I'm trying to gather as much information as to what would have been in the hold/below deck on the Bounty, I know things like Rope, Barrels (various sizes) Chest's/Wooden boxs, Ships Oven, Baskets, Hamocks, Lanterns, Bread Fruit, Sacks.
Balast, now is that something that a ship like Bounty would of had and what would they have used?

Anything Ive missed

Originally posted by


Lots of cheese. (According to my research the Victory carried several tons)

Mmmmm.... Cheese

Thanks for that very informative piece of information mike, I didnt know that.
That gives me some ideas, I dont have a lot of area for ballast but what I do have something along those lines would work quite well.

Cheese?, ekkk, thats gotta stink:)

It probably didn't stink that much. The Navy used tonnes of 'Suffolk' cheese which was a very hard cheese and kept a long time even if it was almost impossible to chew. It went out of production around 1756 when the Navy switched to cheddar and gloucester varieties.

In fact if I want to amuse myself, I like going into these specialist delicatessan cheese shops that claim to sell everything and ask for some Suffolk and then wait for the reaction. It would be great to find an old recipe and get somebody to produce some for re-enactment events!

Mike T

Just finished watching Mutiny On The Bounty (Marlon Brando version) I got the remastered double DVD version, superb is all I can say, and that british accent of Brando's
After almost 3 hours I have more ideas for below decks.
Cages for poltary, including pigs
the cheese, yes I saw the cheese..LOL
the table's the crew ate on had rope from the beams to the tables.
Lots of hooks around
Desk and chairs
Lashed large barrels
Guide ropes Hammock packs, as wel as hooked up
lots of buckets, water buckets and buckets with bread fruit.
Plenty of rope coils knocking around.

enought I think to make her look busy.

Yep, but wasnt that in the barrel? or do you think I should create a little bar with mood ligting with 10 sailors on the floor Puted outta their heads..now there a thought..LOL

Add some classy music, pursian rugs and you hve yourself a dodgy bar on the high seas.

you have forgotten the one thing all ships have in the hold... rats!! bet you could make some from green stuff that would reasly bring it to life.

I know it sounds like I am being funny but i really mean it rats would be good

There you are Jase - just for you!

Picture was taken on board HMS Trincomalee at Hartlepool, on the gun deck.

You would be unlikely to see rats on the gun deck, any rats who came out of the holds were likely to be caught by the midshipmen to supplement their meat ration. Apparently a nice piece of roast rat is similar to roast chicken.

One of the ropes holding up the end of the mess table is right in the foreground, with garlands of 'stuff' (unpicked hemp) which were there so the crew could wipe their greasy fingers after 'chewing the fat'. On the table, apart from a pewter plate and spoon, you can see one of the wooden trenchers which is what the sailors were more likely to eat their food from. Hence getting three 'square meals' a day.

The edges of the trenchers were raised by a strip of wood called a 'fidd'. Therefore if a sailor got more than his fair share of the food then he was 'on the fiddle'.

Mike T

Just thought I'd post a little picture of the area to be populated -
Apart from the dust, this is what I have, Barrels, Tables, opts and tables for bread fruit, all from the Del Prado kit.
You kow I may just leave the dust there, adds to the feeling a bit:)
By the way, this is the firs time I got the ship out proper for 2 years, shes been in the cupboard hiding, I had to move books to keep her safe, the wife did comment but hey..its a heirloom for our grandaughters!

Just did a quick google search for the ship that mike showed
They have full 360's of the Galley and Sailors Quarters, superb pictures.

http://360-reality.com/c...trincomalee-tees-valley/