# Galley speak.



## Doctor Robert

Ok, I was just 18 and a commie-winger for one voyage only.
It was in 1st class in NZSCo's Rangitiki from Sydney to London in Feb/Mar 1947.
Now please don't write me off, it was the only way I could get
home to Blighty. Much to the hilarity of the crew, my scouser mentor 
swore he was the finest ******* steward in the Merchant ******* Navy, and that I should make the most of his ******* tuition. Well I decided to take his advice. It was a mega-steep learning curve! Especially with a mysterious shortage of cutlery.(all tossed away - to avoid burnishing it seemed, on arrival back at Tilbury!) But I was soon given my own sitting - (probably so he could scive off) Wish I could remember his name.
In my dotage now, I re-live those 6 weeks with great pleasure, one of the highlights of my life. But I so wish some kind soul would remind me of the galley-speak that I had to quickly grasp if I was ever to service my 'Bloods'?
All I can recall is 'schooners' for sausages I think, but we had some terrific menu dishes and everything had to be shouted in galley lingo.
Come to that, is there anyone left who was on that particular voyage?
My nickname was 'Rosy' (after the waste bin) because I used to finish off all the grub my bloods hadn't eaten before I went through for the next course orders. (I grew up with London blitz rationing)
My nickname probably came all the easier because I had long hair - when the fashion was def. crew-cuts, so they all had me down as a shirt-lifter. It was a voyage they'd well remember - we had the Duchess of Glos. and the Princes aboard, and the 'Tiki's engines were shut down and a fores'l hoisted
in a mid-Atlantic super storm. 
Now I'm a rookie all over again, having only recently discovered SN -
and I love it to bits.
Cheers, guys.
AB.


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## ALAN TYLER

*Galley Speak*



Doctor Robert said:


> Ok, I was just 18 and a commie-winger for one voyage only.
> It was in 1st class in NZSCo's Rangitiki from Sydney to London in Feb/Mar 1947.
> Now please don't write me off, it was the only way I could get
> home to Blighty. Much to the hilarity of the crew, my scouser mentor
> swore he was the finest ******* steward in the Merchant ******* Navy, and that I should make the most of his ******* tuition. Well I decided to take his advice. It was a mega-steep learning curve! Especially with a mysterious shortage of cutlery.(all tossed away - to avoid burnishing it seemed, on arrival back at Tilbury!) But I was soon given my own sitting - (probably so he could scive off) Wish I could remember his name.
> In my dotage now, I re-live those 6 weeks with great pleasure, one of the highlights of my life. But I so wish some kind soul would remind me of the galley-speak that I had to quickly grasp if I was ever to service my 'Bloods'?
> All I can recall is 'schooners' for sausages I think, but we had some terrific menu dishes and everything had to be shouted in galley lingo.
> Come to that, is there anyone left who was on that particular voyage?
> My nickname was 'Rosy' (after the waste bin) because I used to finish off all the grub my bloods hadn't eaten before I went through for the next course orders. (I grew up with London blitz rationing)
> My nickname probably came all the easier because I had long hair - when the fashion was def. crew-cuts, so they all had me down as a shirt-lifter. It was a voyage they'd well remember - we had the Duchess of Glos. and the Princes aboard, and the 'Tiki's engines were shut down and a fores'l hoisted
> in a mid-Atlantic super storm.
> Now I'm a rookie all over again, having only recently discovered SN -
> and I love it to bits.
> Cheers, guys.
> AB.


This all takes me back a bit.. How about, Burgoo....Porridge, Sealed Orders.....Cornish pasties, Tab-nabs...Cakes, Covered wagon...Steak pie or steak&sidney pie, Plum duff....steam pudding. Hope this helps your memories. Alan T.


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## kevjacko

What about Merchant Navy (GRAVY) Ruby Murray (CURRY) Babies Heads (STEAK & KINDNEY PUDDING) Jockies whips (CHIPS). Hope these help stimulate the grey matter. Regards


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## Doctor Robert

What a pity I didn't write them down at the time, but I guess they wouldn't exactly make a best-seller, although it's amazing the little books there are on the weirdest of topics these days. Many thanks guys, but clearly jargon changes over time anyway, and Kevjacko my day would be a tad early for Ruby! But are punters still called 'bloods'? Probably Health and Safety's put a stop to all that now. 
AB.


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## degsy

kevjacko said:


> What about Merchant Navy (GRAVY) Ruby Murray (CURRY) Babies Heads (STEAK & KINDNEY PUDDING) Jockies whips (CHIPS). Hope these help stimulate the grey matter. Regards


Burma Road = Rice Pudding Burma Road with Landmines = Rice Pudding with Sultanas (Jester)


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## Highwayman

*Boston Baked Beans!!*

A bowl of baked beans with rashers of bacon on top covered with BROWN SUGAR !! no wonder most of my teeth dropped out ?? [=P]


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## John Williams 56-65

A good old scouse name for Curry and Rice was Duck S**t and Hailstones.


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## paul rennison

*Galley Speak*

What about, Chinese Wedding cake, ( Rice pud finished off in the oven
with conny onny on top), China clippers (kippers), holy ghost, (toast), two on a raft (eggs on toast), snake & pigmy pie, bl, the sandwich mix we used to make for the bridge box, made from minced up bacon, eggs & sausage left over from breakfast, bit of tomato ketchup & a splash of tabasco, chief steward called it mock crab, we called it real crap!
cheers all (EEK) 
rennop


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## David W

Real "mock crab" was made from grating the hardest, whitish, cheese you could find and combining it with the strainings from a tin of salmon. At least it smelled authentic. Guess who got what ?


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## steve d

"**** on a raft" was Devilled kidneys on toast.


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## G0SLP

"Train Smash" - peeled plum tomatoes [=P]


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## stevie burgess

Glasgow cavier:mince.
Alsation flan:corned beef,beans & melted cheese(open flan).
Skinheads on a raft:beans on toast.
(may think of a few more yet)


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## dom

*dom*

beans on toast/bullits on concrete thousand men on a raft


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## trotterdotpom

Baked beans - Texas Strawberries.
Oxtail - sh*tlids.

John T.


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## JOSEPHAIKEN

How Abt The Famous Rhyme .
A Mate From The Inner Hebrides On A Gem Line/robertson Coaster Used To Strike Terror Into New Mess Boys :- The Cook Is In The Galley And His Heart Is Full Of Joy He Has Got The Captains Permission To **** The Galley Boy . 
Their Faces Used To Be A Sight To Behold.


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## mcgurggle

Highwayman said:


> A bowl of baked beans with rashers of bacon on top covered with BROWN SUGAR !! no wonder most of my teeth dropped out ?? [=P]


'Boston Baked Beans'
McG


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## Ray Mac

Don't forget the favourites: Kromeskie a la Russe - ******* in Onnion Sauce -Swansea Virgin -Sh** house Lids - Savoury Rissoles. and so forth(Thumb) 

Ray(Smoke)


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## bryanm

Kidneys - piss strainers
Ox Tail - fly swatters


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## M29

John Williams 56-65 said:


> A good old scouse name for Curry and Rice was Duck S**t and Hailstones.


John
Absolutely priceless(Jester) (Jester) 
Busting a gut here laughing, never heard that one before!

Best Wishes

Alan


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## Pat Kennedy

Curried mince, which we often got for breakfast 'entree' in the China boats, was always referred to as 'mad woman's sh**e'


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## Old Janner

*Rough Weather food.*



kevjacko said:


> What about Merchant Navy (GRAVY) Ruby Murray (CURRY) Babies Heads (STEAK & KINDNEY PUDDING) Jockies whips (CHIPS). Hope these help stimulate the grey matter. Regards


Kev when I was on th Jedmoor a new Runciman tramp, came round the cape in blue water for days, the cook had the biggest pot onboard, wedged into the rolling bars (not fiddles) half filled with an Irish Stew type mix then placed a big suet dumpling top over and it was called SEA PIE. Safe way of cooking in bad weather, only had to use it once in BP on the British Admiral and she was a big ship compared to the Jedmoor.
otherwise it was boiled eggs and tinned sausage in the steamer!

Spence.


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## Old Janner

*Mock Crab*



paul rennison said:


> What about, Chinese Wedding cake, ( Rice pud finished off in the oven
> with conny onny on top), China clippers (kippers), holy ghost, (toast), two on a raft (eggs on toast), snake & pigmy pie, bl, the sandwich mix we used to make for the bridge box, made from minced up bacon, eggs & sausage left over from breakfast, bit of tomato ketchup & a splash of tabasco, chief steward called it mock crab, we called it real crap!
> cheers all (EEK)
> rennop


True paul! I used to make it just like you said for the bridge box or for the engine room fridge, I can't remember anybody complaining.

Spence.


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## alan ward

Pat Kennedy said:


> Curried mince, which we often got for breakfast 'entree' in the China boats, was always referred to as 'mad woman's sh**e'


I`ve heard that used to describe the mess in an untidy cabin`Everything thrown around like a mad womans s***e`


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## Mick Spear

Catering speak:Loop de Loop - Soup; dead horse - main course; Lillian gish - fish; Joe blake - steak; merchant navy - gravy; mills and boon - saloon; tin pan alley - galley; pen and ink - sink. I will try and think of some more.
Mick S


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## jim jamieson

A BP tanker I was on had chips on for dinner and tea.There was always other spuds available though. If there were no chips the lads moaned and as you can't please everyone some moaned about the chips!!!.
I was messman on her and one of the AB's had written on the messroom blackboard menu
GOODNESS, GRACIOUS CHIPS AGAIN
IT'S MORE THAN I CAN BEAR.
IT'S REALLY NOT SURPRISING THAT MY ASSHOLE'S TURNING SQUARE.
Yep thay don't write them like that any more !


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## Seawitch Artist

Sharks on a raft=Sardines on toast
Wind Jammers=Broad beans
Snake & Pygmy Pie=Steak & kidney pie
Train crash=Streaky bacon & plum tomato
Rosy Lee=Tea
Liquid Toffee=Coffee
*****s handbag=Cornish pasty
Loop de loop=Soup
Flied lice=Fried rice
Bombay Runner=Cockroach


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## jamesgpobog

> Snake & Pygmy Pie=Steak & kidney pie


 Almost made me spit coffee on my keyboard.

This whole rhyming slang thing is pretty much unknown to us Yanks...except that one, 'flied lice', I don't know why, but I use that all the time...


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## Sami Perkins

Board of trade eggs, tinned apricots


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## holland25

Underground Mutton/Coasting Chicken= rabbit.(T&J Harrison)


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## John Dryden

*Good one*



holland25 said:


> Underground Mutton/Coasting Chicken= rabbit.(T&J Harrison)


I like that one holland25 (Jester)


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## trotterdotpom

Rabbit was known as underground mutton on trawlers because it was unlucky to say "R****t", even though I can't imagine anyone talking about bunnies unless it was to say they were unlucky!

John T


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## georgiebd

hank marvin[fng starving]frogs eyes[tapioca pudding ,ab lincoln[fng stinking]


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## jamesgpobog

The most common one I know in American 'cuisine' is S.O.S., Sh!t On a Shingle (creamed chipped beef on toast). I don't know if others thought of it the same way, but I considered 'Minced Beef' to be a variation of S.O.S., the same way there's white clam chowder and red clam chowder.

Stuffed Bell Peppers we called 'Sh!t in a Seabag'.

We called hotdogs 'Tube Steak', or 'Mispillion Steak'.

I dubbed the hamburgers/cheeseburgers made with the high fat-lower grade ground beef the Navy gave us 'Gut Grenades'.

The Navy also gave us a variety of colored water that was supposed to be some kind of fruit juice, bright green, red, orange, and blue. I stayed away. It was known as 'Bug Juice'.


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## Mad Landsman

trotterdotpom said:


> Rabbit was known as underground mutton on trawlers because it was unlucky to say "R****t", even though I can't imagine anyone talking about bunnies unless it was to say they were unlucky!
> 
> John T


Unlucky to say 'Rabbits'? 

The story behind this starts on the island of Portland in Dorset. 
There are two traditional occupations on the island - fishing and quarrying. Many men did both. 

When men were working in the Portland stone quarries the best stone was to be found deep under layers of loose over-croft, within this loose material there lived small furry creatures which tended to stay away from men out of fear of being eaten. If one or more of these creatures ventured out in daylight where men were working it often presaged a rock fall. The cry would then go up: "Rabbits!" and everyone would down tools for the rest of the day or risk being caught in a rock fall. 
It was obviously unlucky because the men lost a day's pay. 
Consequently it became 'unlucky' for any Portlander, including the fishermen, to use the word, in case a quarryman heard it, Fishermen being rather more mobile took the tradition with them and passed it on, without explanation, to other seafarers. 

Many Portlanders today will tell you that rabbits actually started the rockfalls - Not so, they only warned of danger because they felt the earth move before the men and ran out into the open. 

There is another problem with the tradition and that is the actual word used - Until 100 or so years ago the creatures would have been called 'Conies' because a rabbit was then only a young cony.
Cony is still used to describe the fur or pelt and one is permitted to say cony on the island. 
The name probably changed because younger meat is more tender, so the merchant tells the buyer that it is rabbit not cony. And quarrymen would have shouted: "Conies!"


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## YankeeAirPirate

Had a messman on an old Lykes Lines ship who was illiterate. He could go by the galley and memorize the menu to some degree so he knew what you were ordering; but he always used slang for everything he saw there. He was from the Louisiana Bayou and had an impenetrable accent. Here are some samples of how he viewed food:

Prune Juice--Liquid Wrench
Bacon--Pigskin
Anything ordered with gravy was to be called "Wet".
Milk--Moo Juice
Cheese--Choke A**
Baloney--Horse C**k

And many others....

Everytime he would set your meal down in front of you, he would call you by your first name and say "Tighten Up!". I think he did this to everyone but the Captain. 

As an aside, he had rather bad polio as a child and walked very poorly as a result. He managed to move around with the ship's motion quite well despite this. It just took him a while to get across the messroom with your plate. Never saw him drop anything. No one ever complained he was slow. 

But he did have a habit of nearly always placing his thumb squarely in the soup or entree as he brought it to you. Again, no one complained. 

It's funny how accepting of things we were at sea on a small ship. Good natured ribbing and outstanding practical jokes were always to be had. But no one I saw ever resorted to any sort of cruelty towards this fellow.


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## Ray Mac

YankeeAirPirate said:


> Had a messman on an old Lykes Lines ship who was illiterate. He could go by the galley and memorize the menu to some degree so he knew what you were ordering; but he always used slang for everything he saw there. He was from the Louisiana Bayou and had an impenetrable accent. Here are some samples of how he viewed food:
> 
> Prune Juice--Liquid Wrench
> Bacon--Pigskin
> Anything ordered with gravy was to be called "Wet".
> Milk--Moo Juice
> Cheese--Choke A**
> Baloney--Horse C**k
> 
> And many others....
> 
> Everytime he would set your meal down in front of you, he would call you by your first name and say "Tighten Up!". I think he did this to everyone but the Captain.
> 
> As an aside, he had rather bad polio as a child and walked very poorly as a result. He managed to move around with the ship's motion quite well despite this. It just took him a while to get across the messroom with your plate. Never saw him drop anything. No one ever complained he was slow.
> 
> But he did have a habit of nearly always placing his thumb squarely in the soup or entree as he brought it to you. Again, no one complained.
> 
> It's funny how accepting of things we were at sea on a small ship. Good natured ribbing and outstanding practical jokes were always to be had. But no one I saw ever resorted to any sort of cruelty towards this fellow.


The Good old daysB\)


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## bigsandy

*Babbling Brook*



Burned Toast said:


> The Good old daysB\)


Rice and Prunes = Burma road & Ugandan strawberries
Mortadella sausage = Donkey's chopper stuffed with garlic
Steamed sponge pudding = Board of trade duff
Spaghetti Bolognese = Spaghetti bollocknaked


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## trotterdotpom

Thanks for the info about "you-know-whats", ML. No wonder they never talked about canaries either! Actually, I just re-read my post and don't know why I said "underground mutton" - it was "chicken". 

John T


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## Mad Landsman

trotterdotpom said:


> Thanks for the info about "you-know-whats", ML. No wonder they never talked about canaries either! Actually, I just re-read my post and don't know why I said "underground mutton" - it was "chicken".
> 
> John T


No, right first time - 'Underground mutton' because of the similarity in what they both eat and leave behind. 

Being as you mention canaries, on a similar vein, I call our Budgerigar 'Bird' because there is an old country saying: 'Never name any animal that you are likely to eat'.


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## trotterdotpom

My memory says "chicken" but I could be myxo-ing my tosis. I hear that most of the fish in Grimsby arrives by truck these days, so it's a bit academic. I wonder if it's unlucky for truckdrivers to say dolphin?

If you soak Bird's seed in beer and massage him daily ..... voila Kobe-Budgie - yum! Bon apetite.

John T


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## Mad Landsman

trotterdotpom said:


> If you soak Bird's seed in beer and massage him daily ..... voila Kobe-Budgie - yum! Bon apetite.
> 
> John T


Which takes us nicely back to "How do you like your eggs?"

"Hatched, corn-fed and roasted, thank you."


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## Varley

Mad Landsman said:


> Which takes us nicely back to "How do you like your eggs?"
> 
> "Hatched, corn-fed and roasted, thank you."


Don't know about that. Eggs included in every breakfast in my day. Would be fairly (extremely) sick of the bird if had on the same basis.


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## 5036

Cardiac Time Bomb = full Scottish Breakfast

The difference between bogies and Brussels Sprouts? You can't get the kids to eat Brussels Sprouts.


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## Varley

nav said:


> Cardiac Time Bomb = full Scottish Breakfast
> 
> The difference between bogies and Brussels Sprouts? You can't get the kids to eat Brussels Sprouts.


Yes, but what a bang! (surely 'kids' eat in fields?). Pity about the shape of the sausages.


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## len mazza

*Rice Pud'*



degsy said:


> Burma Road = Rice Pudding Burma Road with Landmines = Rice Pudding with Sultanas (Jester)


 Iswear to everthing undere the sun, that the Ch. Stwd.on a Shell H Boat sent the lunch menu down with ******* In Snowstorm on it ,this mind you was in Port Harcourt with the usual shoresiders abord for lunch,he was a nightmare that bloke.

Len.


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## Samsette

*****'s ovaries = hors deuvres. Courtesy a BF CC.
Same CC hated Liverpool firemen, and when one of them aked what was being served on his plate, at the galley hatch (it was krometskis or croquettes,etc) the CC said "Donkey's dick stuffed with onions."


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## kevjacko

"You can teach a monkey to grease an engine, you can teach a monkey to stand on a bridge wing with a pair of binoculars, but come dinner time some f***rs got to feed it". 

Chief Cook to Chief Engineer and Captain during a heated social night debate on the importance of their respective departments.[=P]

Not exactly galley speak, but sorta relevant.


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## bigsandy

bigsandy said:


> Rice and Prunes = Burma road & Ugandan strawberries
> Mortadella sausage = Donkey's chopper stuffed with garlic
> Steamed sponge pudding = Board of trade duff
> Spaghetti Bolognese = Spaghetti bollocknaked


rice & raisins = rat **** & hailstones


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## Stephen J. Card

Good laughs. Missed before.

One Sunday in the mess room.... on the blackboard...

"SPECIAL BOBBY SANDS MEMORIAL LUNCHEON" 




(blank)



!!!!!!!

Stephen


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## alan ward

[QUOTE 

But he did have a habit of nearly always placing his thumb squarely in the soup or entree as he brought it to you. Again, no one complained. 

It's funny how accepting of things we were at sea on a small ship. Good natured ribbing and outstanding practical jokes were always to be had. But no one I saw ever resorted to any sort of cruelty towards this fellow.[/QUOTE

On the maiden voyage of the Chrysantema we called into Southampton and,to my surprise for such a great ship and crowd,we lost a couple of stewards and at extremely short notice had to find replacements they sent us this very old guy.Nothing wrong with that but he had lost two fingers on his right hand leaving him with index and pinky,both of which were damaged.He claimed to have lost them in the closure of a guns breech during war service.It was take him or sail short handed(I know I`ll get me coat) He was absolutely s**t at his job,so we put him as pantryman to keep him out of the way and tolerated the fact that he was deadweight.Come crew change day after 3 months for the first time he had to get really stuck in,never mind the fact that he hadn`t broken sweat for 12 weeks he moaned his bag off.complaining`I`m doing the work of three men here`the Cook and I looked at each other and just burst out laughing.


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## Leratty

on the Sugar Exporter the deck crew went on strike for Heinz baked beans as they were using some esoteric brand which were dog droppings. I can still see them marching up the fore deck with placards reading, "We want Heinz." Still brings a smile then a laugh for me.
Fun ship, fun crew, fun run. Lucky only had a couple of bum feeders in my time. One we actually went down below into the freezer hold with a book of different parts of the cow so we could cut some steak off. What a laugh that turned out to be. It was the Brasil Star a very hungry ship on my trip. But hey B.A. made up for it


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## stoker

Does anyone remember Spaghetti Bollick naked.....spaghetti bolanese?
One ship I sailed on the Cook did a bit of everything baked in a crusty pie,which went by the name *****s handbag, very nice it was too.


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## William Clark8

stoker said:


> Does anyone remember Spaghetti Bollick naked.....spaghetti bolanese?
> One ship I sailed on the Cook did a bit of everything baked in a crusty pie,which went by the name *****s handbag, very nice it was too.



Mickey Mouse (Full House)(Thumb)


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