Coal trimmers were part of the Engineering Crew. They were responsible for loading the ship with the coal needed to fire the engines before the ship sailed out. Their further duties consisted of work inside the ship’s coal bunkers, which were above and between the boilers. Using shovels and wheelbarrows, they moved the coal around. Some would be shovelled down the coal chute to the firemen who then shovelled it into the furnaces, but trimmers also had to move coal about in the bunkers to make sure it was level. If too much coal built up on one side of the bunker it could easily cause the ship to list.
They usually earned between 5 pounds and 5 pounds 10 shillings a month.
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