Any Seamen Here? Or Women?

[barry1010]

Do you still call your morning snack a tabnab?

[woofgang]

no and never did....tabnabs are cakes....you have tea and tabnabs mid afternoon

[woofgang]

oh, that was merchant navy, Blue Funnel to be precise

[theshedman]

I was in the Royal Navy many years ago but can honestly say I never heard it called that and back then there were no women on ships but I know there are these days and I have nothing against it before someone says something.

[barry1010]

Afternoon tea and cakes sounds very civilised, woofgang :)

Thanks, shedman, I have the term in a book.

[woofgang]

shedman I was at sea as an officer's wife back in the 70's/80's. the other phrase that was used for mid morning and mid afternoon breaks was "smoke-oh"

[theshedman]

Yes woofgang, women were and still are allowed on merchant navy ships but back in the 70s they could not go on Royal Navy ones. Back then the women were in the Wrens not the Navy. They may have had special names for the breaks on the lower decks but I worked on the flight deck of a carrier so our breaks were when they had breaks in flying. Went to Veovilton museum a while back and they had a carrier video display and was shocked to see myself as part of it. Talk about making me feel old lol.

[woofgang]

yes shedman, two different lives.

[malagabob]

When I worked “ Flying Squad “ ( merchant repair crew ) We always called all breaks smoke O.

[Theland]

I was on Esso tankers for a brief spell.
Yes, tabnab was the cake, and smoko was any break from work.