View Full Version : Tattoos
Robert McDougall
03-10-2009, 11:14
When I was in the navy during the 1970s tattoos were popular among the lower deck. I didn't get one due to cost, $20 for a sailing ship with banner, damn near a fortnights wages for an OD.
I did notice a number guys getting tattoos. One I remember, plastered his arms with a multitude of tattoos as soon as he left BCT training. I do remember the seeing the cobwebs and hinges he had tattooed on the inside and the outside of each elbow.
A popular tattoo that I saw was a square rigged sailing ship 3/4 view. With a banner underneath, Homeward Bound or RNZN being popular.
As a kid before 5, we had neighbours, Williams Madge and Bill. Bill was ex navy and had pictures, on his arms facsinating for a kid. An old mate Musk had his tattoo removed after he left RNZN for employment reasons, he started working in office work.
While I was in pussers got talking about tattoos to another mate he decided to get cartoon characters like Hotstuff and Popeye. I have seen one bloke with a large Jesus and cross on his back, stuff that, its too much looked ugly too.
Stories of tattoos, one always comes to mind. There was a length test, shortest wins. A dead heat occurred and so how to decide. So what was tattooed on your nob? one had a one cent piece (dime size) the other an ant, the ant won.
In addition to tattoos a gold ear ring was always popular inserted when ashore. The story goes that sailors wore the gold ring to pay for the funeral if you were washed up on the beach after some calamity.
In addition to tattoos a gold ear ring was always popular inserted when ashore. The story goes that sailors wore the gold ring to pay for the funeral if you were washed up on the beach after some calamity.
Probably phased out by the 1970's oldsalt. :D
Old Salt
21-04-2010, 04:36
Whilst I was in HMNZS Blackpool in the Far East Fleet we were in harbour with units of the RN, RAN, and USN. Apparently a US marine was shouting the odds how superior the US Marines were. The Royals from HMS Bulwark (?) filled him with ale, took him next door and had the Union flag and 'Rule Britannia' tatooed on his chest. This was true, I remember trying not to smile when reading the nausea signals from the USN !
Any one got some photographs of these works of 'art'?
Seagull
My father had the traditional red rose and my mother's name on a banner underneath, but one of his friends had a dancing girl on his right bicep and she 'danced' when he moved his arm!!!
Edna
Robert McDougall
08-05-2010, 08:18
Rule Brittania tattoo on the marine's chest what a wicked trick. LOL
Pinky's in HK was a favourite port of call for guys 3 sheets in the wind and requiring some indelible art work !:o
steve roberts
10-05-2010, 20:45
Hi Benbow.Tell me about "Pinkies" I was having a tattoo done in there,when some idiot came in with one of those Laughing Bags! I could have killed him:mad:By the way,may work of art turned out to be the only Chinese Confederate Flag holder I have ever seen:D
Regards Steve.
Hi Benbow.Tell me about "Pinkies" I was having a tattoo done in there,when some idiot came in with one of those Laughing Bags! I could have killed him:mad:By the way,may work of art turned out to be the only Chinese Confederate Flag holder I have ever seen:D
Regards Steve.
I ended up in his establishment (68/69 ?) after some certain lubricants we taken onboard only to wake on the mess deck with a large eagle tattoo on my right upper arm; real work of art. I think Mr Pinky relocated to the states.
http://www.tattooconnect.com/forum/showthread.php?t=100
In 51 I had a swallow tattoed between right thumb & forefinger. The tattoist Sailor Bill in Liverpool said "where ever you go in the world anyone will recognise that tattoo" 59 years later, no one has said,, I see you have been tattooed by Sailor Bill in Liverpool.
granpinto
19-11-2010, 23:46
I was interested to see the articles about Sailor Bill the tattoo artist from Liverpool.
As far as I know, there were two tattoo artists of any note in Liverpool at the time. One was Sailor Jack and the other Sailor Bill, my grandfather. Sailor Bill Donnelly lived in Dombey Street, where I was born. My grandfather had 19 children, fifteen boys and four girls. Most of the boys were in the Andrew or the Merchant. Four of his sons were killed in the Battle of the Atlantic serving on convoy duty.
My earliest recollections are of visiting Sailor Bill’s house on a Sunday and seeing a queue of sailors from different countries standing in the street outside the large Victorian terraced house. The queue then ran up the front steps, along the hallway and down the stairs to the basement room where my grandfather had his tattoo parlour. The sailors were all good natured young men who would give me small foreign coins or sweets and gum.
In the back room of the basement, which acted as a store room, I could see the large square glass jars, called accumulators, they served to provide the DC current to drive the tattoo drill. Also stored in there was a variety of monkeys and bad-tempered parrots, usually left as payment by some of the sailors.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, my father, who had just turned sixteen, was dispatched to the safety of North Wales and told by my grandfather to join the army there as a volunteer. The idea being that the Navy would be too dangerous and a safer option was to go somewhere quiet.
However, after basic training with the Royal Welch Fusiliers my father was shipped out to Burma and did not return home until six years later. As for the safer option, he spent most of his time in the Burmese jungle fighting the Japanese with Wingate’s Chindits. He was wounded twice and caught malaria and dysentery.
My father had six large tattoos, two on each arm and one on each leg. He advised me not to get any done so I decided against it also.
Fascinating post, Granpinto,:)
I'm pleased my memories were correct & that they rang a bell.
Then gold ring in the left ear was still in vogue in the 1960s and I had one. It wasn't banned onboard and one could wear it at all times as well as on parade, but its popularity was fading and it was more common then in the merchant navy. The advantage was, when I got sick of it I took it out, but tats one was stuck with forever.
Traditionally the earing was supposed for a sailors burial if he ever ended up dead on a beach somewhere.
johnny07
15-08-2011, 17:56
Pinky's in HK was a favourite port of call for guys 3 sheets in the wind and requiring some indelible art work !:o
I'll second that Benbow, I have 4 tats all done by Pinky in Hong Kong in 1961 whilst in Bulwark. I was never drunk when I told him what I wanted but did nip out for a Tiger anethstetic prior to the work being done. They have faded a lot over 50 years but are still just about visible.
I have a eagle on my chest, done in Singapore 1967.The name "Jonny Ghurka" has just came to mind...was he a tattoo artist in Nee Soon ??? I also have a few from Guz done by "Shakey ????"
Hong Kong '69 - '70 ish, one of my fellow RM's, after a lengthy run ashore and well bladdered went into a tatoo parlour and was asked what he would like done, so he describes and writes down 'Naval Patrol' with a set of footprints to be inked around his belly button ... unfortunately, he left out the crucial letter 'r' in Patrol and was left with 'Naval Patol'. Had to go back a few weeks later to have a garland of flowers done to cover up the mistake.
Have also seen the face of a Sgt Major of Marines complete with peaked cap and tongue coming out of the only space available on the backside of another RM. Happy times!
Robelfast
15-08-2011, 20:49
Don't have any myself but my grandfather had plenty. One of which was a naked girl he got done in Malta on the front of his leg (shin).
"It was sore getting that one done" he said. Now, I know nothing about the pain of tattooing but that sounds like a bit of an understatement.
I found a comment on "Rum Ration" that confirms my senior moment of re-collection when I remembered the name "Johnny Ghurka" was a tattoo artist in Nee Soon.Still trying to remember the tattoo artists in Guz & Pompey in the sixties.:confused:
johnny07
15-08-2011, 21:36
I have a eagle on my chest, done in Singapore 1967.The name "Jonny Ghurka" has just came to mind...was he a tattoo artist in Nee Soon ??? I also have a few from Guz done by "Shakey ????"
Yes Thomo, I remember Johnny Ghurka from Nee Soon although I never used him myself. On the subject of Nee Soon I also remember something about a woodpile. Im sure it will come back to me.
I had four of Johnny Gurkha's artistic efforts done in 1953. Between us, can we work out how long Johnny was at work in Nee Soon.
I had four of Johnny Gurkha's artistic efforts done in 1953. Between us, can we work out how long Johnny was at work in Nee Soon.
As I already said I got a eagle tattoo at Johnny Gurkha's in 67. I had quite a few pints of tiger whilst getting it done. I awoke the following morning with a sore head and to discover my new tattoo was minus its "Landing Gear" (Claws) and we where sailing that day.I had to wait until 71 when I returned Singapore and paid Johnny a visit to get the "landing gear" put on my eagle.:D :D
So far we have 53 to 67 when Johnny was active, can anyone stretch this period. His shop if my memory is correct was on a slope leading up to the Army camp.
Derek Dicker
18-08-2011, 15:43
Afternoon Thomo, I bet I have the same eagle on my chest done by J.G in 1963. I sent the boys in the shop next door for Bottles of Anchor during the torment. Looking a bit faded now after nearly 50 years but do not regret the pain. Grand children think its wonderful to touch.
No Im not going to post a photograph
Derek (bunts)
johnny07
18-08-2011, 21:22
Afternoon Thomo, I bet I have the same eagle on my chest done by J.G in 1963. I sent the boys in the shop next door for Bottles of Anchor during the torment. Looking a bit faded now after nearly 50 years but do not regret the pain. Grand children think its wonderful to touch.
No Im not going to post a photograph
Derek (bunts)
Oh, Go on.
Because JG used only red & blue ink a lot of my shipmates waited to get their tattoos in Hong Kong where green & yellow inks were also used. One of our guys enlarged a drawing of St George & dragon that used to be on Dettol bottles, he then had it tattooed on his back. When I was in Ark Royal our messman had a spider tattooed in a very delicate place.
johnny07
19-08-2011, 21:32
Yes Thomo, I remember Johnny Ghurka from Nee Soon although I never used him myself. On the subject of Nee Soon I also remember something about a woodpile. Im sure it will come back to me.
Something else has come back about Johnny GhurKas parlour in Nee Soon Nonose, does anyone remember her?.
I remember Nonose well , she frequented the bar on the corner leading uo to JG's.
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