Rabbits

[wully1]

No. In those days sailors - "Jolly Jack" - were often considered/depicted as "gay", not homosexuals. That is "Gay" in it's true sense; happy, carefree.

I wonder what credible evidence there is for homosexuality being common, leave alone rife in those days? In a society where such behaviour was considered utterly beyond the pale to the point that it was a capital crime I find it hard to imagine that it was anywhere near as prevalent as many modern commentators (often, if not usually with axes to grind , as it were) like to claim.
The modern Royal Navy pre lumpy-jumpers suffered little from this though even their view of the RFA and the Merchant Navy is not as kind.

Has there ever been a credible study of this?

In 5 years service in the RN I only knew of 1 openly gay bloke - ‘Mincer Milne’ who was the captain steward. He was a top bloke and well respected by the crew. Back then shirt lifting was against QR’s but no one othered him.

Insert your tedious jokes here:

……….

 

[Rustyknight]

I seem to vaguely recall this aversion to using the word 'rabbit' being a no-no on Portland.

There's nowt so queer as folk.

Pic taken a while ago on the eastern side of Portland......

 

[Poignard]

In 5 years service in the RN I only knew of 1 openly gay bloke - ‘Mincer Milne’ who was the captain steward. He was a top bloke and well respected by the crew. Back then shirt lifting was against QR’s but no one othered him.

Insert your tedious jokes here:

……….

I was duty PO once in HMS Lochinvar and I had arrest two who were, defiantly, sharing the same bunk.

Public attitudes have changed since those days (mine have) but at that time there was no sympathy for them.

In the early 19th century and before, sodomites were hanged.

But regardless of one's views, a disciplined service with a rank structure cannot tolerate such intimacy between anyone, whether it's homosexuality or between men and women.

I seem to recall a recent case where a male RN officer was chucked out after having a sexual relationship with a WREN officer on board ship.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Chiara, I think not. In those days sailors - "Jolly Jack" - were often considered/depicted as "gay", that is "gay" in it's true sense; happy, carefree. Nothing to do with being homos.

I wonder what credible evidence there is for homosexuality being common, leave alone rife in those days? In a society where such behaviour was considered utterly beyond the pale to the point that it was a capital crime I find it hard to imagine that it was anywhere near as prevalent as many modern commentators (often, if not usually with axes to grind , as it were) like to claim.
The modern Royal Navy pre lumpy-jumpers suffered little from this though even their view of the RFA and the Merchant Navy is not as kind.

Has there ever been a credible study done of this?

You’re talking to the wrong guy, I agree with you. I have experience of Jolly Jack?and they might well be a happy bunch, but not prone to sodomy in the slightest. It’s just another stick to beat the RN with. Runaground hard seems to think it was common, yet somehow these guys weren’t gay, in the modern sense.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

You’re talking to the wrong guy, I agree with you. I have experience of Jolly Jack?and they might well be a happy bunch, but not prone to sodomy in the slightest. It’s just another stick to beat the RN with. Runaground hard seems to think it was common, yet somehow these guys weren’t gay, in the modern sense.

Scout leaders, Choirmasters and priests have also been tarred with that brush, in most cases completely without reason. Of course there's the odd bad apple, but that's true in many areas. And I'm not condemning the orientation; I'm condemning the abuse of a privileged position.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Scout leaders, Choirmasters and priests have also been tarred with that brush, in most cases completely without reason. Of course there's the odd bad apple, but that's true in many areas. And I'm not condemning the orientation; I'm condemning the abuse of a privileged position.

There's a massive gulf between ‘consenting adults’ and ‘abuse of position’ in any case.

 

[Poignard]

You’re talking to the wrong guy, I agree with you. I have experience of Jolly Jack?and they might well be a happy bunch, but not prone to sodomy in the slightest. It’s just another stick to beat the RN with. Runaground hard seems to think it was common, yet somehow these guys weren’t gay, in the modern sense.

That there Churchill has a lot to answer for.

Mind you, we didn't mind a drop o' rum when we could get it!

And a taste o' the lash never done nobody any 'arm. ?

 

[Chiara’s slave]

That there Churchill has a lot to answer for.

Mind you, we didn't mind a drop o' rum when we could get it!

And a taste o' the lash never done nobody any 'arm. ?

The Pogues made a fortune out of it. Their finest work.

 

[Beneteau381]

"RABBITS
Naval slang name given to articles taken, or intended to be taken, ashore
privately. Originally "rabbits" were things taken ashore improperly (i.e.
theft or smuggling - the name arose from the ease with which tobacco, etc.,
could be concealed in the inside of a dead rabbit) but with the passenger of
time the application of the word has spread to anything taken ashore; an air
of impropriety nevertheless still hangs over the use of the word, whether or
not this is justified (it seldom is). Hence the phrase "Tuck its ears in",
often said to an officer or rating seen going ashore with a parcel."

Royal Navy Diction & Slang

I remember the term 'rabbits' also covered little private jobs done for yourself, or others, using naval facilities and materials.

Our slang for private jobs was "doing a foreigner"

 

[Beneteau381]

That there Churchill has a lot to answer for.

Mind you, we didn't mind a drop o' rum when we could get it!

And a taste o' the lash never done nobody any 'arm. ?

Nowt like a drop of Woods 57% Navy rum. I still have half a litre on board, grudgingly offered in taster amounts to those visitors who I judge to be capable of appreciating it. I ordered another litre off a friend who was visiting Gib last week, Couldnt get any, out of stock, so have had to settle for std Lambs Navy Rum! sigh!
If the Bish visits us before we go back to Blighty he might justget a drop!
?

 

[peter bush]

"RABBITS
Naval slang name given to articles taken, or intended to be taken, ashore
privately. Originally "rabbits" were things taken ashore improperly (i.e.
theft or smuggling - the name arose from the ease with which tobacco, etc.,
could be concealed in the inside of a dead rabbit) but with the passenger of
time the application of the word has spread to anything taken ashore; an air
of impropriety nevertheless still hangs over the use of the word, whether or
not this is justified (it seldom is). Hence the phrase "Tuck its ears in",
often said to an officer or rating seen going ashore with a parcel."

Royal Navy Diction & Slang

I remember the term 'rabbits' also covered little private jobs done for yourself, or others, using naval facilities and materials.

(

"RABBITS
Naval slang name given to articles taken, or intended to be taken, ashore
privately. Originally "rabbits" were things taken ashore improperly (i.e.
theft or smuggling - the name arose from the ease with which tobacco, etc.,
could be concealed in the inside of a dead rabbit) but with the passenger of
time the application of the word has spread to anything taken ashore; an air
of impropriety nevertheless still hangs over the use of the word, whether or
not this is justified (it seldom is). Hence the phrase "Tuck its ears in",
often said to an officer or rating seen going ashore with a parcel."

Royal Navy Diction & Slang

I remember the term 'rabbits' also covered little private jobs done for yourself, or others, using naval facilities and materials.

 

[peter bush]

I am confused.How many navy ships had such a large population of rabbits that they needed to be caught and smuggled ashore.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I am confused.How many navy ships had such a large population of rabbits that they needed to be caught and smuggled ashore.

I don’t know. I can’t recall ever seeing a single one. Or indeed any other unauthorised furry creature. One thing I have learned about Naval slang is that it’s origins are very often obscure, truly lost in the mists of time.