Merchant slops?

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Were there really “slop chests” aboard merchant ships and if there was what kind of clothing they included?

Sorry if I am over active here but....

[Brit.Privateer]

Merchant captains did offer clothing for sale to their sailors. It was another debt to add against them over the course of a voyage. A quote from Peter Earle's Sailors: English Merchant Seamen 1650-1775, pg 91-92:

"Foodstuffs, especially cheese and bacon, were also sold to sailors and debited against their wages by captains and pursers, as were many other things such as bedding, clothes, tobacco and drink...Some sailors were almost completely outfitted from the ship's stores, such as William Cotter of the snow Lawson who in six months bought a quilt, a wig and twenty items of clothing for a total of £7."

Also, you're not too active at all, in fact I enjoy seeing questions asked and information spread. :)

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Merchant captains did offer clothing for sale to their sailors. It was another debt to add against them over the course of a voyage. A quote from Peter Earle's Sailors: English Merchant Seamen 1650-1775, pg 91-92:

"Foodstuffs, especially cheese and bacon, were also sold to sailors and debited against their wages by captains and pursers, as were many other things such as bedding, clothes, tobacco and drink...Some sailors were almost completely outfitted from the ship's stores, such as William Cotter of the snow Lawson who in six months bought a quilt, a wig and twenty items of clothing for a total of £7."

Also, you're not too active at all, in fact I enjoy seeing questions asked and information spread. :)

I am just curios.... what kind of clothing? was that were the stuff from slop shops (like that 1699) went? or was there someting to do with navy slops?

[Mission]

Both Henry Teonge and Edward Barlow mention this practice in their journals from this period. I don't keep notes on such things, however. I suggest you dig up their books and look into it further. There was also the episode of the crews of the Duke and Dutchess trading all their clothes for fruits and such during Woodes Roger's pirvateering voyage. The men weren't mindful of the cold temperatures they would be encountering later in the voyage, so Rogers had the sail-makers fashion clothes for the men out of sailcloth if I remember rightly.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Both Henry Teonge and Edward Barlow mention this practice in their journals from this period. I don't keep notes on such things, however. I suggest you dig up their books and look into it further. There was also the episode of the crews of the Duke and Dutchess trading all their clothes for fruits and such during Woodes Roger's pirvateering voyage. The men weren't mindful of the cold temperatures they would be encountering later in the voyage, so Rogers had the sail-makers fashion clothes for the men out of sailcloth if I remember rightly.

Yeah... but I was wondering: what kind clothing merchant ship's stores would have included?

[Mission]

I dunno. I don't keep notes on that sort of thing. Get hold of those books and see if they say. (They're both very enjoyable reads.)

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I dunno. I don't keep notes on that sort of thing. Get hold of those books and see if they say. (They're both very enjoyable reads.)

What books do you mean?

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Still the question: what kind clothing merchant ship's stores would have included? remains....

[Mission]

Both Henry Teonge and Edward Barlow mention this practice in their journals from this period.

Check your local library. Start with the author field.

[Fox]

Not naval slops, those were just for the navy.

Presumably, and without any evidence to hand, they were usually typical seamen's clothes, perhaps similar to RN slops or the contents of Haycock's shop. But you could probably have figured that out without my help.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Not naval slops, those were just for the navy.

Presumably, and without any evidence to hand, they were usually typical seamen's clothes, perhaps similar to RN slops or the contents of Haycock's shop. But you could probably have figured that out without my help.

You mean stuff like: jackets, breeches, hats, monmouth caps. other caps etc.

I could have figured that myself... but thanks I just wanted to know were there difference between navy and merchant sailors clothing...

Edited February 17, 2012 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Fox]

Ah, well that's an easier question to answer. Any label like "navy seaman" or "merchant seaman" was only temporary. Men moved from one branch of sea-service to another on a regular basis, so really it's best just to think of them as "seamen". Admiralty slop clothing was only sold to sailors in the Navy, but it wasn't compulsory for them to buy it, so in the navy men would be dressed in a mix of Admiralty slop clothing and civilian seaman's clothing. When a man left the navy he might end up on a merchantman or privateer, but any clothing that he had bought while in the RN was his to keep, so the crews of merchant ships would be dressed in a mix of civilian seamen's clothing with elements of Admiralty slop clothing.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Ah, well that's an easier question to answer. Any label like "navy seaman" or "merchant seaman" was only temporary. Men moved from one branch of sea-service to another on a regular basis, so really it's best just to think of them as "seamen". Admiralty slop clothing was only sold to sailors in the Navy, but it wasn't compulsory for them to buy it, so in the navy men would be dressed in a mix of Admiralty slop clothing and civilian seaman's clothing. When a man left the navy he might end up on a merchantman or privateer, but any clothing that he had bought while in the RN was his to keep, so the crews of merchant ships would be dressed in a mix of civilian seamen's clothing with elements of Admiralty slop clothing.

well I actually knew that but really good that you explained it clearly since I was bit unsure....

[Mission]

Admiralty slop clothing was only sold to sailors in the Navy, but it wasn't compulsory for them to buy it, so in the navy men would be dressed in a mix of Admiralty slop clothing and civilian seaman's clothing.

I didn't know that. Cool.

[Johnathan Atwood]

What would be a good source for finding detailed descriptions of GAoP English and Dutch naval clothes?

[Silver]

there is a web site called "gentleman of fortune " he has a section covering english naval dress during GAOP, also alot of other things. i think all the button jackets where for hitting the pub, you climb on a yard and furl a sail with something like that on you would be picking them up off the deck when you get down.

[Fox]

The slop clothing detailed on GoF's site was intended for use at sea. Bear in mind that not everybody would be furling sails along a yard, and also that buttons were more or less the only type of fastening used in the GAoP.