Whatever happened to all those self taught Revie and Bosco makers’ from shipboard life? The Revie was a prized possession and a necessity for those working on deck and some seamen were really expert at making them, it’s the sort of thing we forgot about when we left the industry. The Bosco or deck shoe was another skill but you didn’t get to see too many of them; the Bosco maker would first of all make fathoms of square Sennett which he would then coil into the shape of a shoe sole and secure, he would then fashion the upper shoe cover out of duck-canvas and finish it off with a coat of paint or varnish. We had a seaman on the Aussie Coast who was an expert Bosco maker, his name was Gerry Chaiken, originally from London, and he made Bosco’s good enough to go ashore in, Gerry was an incredible seaman, there was very little he couldn’t do on deck and whatever he did was well done!

Revie = Canvas work hat

Them steaming revie and boscoe makers were craftsmen in their own right Tony, I sailed with an AB called George Jones from Connahs Quay Flintshire, who used to make his own shorts from duck canvas and the quality was truly amazing, I never fond out what he wore for underpants as the canvas must have been a bit rough on the fighting gear.