'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds

Subject: RE: 'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Feb 13 - 08:04 AM

"Quick shower then your donkey's breakfast"?

Translation: quick shower and off to bed. I entirely agree with Lighter on this one.

This thread remind's me of one of my father's favorite story:

As remembered by Adolph Ipcar in 1998

Jackassing with Captain Davis

After I had just presented a budget to the Town Meeting in Georgetown (Maine), I walked outdoors for some fresh air. Old Captain Stin Davis greeted me, asking, "Is there a jackass in that budget?"

"I've never been asked that in all my budgeting days," I replied to him.

"Well," said Captain Davis, "when I sold my ship's cargo in them Mediterranean ports, I used to hire a jackass to transport me to possible buyers. I remember one day I got back to New York City and presented my expense accounts to the shipping clerk, who after examining them, said to me, 'Captain Davis, everything seems O.K. except for your jackass rental. We cannot reimburse you for that.' Well, you know, when I sold off the next cargo and got back to present my accounts to that clerk, he looked them over and said, 'Captain Davis, everything looks O.K. and I'm glad I don't see any jackass in this billing.' He paid me off, and as I was leaving, I said to him, 'I know you don't see any jackass in that billing but the jackass is still there, Sir.'"

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: 'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds
From: Lighter
Date: 15 Feb 13 - 07:49 AM

A "donkey's breakfast" isn't food; it's a bunk sack stuffed with straw for sleeping on.

The "donkeyman" indeed tended the donkey engine - operating, maintaining, repairing, etc.

Subject: RE: 'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds
From: breezy
Date: 15 Feb 13 - 04:41 AM

Thank you one and all


I have come across a new song that makes references to the term 'Donkey'

The chorus reads

Midnight till four in the morning
Dogwatch on a coal burning ship
Quick shower then your donkey's breakfast
How you long for the end of your trip, end of your trip


will load the verses later

The research was of one Ike Bradley who hailed from Manchester England who often sailed back and forth across the pond working on the boats but eventually went underground somewhere in Missouri to 'get away'

The song is based on Ike's recounting of his own experiences and is to be included among a
collection of songs that are known as the 'Trafford Park Project'

Subject: RE: 'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Feb 13 - 09:19 PM

Good questions and not resolved in my mind, i.e., "donkey riding."

It is clear that the "donkeyman" maintained and operated the steam engine, rather than merely cleaning it, and that the steam engine was used for hauling up some of the heavier yards as well as other shipboard work.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: 'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds
From: Lighter
Date: 14 Feb 13 - 07:53 PM

> The ship itself if equipped with a donkey engine was Donkey Riding.

Colorful idea. But where's the evidence? ; )

Subject: RE: 'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds
From: Marc Bernier
Date: 14 Feb 13 - 05:13 PM

And might I add that I'v never seen a "steam powered" Donkey Engine. Every boat I know of with a Donkey,it is a 1 lung hit & miss.

Subject: RE: 'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 14 Feb 13 - 04:30 PM

So the donkeys were added to give more beef? Oh dear!

Subject: RE: 'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds
From: Dead Horse
Date: 14 Feb 13 - 04:23 PM

No. The ship itself if equipped with a donkey engine was Donkey Riding, while other ships not equipped with a donkey engine had to work harder.
The donkey lightened the load as Henry said, but it was the entire crew who felt the benefit.
Donkeys also enabled shipping owners to work their ships with less crew and so compete with all-steam driven ships for a while, until those ships engines became more efficient and so the days of sail were doomed to history.
(Donkey engines did not propel the ship, just the winches etc.)

Subject: RE: 'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds
From: Lighter
Date: 14 Feb 13 - 04:20 PM

As far as I know there's no necessary connection between tending a donkey engine and "riding on a donkey."

Subject: RE: 'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds
From: GUEST,Henry Piper
Date: 14 Feb 13 - 02:58 PM

As I understand it, a "Donkey Engine" was a small steam engine used during the latter days of sail,to assist with manual hauling and pulling jobs, the man whose job was to operate this engine was said to be "donkey riding" and was seen to be having an easy time whilst his shipmates still had to do the strenous manual tasks.

Subject: 'Donkeyman' calling Shanty nerds
From: breezy
Date: 14 Feb 13 - 02:48 PM

HELP PLEASE

Have just learned that the term 'Donkeyman' refers to the men who cleaned out the ships boilers at the end of a voyage

My question :is the reference to donkey riding anything to do with the aforementioned job?

Thank you

breezy