# DB's



## michael241040 (Jan 3, 2022)

Ship's crews used to wear DB's. Can someone remind me what these were?


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## Charles Mattress (Apr 27, 2019)

michael241040 said:


> Ship's crews used to wear DB's. Can someone remind me what these were?


DOGS BOLLOX


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## willincity (Jul 11, 2007)

No problem Michael :

Auf dieser Seite finden Sie Infos zu _Ship_-_DB_ der Schiffs-Datenbank von Reinhard

You can thank me later


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## captainconfusion (Aug 13, 2020)

michael241040 said:


> Ship's crews used to wear DB's. Can someone remind me what these were?


What are you on about, what is your personal involvement in the RED Duster?? Rank name and number!!! Please


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## captainconfusion (Aug 13, 2020)

Should you young sir put in to the web-- Distressed Brit ish Seaman- and follow the link merchant shipping acts 1894- you may find a more appropriate description of DB'S. and how it could affect different seamen under different conditions.
There are other links? But the MS 1894 Act gives you the precise conditions of a distressed British seaman, It was not all plain sailing.
The MS1894 act regulations were pretty stark, should the ownwers of the shipping company apply them. Should you read the full 1894 MS Act you may have some 500+ pages of jolly reading to complete?/have a god read!


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## vasco (Dec 27, 2007)

captainconfusion said:


> Should you young sir put in to the web-- Distressed Brit ish Seaman- and follow the link merchant shipping acts 1894- you may find a more appropriate description of DB'S. and how it could affect different seamen under different conditions.
> There are other links? But the MS 1894 Act gives you the precise conditions of a distressed British seaman, It was not all plain sailing.
> The MS1894 act regulations were pretty stark, should the ownwers of the shipping company apply them. Should you read the full 1894 MS Act you may have some 500+ pages of jolly reading to complete?/have a god read!


But how can the crew wear a DBS? as opposed to DBs, whatever they are.


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## jmcg (Apr 20, 2008)

Could it be that a DB was a double breasted coat or other garment worn by galley, saloon and deck personnel? I can recall OM wearing DB overcoats on the North Atlantic runs. Could also refer to denim blues - all deck crowds had them. Now, there was a famous store on Scotland Road, (Liverpool) that dealt almost exclusively with denim for seamen. Cannot remember the name but their brand was imprinted on their products and mighty fine gear it was too..

Just a long shot. Good thread Michael.

BW
J


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## rogd (Jul 2, 2018)

Deck boots?


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

jmcg said:


> Could it be that a DB was a double breasted coat or other garment worn by galley, saloon and deck personnel? I can recall OM wearing DB overcoats on the North Atlantic runs. Could also refer to denim blues - all deck crowds had them. Now, there was a famous store on Scotland Road, (Liverpool) that dealt almost exclusively with denim for seamen. Cannot remember the name but their brand was imprinted on their products and mighty fine gear it was too..
> 
> Just a long shot. Good thread Michael.
> 
> ...



Not double breasted overcoats! The standard issue for RN and for MN (ish) was for single breasted 'duffle coat' for cold weather. Definitely 'single breasted'. The coats were 'camel colour for officers and navy blue for ratings. 

The RN wore a uniform called 'Number 8'. Dark blue trousers with a light blue shirt. Fine gear for sure. MN wore 'denim' trousers and a light blue short, but it was not the same quality. Well, a thinner cloth. Paisley, Miller Rayner etc sold the MN great. If you wanted RN No.8's the place to find them was at the Army Navy Surplus shop.

Deck Boots? Sailors did not wear 'boot's. If you fell overboard you might sink. Kick the shoes off and away. If it was wet weather you would have 'wellington boots'.

Do you remember the man telling that when he was a wee lad his dad would buy all of the clothing for the Navy Surplus ship. He was always embarrassed when he went to school. "Can imagined as a ten year old, going to school dressed like a Japanese admiral!"

Stephen


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## Charles Mattress (Apr 27, 2019)

DM,s is what he means,,,,Ifink


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## rogd (Jul 2, 2018)

Charles Mattress said:


> DM,s is what he means,,,,Ifink


Bloody 'ell. He pops up everywhere!


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## jmcg (Apr 20, 2008)

Any closer?

BW
J


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Anyhow JMCG, you have nailed the DB.


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## Charles Mattress (Apr 27, 2019)

rogd said:


> Bloody 'ell. He pops up everywhere!


🤡 oh, so it is your site


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## Charles Mattress (Apr 27, 2019)

rogd said:


> Bloody 'ell. He pops up everywhere!


🐐💨


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## jmcg (Apr 20, 2008)

Puzzled all last evening regarding the denim I had a double take of fish oil (excellent for brain function) coupled with a tot of fine 15 year old Jura I woke up in the middle of the night with the answer.

The outfitters for *gentlemen sailors* in Liverpool were called Flemings.

They had two branches. The one I frequented on Scotland Road was headed up by their shore bosun Emily. At the time I was topping out at 6ft.7inches tall without footwear and sometimes (but not infrequently) a suitable rig-out was not not in stock. Emily would measure up, including inside leg (what joy) and have a full outfit (trouser and jacket) ready before sailing day.

*See below for records maintained at Maritime Museum Liverpool L*

William Flemming was a Liverpool based importer of cigars and tobacco. Obviously an astute businessman, he saw potential in the hardwearing denim trousers worn by the visiting American sailors. In 1881 he started Fleming's Ltd, selling tailored denim clothing to the many manual workers in Liverpool from his premises in Scotland Road and Park Road.
Fleming's son-in-law sold the company to a family called Shieldhouse, who opted to keep the more established company name of Fleming. The shop continued to sell to the local workforce for many years. It had retail outlets in Scotland Road and Great Homer Street, before finally settling in Walton Road. At its height the company employed more than 40 local workers. When they closed their retail outlet in 1998 Fleming's were the oldest company in the UK making jeans.

In the 1950s influenced by American teen culture, jeans became more fashionable and no longer the sole domain of the worker. By the 1960s and 1970s, Fleming's jeans were an essential item in any fashionable Liverpool wardrobe.
Jim Pankhurst from Speke remembers the Fleming's experience:


> "I must have bought maybe five or six pairs of Fleming's between about 1973 and 1976, from when I was about 14 to 17. Me and my mate Joey used to get the 500 bus from Speke and get off on County Road. There was always lads from all over the city in there (the shop). The first thing you noticed was all these wooden pigeon holes behind the counter with the jeans in them. You used to ask the fella behind the counter for a pair of 28 inch waist, 28 inch bottoms, and without even looking he'd reach up to a pigeon hole behind him and slap them down on the counter, then wrap them up in brown paper and hand them to you like a bag of chips.
> Fleming's were THE jeans to have at that time in Liverpool - usually worn with Tuxon brown Air Wair, with a 2 inch turn up on the bottom."


Sometimes customers asked for EJ's or PM's etc. Fleming's were unique in that each treble stitched 14oz pair was stitched from start to finish by the same worker, who would then stitch her initials into the label and sometimes even put a short note in the pocket.
The glass counter inside the shop in Walton Road doubled as a display board of requests for jeans from scouse customers all over the world.
Fleming's jeans were always popular with football supporters from both Anfield and Goodison.
Bill Wheeler from Huyton remembers going to watch Liverpool play in the early 1970s:


> "I always used to wear my Fleming's jeans and jacket when I went the match. I remember it cost loads to get in the Kop, so we would pay buttons to get into the boys pen, and then the old fellas would lift us over into the Kop stand, and we would squeeze down to the front for a better view. I remember me mum went nuts because I caught my jacket on the fence climbing over and ripped the pocket off."


Fleming's is still going strong but no longer makes jeans. Having come full circle they are back making industrial clothing for the Liverpool workforce.

Sorry to have strayed from your opening post Michael but I think we have nailed the DB question.

BW
J


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## Charles Mattress (Apr 27, 2019)

jmcg said:


> View attachment 690452
> 
> 
> Puzzled all last evening regarding the denim I had a double take of fish oil (excellent for brain function) coupled with a tot of fine 15 year old Jura I woke up in the middle of the night with the answer.
> ...


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## Charles Mattress (Apr 27, 2019)

epic


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## Charles Mattress (Apr 27, 2019)

read war and peace quicker


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## Portmac (Sep 30, 2021)

rogd said:


> Deck boots?


Always called them Sea Boots.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Portmac said:


> Always called them Sea Boots.



Quite right but the original poster wants something that spells with 'DB'. 

How about Japanese Sea Boots?


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

When did they term "Denim" come into common use? I thought they were called "dungarees". I had some when I was a little kid, sent by an uncle in America, and they couldn't get them off me - they were like what real cowboys wore.

John T


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## Portmac (Sep 30, 2021)

trotterdotpom said:


> When did they term "Denim" come into common use? I thought they were called "dungarees". I had some when I was a little kid, sent by an uncle in America, and they couldn't get them off me - they were like what real cowboys wore.
> 
> John T


Came from the frogs.[french],,Check it out on Bing.


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## sea-land-air (Dec 29, 2021)

Stephen J. Card said:


> Quite right but the original poster wants something that spells with 'DB'.
> 
> How about Japanese Sea Boots?


Arigatōgozaimasu


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## makko (Jul 20, 2006)

Another one to remember, ponder on and tell the grandkids about (!) - The chief steward putting the "Merchant Navy Wellies" out in the off/crew bars prior to docking!

I thought DB was for a standard DB jacket, as on the other thread?

Rgds.
Dave


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

sea-land-air said:


> Arigatōgozaimasu


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

2


"Fi dolla short time!" Or is that Chinese?


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Stephen J. Card said:


> 2
> 
> 
> "Fi dolla short time!" Or is that Chinese?


Stephen, the correct response is "doitachimaste" (excuse spelling), meaning "don't mention it" or something similar. You can remember it by: "Don't touch my moustache".

John T


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## sea-land-air (Dec 29, 2021)

trotterdotpom said:


> Stephen, the correct response is "doitachimaste" (excuse spelling), meaning "don't mention it" or something similar. You can remember it by: "Don't touch my moustache".
> 
> John T


right you are


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## noelmavisk (Oct 14, 2012)

jmcg said:


> Could it be that a DB was a double breasted coat or other garment worn by galley, saloon and deck personnel? I can recall OM wearing DB overcoats on the North Atlantic runs. Could also refer to denim blues - all deck crowds had them. Now, there was a famous store on Scotland Road, (Liverpool) that dealt almost exclusively with denim for seamen. Cannot remember the name but their brand was imprinted on their products and mighty fine gear it was too..
> 
> Just a long shot. Good thread Michael.
> 
> ...


Joined my first ship in December 1953 at Liverpool and that's where I had to get my uniforms etc. Memory not that good but I seem to think the outfitters were named something like Miller Ransome. I know they were well known and had a place in London where I was initially supposed to go.


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## jmcg (Apr 20, 2008)

It was/ is Miller Rayner. Still going strong out of Leicester. Bought a pair of decent black  brouge shoes from them about 10 years ago and still wearing them as favourite dress shoes.

BW
J


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## taffe65 (May 27, 2007)

jmcg said:


> It was/ is Miller Raynor. Still going strong out of Manchester. Bought a pair of decent black brouge shoes from them about 10 years ago and still wearing them as favourite dress shoes.
> 
> BW
> J


Joe feneck in Union street, Plymouth comes to mind.There was a miller/rayner in Plymouth but joes gear was better quality and cheaper, he was old-school and provided fantastic service. By the way I,m still wearing my cadetship Dr Marten shoes, only bring them out for funerals though.


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