I realise I've been mentioning the terms "Riggers" and "Runners" and assuming you understand what exactly the terms mean. Perhaps some explanation is in order. The Ensign Rigging Coy was a ship delivery contractor. This is just another term for being ship's riggers and runners. The terms "Riggers" and "Runners" go back to the days of old sailing ships. They have come down through the ages and remain because there are no better ones to make them obsolete.

Immediately a ship arrived in port, her crew, probably with a thirst of considerable size, would be allowed ashore as soon as they received their pay for the voyage. It was common practice to pay off the crew completely so that the ships accounts could be finalised. It was usual for the ship to wait for her next cargo, which might take months. In this way crewing costs were minimised. They probably would have absconded anyway! But there were many complicated tasks to be done. The sails had to be unbent (removed) from the spars and stowed, and wear and tear on the rigging and sails from the voyage had to be repaired. This was done by shore riggers working alongside wharf workers as the ship was being discharged and re-loaded. Usually they were under the charge of a "Boss Rigger" who took his orders from the ship's mate who was "standing by" the ship while she was in harbour.

The term "Rigger" continued on into the use of skeleton crews who carry out routine maintenance on the overhead super-structure on steamships while they are in port. Often they do sub-contracted overhead painting work as required as well. Riggers are also employed, with tugmen, for moving the ship from one berth to another, until a new crew is signed on. So although they do no actual "rigging" these days, the term remains, because a rigger has to skilled in the handling and preparing of ropes and hawsers for towage and deck fastening.

The term is not to be confused with "Riggers" who work on offshore oilrigs. That is a more recent innovation, but it is still related. Likewise the practice of employing "Riggers" for overhead work on steel bridges, power lines, and such like also derives from the old term. Back before the War these men were called "Ironfighters", and Dad did his time at this work too. He worked on building the huge radar towers at Pevensey, Essex, just before the war, until his brother Jack was killed working on one on the Isle of Wight. Even at the time just before I left for Australia, Dad's huge ironfighting spanners were still in the old shed at Eccleston Crescent. But that's getting off the subject.

Jack wasn't the only casualty in the service of rigging. Dad lost the sight in most of his right eye before the war when steel entered his eye while aloft. Young Archie was killed falling off a roof, and Grandad fell into a hold, luckily landing on sacks, but not without having his nose torn off. It was sewn back on by one of the crew who also acted as surgeon because he was the handiest with palm and needle when repairing sails! Nan sometime sighed and remarked how he was so handsome when he was young, but she thought it might have been put on upside down when he came home after that job. It was so badly done!

Both Grandad and Dad were great ones at splicing ropes and wire, and when I was a little boy they taught me all the seaman's knots. Grandad even made me my own little marlin spike so that I could splice ropes together, and that sort of thing. I remember Dad smiling at it when I showed it to him and him asking me a few questions about what Grandad had "taught" me. Pretty soon after that he gave me a proper riggers knife and made me splice the ends of a lanyard together so I could carry it safely around my neck, like a proper rigger did. I can remember using it, sitting cross-legged on the ground, on some canvas, with either Dad or Grandad, and they would regularly inspect my progress at making a monkeys fist or such like. "Not bad for a little boy, but next time rub the strands in the ball of your palm a bit more, before you do the plaiting." Would be the sort of encouragement I'd get. Proudly I'd show my efforts to Mum and she would just look at it and say, "Mmm, very nice dear, now go wash your hands for dinner."

I don't think she had much interest in me learning how to be a rigger.

Anyway, so much for the term rigger. From those earlier times, also, comes the term

"Runner". A ship would often discharge in one port and be required to make a short run round the coast to another, to load, or perhaps to dry dock for an overhaul. For economy, a regular crew would not he signed on and a temporary skeleton crew would be used for the short "run". So when a ship has to he moved from one harbour to another port, or when an inanimate tow has to be manned, contractors and shipping companies get into touch with a rigging company.

A lot of the work that Grandad did towards the end of his career was providing 'Runners" crews and the occupation suited him well I think - both in name as well as deed. He had all his old cronies at literally hundreds of shipping offices around the Fenchurch Street area, and they called him Skipper Painter, or more affectionately, Skip. Unlike Dad who wanted more out of life, Grandad, I think, was basically happy with his lot. Once he took me up there to look at all the huge model ships they would all have in their foyers.