observer Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 Watched a prog about the history of ordinary folk in the RN, called (in Churchill's words) Rum, Sodomy and lashings. Seems the draconian dicipline of a ship at sea gave way to the anarchy of a brothel, when in port. Many sailors would share "a wife" (not at the same time), just when in port. And it seems some women actually joined the crew masquerading as men. Just shows, truth is much stranger than fiction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted January 4, 2011 Report Share Posted January 4, 2011 ah but fiction has to follow certain rules. truth is whatever people make of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 Think folk had to comply with certain rules them days - homosexuality was punishible by death by hanging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil Sid Posted January 5, 2011 Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 most things were punishable by death by hanging in those days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2011 or a one way trip to Australia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Durnim Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Had a trip some years ago to Portsmouth and visited the usual Naval Museums and ships, very interesting fact and stories were told and how the crew and officers behaved and lived on board. One story was that the new and younger members of the crew use to eat their maggot infested meal and biscuits during the day and did not eat to well, the older more experienced members of the crew would eat their food at night, so not to see what they was eating and enjoyed their meals more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted January 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Think you may mean "ship's biscuit" when talking about maggots etc: although the meat was salted, it would no doubt become rancid and collect maggots; but I believe they boiled it, which would presumably kill the maggots? The RN developed the supplement of limes in the mariner's diet, which gave rise to the Yanks calling us "limeys". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Durnim Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Think you may mean "ship's biscuit" when talking about maggots etc: although the meat was salted, it would no doubt become rancid and collect maggots; but I believe they boiled it, which would presumably kill the maggots? The RN developed the supplement of limes in the mariner's diet, which gave rise to the Yanks calling us "limeys". Thanks observer, I have gained knowledge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted January 11, 2011 Report Share Posted January 11, 2011 Another couple of phrases that are supposed to have come from Nelsons Navy are : Not enough room to swing a cat in i.e. cat o' nine tails. Shut yer Trap:( a shortened term for batten down the hatches). Somebody being told to close the trapdoor to below decks on an approaching storm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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