Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean

Subject: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: Grey Wolf
Date: 05 Feb 00 - 08:53 PM

Given the helpfulness of previous threads, I'll ask this.

What does 'whitestocking day' as sung in the shanty 'Bold Riley' mean?

Thanks

Wolf

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: Sorcha
Date: 05 Feb 00 - 09:11 PM

I don't know, but could it possibly have something to do with "Whitsuntide" (White Sunday?)Also known as Pentecost, the seventh week after Easter? Maybe the first nice day anyone dared to wear white stockings because of the mud?

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: Barry Finn
Date: 05 Feb 00 - 10:06 PM

When sailors would go off to sea half their months pay would be picked up at the shipping office by their sweetie who'd in more cases than not be their in port whore. The women would dress up all respectful & go down to the shipping office in their Sunday best sporting white stockings, hence "White Stocking Day". Barry

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: Grey Wolf
Date: 06 Feb 00 - 05:59 PM

Barry,

Thanks for that

In 'Bold Riley' whitestocking day appears to be the day that they'll meet again rather than the day the sweetheart picked up money

Wolf

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: Barry Finn
Date: 06 Feb 00 - 09:53 PM

"Cheer up Mary Ellen & don't look so glum
On white stocking day you'll be drinking hot rum"

She'll be drinking rum alone with his money

From Tom's gone to Hilo

"His half py went & it went like chaff
But she'll stick around for the other half

She drank & boozed his money away
With a weather eye on his next pay day"

Barry

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: Abby Sale
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 08:06 AM

No surprise, but Hugill agrees with Barry. He says the term was still used in Liverpool (1961). Might also refer to the sailors' mother - any woman who whould dress in this hall-mark of ladies of quuality (if only fr one day) and pick up his pay.

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: Jon W.
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 01:56 PM

Or his wife - some sailors were married ya' know.

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: Jacob B
Date: 07 Feb 00 - 04:56 PM

Someone other than the sailor would pick up the sailor's pay while the sailor was out at sea? I thought that sailors were paid an advance before the trip, then received the balance of their pay when they returned. How did the payroll office know who to give the money to?

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: black walnut
Date: 21 Jul 01 - 09:18 AM

I just heard Kate Rusby sing 'Bold Riley' at the Vancouver Folk Festival last weekend. Can't get it out of my head. I wanted to know what Whitestocking Day was, too...and of course Mudcat's got the answer here for me already. Whataplace.

JacobB, maybe they dished out some of that money only a bit at a time in case the ship went down.

~b.w.

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: Gareth
Date: 21 Jul 01 - 09:56 AM

Seamans pay or Whitestocking day.

Advance Notes, a order to pay, by the owners or agent, a proportion of the first months or quarters pay were issued on request when signing on for a voyage. They were only redeemable if "Jack" was actually on board when the ship sailed.

Often discounted for cash by crimps, pimps and publicans, who then kept a very close eye on "Jack" to protect their investment and if neccessary would deliver "Jack" unconscious to the mate when the "Blue Peter" was hoisted.

Allotment of Pay an order to pay, on the due month, or quarter day, a proportion of the Seamans pay to his spouse or agent.

This practice was introduced by the Admiralty early in the Napoleonic wars. I believe this was after the local poor law gaurdians protested at having to pick up the tab for destitute fammillies after the impresment service had prest the bread winner.

Did you know that up till 1940 there was no obligation on the ship owner to pay a seaman once the ship was lost. Your wifes allotement stopped as well.

Gareth

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: Gareth
Date: 21 Jul 01 - 03:49 PM

Sorry, rereading my notes on Allotment of Pay I find that I neglected to mention that this practice spread to the Merchant Navey, and was turned into a legal obligation by one of the Merchant Shipping Acts in the late 1800's (Red Duster Only)

Of course when ship went, the allotment went - I believe it was repayable if the ship was lost.

Gareth

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: black walnut
Date: 24 Jul 01 - 02:17 PM

Thanks, Gareth, for the detailed information!

~b.w.

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: Daystar
Date: 24 Jul 01 - 05:51 PM

Aggie Weston did alot here in Plymouth U K to get the wages to the wife of the sailors She founded a mission in an age of much hardship here It has only recently closed inthe city

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: GUEST,Mike James
Date: 15 Jun 08 - 08:04 PM

Check comment by Barry Finn. He's got it.

Subject: RE: Help: What does 'whitestocking day' mean
From: GUEST,Bradon
Date: 16 Dec 16 - 12:37 PM

half-pay also referenced of course in Ranzo Ray -

"Oh I'm bound away to leave ya, but I'll not deceive ya,
I'm bound away to leave ya but my half-pay I'll leave ya"

and in Rio Grande

"So it's pack up your donkeys and get underway,
Them judies we're leavin' will get our half-pay"