Voyage of the Scotia 1902-04

People of the Expedition

Crew-members boxing on deck of ship

On a long sea voyage, the crew of a sailing-ship would normally be allowed to relax on a Sunday, while no immediately necessary work was requiring attention. Various pursuits could occupy this leisure time.

For some, this might provide an opportunity for dealing with matters of personal hygiene, such as washing, bathing, having a shave or haircut, or darning socks and mending clothing. For others, it would probably be merely an occasion for relaxing from the stress of constant physical effort.

Personal fitness may not have been a major concern in a situation where much of the work was physically demanding, but here two crew members have found the energy to take part in a boxing match.