Topic starter
30/05/2008 4:10 pm
Greetings From New Orleans ,
It has always been both an interest and facination of mine , just when , where , and how nautical terms have originated from and have come into play . It has recently come to my attention from my long time friend , Capt. Fred Carmichael , just where and when the term " Head " has come from . First of all , for those of you that may not be too well enlightened of the term " Head " , it is simply the bathroom or lavatory where one and all goes to do their business . It is now my understaning that the term " Head " came from the old English sailing ships , and that when the common crew members had to go and do their business , they would go to the bow or the " Head " of the ship and sit on wooden planks with holes in them so that they may relieve themselves . Just another perk for those early seamen !!
Smoothe Sailing !
Ted Davisson
30/05/2008 4:40 pm
That's what I've read also. And many of the old sailing ship plans ordrawings I've seen have this "facility"; out on the beakhead. Must have been a wet and precarious business in rough weather! I've seen pictures of some of the later schooners that had little cabins- sort of like a porta-potty perched way forward, inside the bulwarks but at the very head of the ship. You might note that the head of the ship is as far downwind of the officers as you can get, and that the crew was, on merchant ships at least, usually berthed in the forecastle. On a non nautical but similar subject I've noticed that the standard layout for the Indian war era western military posts put the officers quarters up-wind of the barracks, kitchens, stables and latrines.
01/06/2008 3:43 am
Annie Blum here. I know the definition of "head" that you are talking about. However, on the SS Admiral the term was not used in that way. If you were out on the "head" it meant that you were on the forecastle or close to it, probably near the upper boarding stage.
Your explanation of why the front of the boat is called the "head" or "bathroom" would be very interesting to the person who wrote me a year or so ago and wanted to know all about facilities on the old boats. Thank you.
Annie