lantern swinging night

[binliner]

friday 12th.
my wife was away visiting inlaws for the weekend--managed to get out of it by reasoning that someone had stay behind to look after the new dog as it would be unfair to send it to kennels
had a few mates up for "a few beers" another ex-benliner (engineer) and one who sailed with B.P. as a 2nd mate but we dont hold that against him.The other two had been in I.T.
we got talking about the quieter runs ashore(1970s) after the good times in Bangkok-manilla-cebu-davao?-the whole of Phillipines.Places such as the Mariners club in Penang an oasis of calm with its classical Victorian entrance and serene cool interior serving the best Tom Collins in the east.
Of course after a few hours it would be up to the Hong Kong bar and then the usual bars and brothels in Chula street.
the other nice place was the club in port kelang with its swimming pool and snooker table then on to the Port View for some of the best sea food around then again downhill to the jungle bar with Midnight and his/her cronies.
The other place was a hotel on the cliffs in trincomelee with an old 1920s bar with about one waiter for every two customers- can anyone remember its name?

[roymuir]

Can't remember the name of the place Binliner, but left there one night with an Orcadian 2nd leckie and the deckboy in a taxi. Next stop was the local lock-up for riding nude on the roof rack. Deckboy sent back to the ship to get the backhander for the coppers but flaked out. Agent had to buy two blankets in the morning toi get us back to the ship. "Bendearg".
Where are you Ian McKay?

Regards, Roy.

[wully farquhar]

If i see him roy i will remind him!!

[JoK]

"lantern swinging night "
I've seen this term used before on here, but am not familar with it. Can someone enlighten me, please.

[Peter4447]

Hi Jok

I have always understood the expression of 'swinging the lamp' refers to the olden days when lamps would swing whilst at sea.

In the RN it usually refers to somebody who likes to talk (boasts) about their time on previous ships and infers that they have done more 'sea-time' than the listeners.

It can also be used in a friendly, harmless joking manner particularly if somebody starts talking about the 'good old days' and there is actually a light available hanging from a ceiling that can actually be swung - a gentle push is normally all that is needed to stop the speaker dead in his tracks(Jester)

Peter4447 (Thumb)

[JoK]

(Jester) OK, now I understand...I am simply too young for this reference (A)

[Sarky Cut]

(Jester) OK, now I understand...I am simply too young for this reference (A)

AAAAAaaaaah shame!(LOL)

[Peter4447]

(Jester) OK, now I understand...I am simply too young for this reference (A)

Jok

When I referred to the "olden days" I was referring to Windjammers and the old oil lamps - long before my time as well(Jester)

Peter

[EBenarty]

Yes it was always refered to as a sort of braggart or a fly man who wiss'na doing his work !!

[EBenarty]

When I was Cadet up to 1970 our emergency lights both accommodation and navigation were oil lamps where we cadets had to do the weekly inspections of the lanterns, we found the majority of the crew were using them to get rid of the mosquitos

[binliner]

I used the term "swinging the lantern" jokingingly as generally what happens when my friends who were not in the merchant navy get that glazed look in their eyes when we who were in the merch. start reminiscing about the good times after a few beers.

[wully farquhar]

Yes it was always refered to as a sort of braggart or a fly man who wiss'na doing his work !!
I always thought that was [swinging the lead] Billy(Smoke) A lot of people would say swinging the leg,no not throwing the leg!!!

[billyboy]

I once heard it refered to as "working the Head" (possibly due to someone sitting in there and not pulling their weight with the rest of the lads)

[wully farquhar]

Yes billyboy that was another,sailed with one or two (head workers)

[rangerman]

hi bin i think it was called the club oceanic hotel situated above trinco beach

[dom]

I once heard it refered to as "working the Head" (possibly due to someone sitting in there and not pulling their weight with the rest of the lads)

also known as the clerk of works