Duties of Deck boy /JOS

[Mike Skeet]

I served as a deck boy on my first trip in 1949 on the Orient liner RMS Orion. My first trip was as deck boy assisting an AB deckman looking after a designated passenger deck, could only answer politely when a passenger spoke. No conversation allowed with the passengers.
My 2nd trip I was a bridge boy on a watch with 2 quartermasters. Steering the ship to relieve the QM's. I even remember steering the ship through the Suez canal. (which quite chuffed me). We had to buy our own white uniform from a monthly pay of £7. Under 18's not allowed to drink alcohol., but the deck stewards gave us iced lemonade.

Did 4 trips on the Orion then signed on a Blue Star liberty ship called the Oregon Star as a senior ordinary seaman (SOS) to the Caribbean, South America, west coast of USA and Canada and home. 4 month trip. Much more relaxed then the Orion which was much better for a seaman.
Your dad would have had a similar experience.
Best wishes, Mike

[Alan Lamond]

The previous writer's have got the DeckBoy/J.O.S duties bang on.
I personally went to the Prince of Wales Sea Training School in Dover in early 1960.We were taught Morse code,Semaphore, the International flag signals,sewing Kit bags,sailing etc.,etc.,etc. You can imagine my dismay when I joined my first ship((Port Jackson) to discover I would be cleaning up and skiving in general and (as I thought then) to be called by a girls name (Peggy). However I soon adjusted to my new circumstances and thoroughly enjoyed my 3 years in MN.

[John Pruden]

I think it put us on the path of taking any job we were given whatever it was and keeping the ship clean and tidy was an important job at sea hygiene and cleanliness is essential to all shipmates it was a wake up call to most but ears open and mouth shut do your job no complaints we would all do it again? jp

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi Terry.
As I remember it was the same on the Vindicatrix, tested on everything if you didn't pass then had to do it again. Then on the first ship all ready to be a fully fledged seaman, peggying.
Which reminds me of a first trip deck boy on a passenger boat. He was splicing a rope for the lifeboat when poncy woman came up and asked him what he was doing, "I, making a dogs cock" she said oh my god I'm going to tell the captain about you swearing, she went and told the captain what happened, he said that's alright madam a dogs cock is a nautical term for a back splice. She went down and apologized to the deck boy
saying I didn't know that a dogs cock was a nautical term for a back splice, he said that's alright lady I F#$# it up anyway.
Cheers Des

[Des Taff Jenkins]

#72 although at sea at 16 still had to register at the BSF for National Service . Was issued with a green card postcard size with all relevent information and saying exempt from national service due to occupation .Think I still have that green card somewhere will turn up some day no doubt , probably when all the junk gets thrown out. Cheers JS

Hi John.
Still got mine and in pristine condition. Would you believe when I was on the Southern Cross emigrating to NZ they sent a letter via my sister telling me to report for National Service.
Des

[happy daze john in oz]

As a catering person I did very well at the Vindi with the compass, but apart from life boat drill that was the extent of my deck experiences.
As officers steward we also had an officers boy, not sure what he did.

But with shipping being what it is now I doubt there would be such persons as JOS. From what I have seen of deck hands, both on ships and ashore, most appear to be mature males.
The only junior now on deck as far as I am aware are some ships that carry cadets, and that is not many.

[Ken MacPherson]

The duties as described by Keith Tindell are as I remember them too. I was also a deck boy on the Empress of Scotland and appointed as a Bridge Boy. This meant I was part of the Watch. I stood alongside the helmsman and was available to take messages for the officers, at 3am I had to go down to the galley and make a huge pile of buttered toast and cocoa for the three officers on watch, the helmsman and myself. I had to have it all cleared away before 4 o'clock. If I was on the 4-8 watch, as soon as it began to get light I had to polish every item of brass on the bridge and there was a lot of it. My watchmate told me that if I spilled a drop of brasso on the spotles deck timbers he would "Have my guts for garters". We cruised out of New York to the Caribbean and at many of the small islands we anchored off. I was part of the crew on the motor cruisers we had to take passengers ashore. I had to stand on the bow holding a boat hook athwart my chest in Royal Navy style. All the Deck Officers were ex RN in the 1950's. Great memories.

[John Pruden]

and remember in our days mostly 60s health and safety was in yours and your shipmates hands you trusted you departments to a man cant say the same for todays seamen as a young lad with danger all around in every job on a working ship you looked after each other in todays multy cultured ships can you say the same? jp

[Colin Pook]

My deck-boy service started in 1955 on the Isle of wight ferries from Portsmouth to Ryde. Keeping decks clean, tending to passengers luggage up and down the gang-way, helping with mooring on the focsle, and worse of all, cleaning the brass telegraphs on the bridge wings, (1 shower of rain, and they were green), and assisting down the hold securing the 'cages' of goods, also, as I had learned to steer on my previous ship, I had to take my trick on the wheel, and keep a look-out on the focsle on the crossing. And for all that, my wages were £3/10/per week for a 3 shift duty.
Before the ferries, I started on the Trinity House Pilot cutter BROOK doing a 2 week on, and a week off shift, either at the Needles, or the Nab. My rating was as a general dogs body. I had to serve the pilots their meals, keep the mess-rooms clean, help out on deck, and after dinner go to the bridge, where , after the 'OLD MAN' had taught me to steer, keep her on what-ever land mark I was told. What was the Captain doing during that time?? I think he was in his high chair counting sheep!!. My next deck-boys position was on a cross channel cargo ship,--the 'Ringwood' running from Southampton to the Channel Islands and occasionaly to St. Malo. We used to be on board at 18.00 on sailing day, and get the ship ready for sea. My first job was to take the Customs manifest to every man on board to fill in, then take it to the captain. 21.00 hours on the dot and we were off on a 9 hour crossing. Although I was a deck-boy, and able to steer and keep a look-out, I, and the engine-room boy never worked at night.
Ariving in Guernsey, or Jersey around 06.00 I turned out to assist with mooring and what ever was wanted, and doing odd jobs on deck, and being taught to splice by the deck-hands.
Now comes the best part. After dinner, I would go to every person on board and ask them what they wanted from ashore, mainly duty free cigarettes and tobacco, and the daily papers. Most of the crew gave me in excess of what the cost of their shopping was , and I was allowed to keep the change. As long as I was back on board by 16.00 I could do what I liked, which was usually sight-seeing, (anything else would come in a year or so time)!!!!
My last job for the day was to clean, trim, and re-fill all the paraffin lamps that were used once the electric was shut off for the night. Revaille for me was 07.00 and put the big kettle on the coal burning stove ready for the cooks to make tea and prepare breakfast. Life could not have been better, and my wages were £5 per week.Alas, my bubble burst, when after docking in Southampton one morning, I caught the train home for the day, only to find that my dear mother had passed away' I left home for good a week later and started my M.N. career proper on the Esso Canterbury as a J.O.S.

Colin
R684420

[Tom Harding]

When I first shipped out as deck boy in 1960 I was put in the charge of a old AB who taught me splicing etc.

Also I had to help the ships carpenter doing soundings etc.

I was never allowed near the bosun as I had dropped him with a kick in the goolies on my very first morning, before I even 'turned-to'.

He was a big bully and had grabbed me by the throat. I was sacked for this as soon as we got back to the UK 3months later.

There was a great bunch of old-salts on deck and they were very kind to me and tried to satisfy my passion to learn how to be a real seaman.

Each morning I had to scrub out the messroom and the heads but otherwise I worked with the idlers (day-workers) I was 'peggy' on my next
ship but it only entailed washing up the deck crews crockery after meals and a quick mopping of the mess and heads.

These tasks I bolted through to get on deck. I was always in trouble (with regular loggings) for insubordination to Masters and Mates but was popular with the rest of the crew.

I was regularly sacked when we got back to a home port.

I think I was sacked from 15 of my 16 ships and that one I 'jumped-ship' in Aussie from.

I had my seaman's book confiscated on my last trip in '68 (for punching a particularly nasty captain) on the flight home after we had all paid-off in Rotterdam.

I got married and spent 12 years ashore before discovering square-riggers.

I managed to spend 20yrs on them (mostly as bosun)-- of all types and several different flags.
I still miss them -- desperately and am currently angling to do one more voyage, even if I have to pay as 'voyage crew' for the privilege.