Govan ,she seemed much bigger than the Eumaeus, by just over two thousand tons. She had the same graceful lines and ,with the extra tonnage ,had an even greater appearance of strength and solidity. Laying just along the quay from her was the Eumaeus ,she was beginning to load cargo for her next voyage to the far east. There was hardly anyone about when I got aboard ,no bosun or deck crew were visible . I went up to the chief officers cabin to report and he took me along to the captains cabin to get signed on. My situation here was as it had been on the Eumaeus, I was a last minute replacement.
The captain sent me along to the second steward to draw my linen and towels,and he showed me to the peggies cabin after giving me the necessary.
The cabin was laid out differently to the one I had just vacated ,the three bunks were in line, two ,one atop the other, as you came through the door,and the third at the end of these two, screened by a wooden partition from the others ,with the bottom of that bunk beneath the porthole. That was the best bunk because you could see the ocean, or the shore if you were in port. The two best bunks were already occupied. My cabin mates ,who I had yet to meet, had joined her in Liverpool. So, I was left with the top bunk , it was about 7 foot off the deck , not the easiest berth to get into and even harder to make the bed. After unpacking my gear and stowing everything away ,I made my way to the messroom to see if there was any grub ,the evening meal was being served up but there were hardly any crew about. I sat myself down at the handiest position and was tucking into my dinner, when the first A.B turned up, he had been working down the hatch ,hence my not seeing anyone, looking at me ,he said "You don't want to sit there". The messroom had been empty," I don't see anyone else wanting to sit here" I answered. "Well ,don't say I did'nt warn you" he said, sitting down to eat his own meal. I was just starting to eat my pudding when an old salt staggered through he door ,he looked as though he had been at the bottle because his eyes were shut fast and he was feeling his way about. Fumbling toward me ,he made to sit down in the place I had occupied, feeling me instead of the chair ,he cocked his head sideways and opened his eyelids, very slowly. "Poooh yurr!" he snorted as he grasped me by the scruff of the neck ,and with one yank ejected me ,hurling me across the messroom as he did so. That was my introduction to the legendary Wally Skeggs. He had some kind of affliction which made it very difficult for him to fully open his eyes, the company allowed him to sail as a promenade deck man and his disability did not stop him functioning in that capacity. He was very old and I came to love him like a grandfather. The man who warned me of my faux pas was a Welshman called Elwyn Jones , he was one of the famous Welsh Navymen , all from North Wales ,they formed the backbone of most Blue Funnel crews . I was to learn a lot of seamanship from Elwyn .But of my cabinmates ,there was still no sign. When I finished my evening meal ,I strolled along the dock to the Eumaeus , the two peggies were still aboard her ,as were a couple of the E,D.H.s.
They were happy to see me and I was even happier to see them , I would'nt have to spend the night on my own now.
We went into Govan and had a mooch around ,it was'nt the liveliest of places and it seemed a lot bleaker than Liverpool, the pubs were warm and friendly though and we passed the night quite happily. Feeling sleepy after such a long day, I made my excuses and went back to the Jason to get an early night, the three pints of Heavy were making themselves felt. When I opened the cabin door, I was shocked to see my bedding strewn about the deck, there was still no one about ,only Wally and Elwyn .I quickly remade the bunk and went to sleep in a murderous mood.
I was sound asleep when the door crashed open and the lights were switched on . Standing in the doorway was a drunken young Teddy boy and a half cut callow youth.......my cabinmates! I roared awake "Which of you two smart arses tipped my bunk to the deck ?" I shouted . Bootsie , his face contorted in drunken aggression,replied "Ooh the f8=k are yew!" Sitting up, I said "You're new cabinmate ,Now which of you two *******s tipped my gear?" Pulling his Green River deck knife out of his pocket ,Bootsie waved it at me ,"D'yew want some o' this ?" he shouted. It was a stupid thing to do ,but I did it without thinking. I rolled out of my bunk and landed on his shoulders, which sent him crashing to the deck. He had dropped the knife and I grabbed his ears whilst I sat on his chest,and gave his head a good drumming on the deck. I thought I had been fighting for my life, poor Bootsie was crying "Don't hurt me mate, don't hurt me!" Tears were pouring down his face and his body was wracked with sobs. I stood up and saw Billo,cringing in the corner ,I could see he was very frightened. I helped Bootsie up and he told me that it was one of the O.S's who had made the mess ,they were too frightened to stop him.
After that bad start ,we shook hands and got our heads down. I would have to face that O.S. in the morning.
We were called at 5.30 in the morning by the night watchman. There was a hot cup of tea and a warm slice of toast for each of us in the messroom , the night watchman had prepared it before calling us. I met the bosun ,Wilf was his name ,a man about sixty ,chubby and hard looking, he gave us peggies our duties. We would work week about as ,deck peggy, mess peggy and bosuns peggy. The work load was equally weighted , we would start at 5-30 every morning and work through , with meal breaks and smoko's, until the last plate had been washed after the evening meal . There would be a Captains inspection every morning while we were at sea ,this took place at 10-00 sharp and everything had to be spotless. My first go was as bosuns peggy, the first job I had to do every morning was to clean the recreation room. This had 8 brass portholes, six tables ,each with four slide away brass ashtrays ,and brass strips on the door way . All of that brassware had to be polished ,the deck had to be swept and washed ,and then it was up to the bridge to polish the port and starboard lights and then the telegraph and compass housing. After that little lot we had to get breakfast for the bosun , lamptrimmer and chippy, like the other meals ,they were four course ,with the appropriate tableware for each course. When they had finished , the pots had to be scrubbed ,you had to find time to get your breakfast, and then you had to scrub the petty officers bathroom, the three cabins and then ,finally, the main cross alleyway ,which was also the engine room entrance. This latter was done on your hands and knees with brillo pads to get off the oily foot marks.. The duckboards from the bathroom had to be holy stoned before it was all set for inspection. This ritual was carried out by the captain ,accompanied by the ships doctor, chief engineer and one passenger . The captain carried a torch and wore one white glove , he would stroke the top of the doors and the underside of tables, randomly , the torch was used to shine into places that were hard to reach, beneath cupboards and under bunks. Sometimes he would put a chalk mark on the inside of a lavatory bowl, unseen by you of course. If there was a smut of dirt on his glove ,or a dull piece of brass, bit of dirt in the far recesses of a cupboard or beneath a bunk, if a chalk mark was still showing ,you would lose a days pay. Sometimes, he put a penny on a shelf that was high up ,or a door ledge, anything in fact to catch a tardy peggy out. He would see the joke if you exchanged the penny for two ha'pennies.
This then was the daily morning grind of a deck boy, come 7.o clock at night we were bushed, a long soak in the bath, do your dhobying and then sit by the men as they chatted about ships and the sea. A boy could sit on the sidelines ,he was'nt expected to join in.
When I went on deck that second morning ,I saw the Eumaeus pulling way from the quay, I felt really sad , I would'nt be spending New Years Eve with the guys I knew. And I still had to face the O.S. who had destroyed my bunk .I went along to his cabin before they turned to after breakfast. He was a big lad ,Norman was his name. " Did you tip my bunk out last night ?" I asked . Looking at me with disbelief written across his face ,he said "What about if I did ?" I replied " I don't mind a joke, but you can stuff your pantomime !" and walked quickly away. His mates had seen what I had just done ,there were bound to be repercussions.
I went ashore with Bootsie and Billo that night, we had a few in the pub outside the dock gates but the mate came in and wagged a finger at us ,out we went. The next night was Hogmanay ,New Years Eve ,the dockers had told us what a fabulous night it would be. So the three of us got decked out in our best gear and made our way to the centre of Govan. People seemed to be in ever such a hurry, we soon found out why, the pubs were shutting after 8.0 clock so that the staff could get home and prepare for the coming festivities. But what about us ? What were we supposed to do until midnight? A slatternly woman came over to me asked if I would first foot them . I asked her what she meant ,and she explained that it was good luck for a dark haired man to be first at the door to bring in the New Year . Looking at my mates I asked them what they thought. Like me, they imagined a booze up and some nosh as well. So I agreed and her husband gave us their address.
It was a bitterly cold night that we exited into from the pub, we walked for ages trying to find somewhere warm to have a drink and pass the time to midnight. Around half past nine we were ready to surrender and go back aboard. This certainly was'nt the way we did New Year at home. Feeling the piece of paper with the family's address on ,I suggested we go there to get out of the cold. It was'nt far from the docks and was on the third floor of an old brownstone tenement block. We were assailed by the smell of boiled cabbage and blocked toilets as we ascended the stairs. We gave the door a hearty rap and the door was opened on to a scene of poverty ,there were grubby faced kids climbing over ragged furniture, there was a mean coal fire glimmering in the grate and the father was supping a beer straight from a bottle. " You're way early man" he said as his wife ushered us into the room. Giving us the once over ,he said "Did you no bring a bottle ?" "No" I replied , Well you can't come in here without a bottle" Hogmanay!!??
The three of us went off to Glasgow town centre, it was still early ,and though the main square was festooned with festive lights ,there was hardly a soul about . There was a chestnut seller at the side of the square so we went over to get a warm by his stove ., Also standing there were some harridans ,there faces overly made up so that they looked like parodies of prostitutes. At least in their fifties ,they were eying us up as potential customers."Would you no like a wee girlie?" one of them wheezed. Jeez, lets get outta here !!! We fled back to the comfort of our cabin ,where all was silent. We still had two full days to go before we left for the continent.
Norman could get me any time..........................
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Originally Posted by Ged
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