A Permanently Exhausted Pigeon

The “mess” was actually the heart of a ship’s crew. While the officers stayed their wardroom or gunroom (depending on the size of the ship) where they ate, lived and socialised, the sailors did so in the mess, between the guns, because there it was actually situated on multi-deck ships, a frigate had the luxury that the men stayed in the lower deck without guns and thus had a little more space.

Messtable on the middle gun deck onboard of HMS Victory, by damian entwistle

If you think that this is how it is in modern times, that there is an extra room, you are wrong. The mess is actually just a table, without legs and tied to the deckhead by ropes. The men sat on their sea chests or an improvised bench that could be quickly stowed away. To eat, the men were divided into messes, hence the name. And each mess could consist of 4-8 people who ate together at one table. Between the meal times, they could also sit down with another person if they wanted to talk or something.

The sailor’s description of a chase & capture, by George Cruikshank (1792-1878) 

Sailors and Marines were separate and had their own messes. If someone wanted to change their mess because there was a problem between them, this was possible, it just had to be communicated to the first lieutenant and allowed by him, as he made the plans and sorted the men into their units. Each mess also kept and respected their plates etc. with many keeping their private things in their boxes and the Navy issued crockery being stored elsewhere. If something was lost with the number of the person who had it, he had to pay for it, that means he had go to the purser and buy a new one. Pewter dishes were known, as with the officers, but because they could get dented quite quickly, the Sailors had wooden dishes. And the plates were square, hence the name square meal.

Saturday Night At Sea, by George Cruikshank (1792-1878) 

Every day a man was chosen from the mess (in order) to go to the Purser Mates (Jack of the Dust) in the morning to collect the food in a bag with the mess number on it. This was taken to the cook and he threw it all together to make the meal of the day.

Seamen’s mess (x)

Division of space on a mid 17th century East Indiaman

A. Hold:

A1. Small locker at stern post (helletje achterin): storeroom for ship's ammunition (cannon balls and musket shot).

A2. Powder room and bread rooms: the powder room provided storage for the gunpowder, packed in small barrels. It was located in a safe place between the bread rooms, below the waterline. Bread was not stored with other provisions in the hold, but in a special dry room. This space was lined with tin-plates. The bread rooms on either side of the powder room offered extra protection.

A3. Main hold: the primary place for storage of cargo and equipment. Special planking and enclosures were constructed for vulnerable items or goods with a strong smell which could affect other products. Dunnage was used to secure chests and barrels in the hold. In the bow and stern, areas were allocated for special storage and workshops. Ballast was placed on the bottom of the hold, and separated from the cargo and provisions by planking. In a 17th century East Indiaman, water barrels were placed amidships.

A4. Cable locker & sail room: anchor-cable comes through a hatch in the orlop deck, and is coiled on a cable tier in the cable locker. Storerooms for spare sails with wide sliding-doors are located to either side of the cable locker. Spare sails and stocks of sail-cloth were stored here. This space could also be used for housing soldiers.

A5. Locker in the bow at stem post (the hell): the confined space in the bow of the ship was called the hell. It was uncomfortable, due to extreme movements in this part of the ship and the noise of breaking water on the bow. The boatswain and his mate used this space as a maintenance workshop. Spare parts and spare rope for the rigging were stored here.

B. Orlop deck: main work platform and accommodation for most of the crew. Most of the gun ports were on this deck. Ventilation and light also came through grates to the deck above.

B1. constable's room: the constable took care of the guns, weapons and related equipment, and tools. This room was quarters and workshop for the constable and his assistant, and also a weapons store.

B2. orlop behind the main mast: quarters and workplace for the petty officers.

B3. surgeon/barber's cabin.

B4. sick-bay (sick-berth).

B5. steward's room: on the starboard side, where the steward managed the meals. Food was given to the cook and beverage distributed to the mess boys, according to strict rules.

B6. galley: a brick fire place with an installation to hold cooking pots and to grill food.

B7. orlop in front of the main mast: accommodation for sailors and soldiers.

B8. carpenter's cabin.

B9. boatswain's room.

C. Upper deck: the upper deck had an open section in the middle - the waist.

C1. cabin: a spacious room for people of high rank, divided into meeting/eating and sleeping space. Comfort was similar to that of a house ashore, and the decoration and ornaments were impressive.

C2. steering place: for the helmsman at the whipstaff.

C3. room under half deck: various functions - eg workshops, or temporary cabins for passengers.

C4. waist: recreation place for the crew, and storage space when at sea; the smith and cooper also worked in this area.

C5. room under the forecastle: shelter and recreation area for crew.

C6. beak head: work platform and crew latrines.

D. Superstructure: officers' cabins were on this deck. From the open deck, 'behind the mast', they could supervise the crew.

D1. upper cabins.

D2. quarter deck.

D3. forecastle deck: work platform and recreation area for the crew (smoking allowed here)

E. Poop deck:

E1. small upper cabin or hen coop: for the trumpeter and drummer or used for chickens.

throws at you at runs away.

Isabela

She is like a cat in the dark and then she is the darkness