Deck Scrubbing or 'swabbing'

Whose idea was it to join the navy? Victorian sailors scrub the decks for the camera

A life on the open waves isn't without its down side. Keeping a ship in shape means regularly - and vigorously - scrubbing the deck, as these Victorian sailors demonstrate for the inquisitive camera. This was one of a series of films on aspects of Navy life produced by the Warwick Trading Company.