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Women on a ship of the line --- bad luck? Any serious studies about these bad girls?

From reading Patrick O'brian and Bernard Cornwell I see that marines were allowed a certain number of unregistered women, prostitutes were very often aboard. Dudley Pope made reference in "Life in Nelson's Navy". Anyone know other good reference books to give me vicarious thrills?

Update:

Fornication under consent --- I like that, never heard it. I always thought it was a good Tuetonic harsh sounding word.

Update 2:

Actually, I'm finding reference to one women for six marines on a ship of the line. I'm perversely curious about this. I'd like to learn more before the PC crowd re-writes history again.

Update 3:

"Son of a gun" is a direct result of women on board.

Update 4:

Not many answers for this one. Too racy? Oh, well, I'll have to be less offensive somewhere else.

2 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Is it true that we get a four-letter word from Fornication Under Consent of the King from this, or is it an urban myth?

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    i think it is possible many were simply taken aboard same as pirates took new recruits...get them drunk and sneak them on board..keep them until they wish to drop them back off..

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