Kays Catalogues

[Richard]

Anyone remember the Kays Catalogue that used to be carried on board? Held by the R/O if I recall correctly. It could be used to order pressies or whatever to be sent home. Some very pretty ladies on display if I recall. Did all ships carry one?

[Varley]

Certainly Marconi ship's in my time with them did. I won't say we pushed them but any private message (which use of Kay's required) augmented Marconi's fee (assuming they were also the accounting authority. Private traffic had an extra "tax". Half returned to owner and half to Marconi. Earliest part of my time there was also "Ship Tax" due on incoming messages. I can't remember how we accounted for this. I assume it must have been due on all messages as it would have been too confusing for the landline telegraph offices to differentiate. There are experts here who liked doing that sort of thing and will explain further, better, properly?)

[BobClay]

Yes the Kay's Catalogue was held in the Radio Room and often borrowed by 'potential customers' who never materialised an order. (But the simple check to their motives was just to drop the catalogue on the bench by its spine and see how it flopped open. (That's Cheltenham training for you .... ))

The worst part of the whole effing business was explaining to the crew that the Sparky DID NOT get a commission from Kay's Orders. Although I think you got a book voucher or some such thing if you sold the entire contents of the Kay's Catalogue within a week of joining the ship. About as likely as being hit on the head by a previously unnoticed incoming galactic cluster, or meeting a particularly nasty Tyrannosaurus Rex on your way home from the pub at night. (Although I can't deny the latter has happened to me, sometimes three times on the same night )

[jimg0nxx]

Originally Posted by Varley

Certainly Marconi ship's in my time with them did. I won't say we pushed them but any private message (which use of Kay's required) augmented to Marconi's fee (assuming they were also the accounting authority. Private traffic had an extra "tax". Half returned to owner and half to Marconi. Earliest part of my time there was also "Ship Tax" due on incoming messages. I can't remember how we accounted for this. I assume it must have been due on all messages as it would have been too confusing for the landline telegraph offices to differentiate. There are experts here who liked doing that sort of thing and will explain further, better, properly?)

I was wih Marconi from 1962 to 1974 and there was never an incoming "Ship Tax". What would have happened if the recipient refused to pay?

[Varley]

Ship tax for incoming traffic was paid at the sending end and the only R/O requirement was to figure the amount and enter it in the appropriate column in the received abstract. Ship tax on to-ship traffic was certainly due by ITU in your time (by your profile). How many letters did you get from R.O Dennis complaining of your accounting competence?

[jimg0nxx]

Varley, I got the wrong end of stick, thought you meant the recipient had to pay. Also cannot rembember accounting for received tfc as memory fading! Never heard of R.O Dennis and never had any letters from him or anyone else complaining about accounting competence, so must have done it correctly . The only letter of complaint I had was about a silence period violation, reported by a Canadian monitoring station whilst I was working a USCG station.
Cheers, Jim

[Richard]

I'm quite surprised that this thread has been transferred to a trade specific forum. I feel that it might be missed by many on here. My intention was to let everyone see it on a general forum and used the facility. R/Os might have kept the catalogues, but they were available to everyone. The opposite to what's happened to this thread.

[Wismajorvik]

Originally Posted by Varley

Ship tax for incoming traffic was paid at the sending end and the only R/O requirement was to figure the amount and enter it in the appropriate column in the received abstract. Ship tax on to-ship traffic was certainly due by ITU in your time (by your profile). How many letters did you get from R.O Dennis complaining of your accounting competence?

Renewing my ticket in 1979 one of the 'lecturers' notified class that 'ship charge' on received messages was collected form the recipient, adding that it was a chore chasing crew. I suggested he had escaped prosecution for fraud.

[BobClay]

Originally Posted by Richard

I'm quite surprised that this thread has been transferred to a trade specific forum. I feel that it might be missed by many on here. My intention was to let everyone see it on a general forum and used the facility. R/Os might have kept the catalogues, but they were available to everyone. The opposite to what's happened to this thread.

Well whatever happens Richard, don't mention the dreaded word 'Vernons.' That'll truly get us foaming at the mouth ...

[Richard]

Originally Posted by BobClay

Well whatever happens Richard, don't mention the dreaded word 'Vernons.' That'll truly get us foaming at the mouth ...

Yeah! And don't put "R/O" In any post, anywhere, or it's likely to end up here in the "Radio Room"

[Hawkey01]

Richard,

That is not the case. I moved it as it was relevant to the Radio Room and we need posts everywhere
to get members interest. No slight was intend to anyone but Kays was in the Radio Room.

Neville. Hawkey01

[Richard]

Originally Posted by Hawkey01

Richard,

That is not the case. I moved it as it was relevant to the Radio Room and we need posts everywhere
to get members interest. No slight was intend to anyone but Kays was in the Radio Room.

Neville. Hawkey01

Hi Hawkeye. Although all user specific threads are open to all of course, I suspect that many may just stick to general forums, and not bother to look at threads/forums that don't apply to them or their department.
I worked on deck, in the engine room, and on the bridge, and I suspect that many (Like me) did the same, and again like me, might have little interest in the Radio Room and might pass over that, or any other thread that they have no direct work connection with.
Besides, the Radio Room seems to be doing quite well for threads, compared with some other Departments.

[Naytikos]

There must have been some sort of agreement between the accounting companies and Kays to distribute the catalogues. As far as I remember I would get them from MIMCo and IMRC, both UK-based QRCs but not from SAIT who were in Brussels (or Bruxelles).


That which should not be mentioned, per BobClay's post 9, I never encountered, but the Greeks had something called ΠΡΟΠΩ (PROPO) which was their football results and woe betide if you didn't copy that on a Sunday; there was no system to gamble on it though so no outgoing QTCs were involved.


Now we get to Interflora............

[Hawkey01]

Oh yes!most important on a Greek crewed ship. I used to type them out and post on the notice board and the press. Made me a very popular fellow.

Neville

[Dave McGouldrick]

After a while I was able to write out the Greek press in cyrillic characters - Capital letters only.

[Naytikos]

My 'party trick' was to listen to ball-by-ball on the BBC whilst simultaneously copying the Greek press on a Greek typewriter. The noise was sufficient to keep on-lookers away as I did it all on loudspeakers.