In the rapidly fading light of a rainy Antigua dawn, Mike Rose, chairman of the Royal Naval Dead Club, leads a circle of loyalists to increase their daily ration of rum and pay tribute to King Charles III. to toast
“For the King, God bless him,” say a dozen or so people, standing in a semicircle in front of Rose as they down the spicy toddy – delighted to be drinking for the first time since the death of Queen Elizabeth II earlier this month got words right and toasted her son rather than her.
A mistake that is easy to make – after all, this was the way to toast the Queen at 6 p.m. every evening since 1991.
“We’ve never missed a tot,” 81-year-old Rose, originally from the UK, told AFP as rain battered the roof of the waterfront Galley Bar in the tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda.
They carry on a tradition that began in 1655 when the British Royal Navy began giving their sailors half a pint of rum a day. Yes – half a pint of rum every morning.
It was almost a century before admirals began to reevaluate the wisdom of this idea. They ordered the ration to be diluted and divided into two portions.
Somehow, problems with drunkenness among seafarers persisted – perhaps because, as Rose points out, three parts water to one part rum is still one part rum.
In 1850 it was recommended that the daily ration be abolished.
That advice was ignored, but the Navy at least began reducing the ration, eventually ending up at one-eighth of an Imperial pint — a “tot,” or 71 milliliters (2.4 ounces) per day.
– Black Dead Day –
It was not until 1969 that the admirals finally conceded in a written reply to the deputies that “the rum question is no longer compatible with the high efficiency requirements of the Navy”.
Some sailors wore black armbands or held mock funerals at sea as they drank their last drink on July 31, 1970—“Black Men’s Day.”
Rose, who served as Chief Petty Officer in the Royal Navy and drew his daily ration for years, remembers it well. After Black Dead Day, he admits, he continued to drink it “unofficially.”
He served in Antigua and Barbuda, a former British colony, and stayed when he retired, drinking his tot every night.
“Eventually others joined in,” he explains.
Now members believe they’re the only such club in the world that still has its daily grog – and they have it daily, through hurricanes (they’ve been known to toast over FM radio), Covid (Zoom toasts ) and all the other obstacles that life in Antigua throws in their way.
Members can only join while in Antigua and have passed a rigorous test, including a naval history section. Although only a handful made it to the bar the night AFP visited due to the weather, they now number about 500 people worldwide.
Their loyalty was rewarded when Prince William enjoyed lunch with them in 2008 as serving officer on HMS Iron Duke.
– special mix –
The Royal Navy was Britain’s means of expanding colonization around the world, and Antigua and Barbuda’s 97,000 residents are largely descended from Africans who were enslaved by the British and taken to the Caribbean.
The country became independent in 1981 but retained the Queen as head of state.
Now the tiny nation’s prime minister wants to hold a referendum on severing that last link — though it may not materialize for years and Antiguans reserve judgment for now.
Rosa is skeptical. “I’ll actually believe it when it happens,” he says.
The Tot Club includes Antiguans – as well as Americans, Germans and even, whispers circulate around the Galley Bar, some French.
Most of the members AFP visited that evening appear to be English expatriates living and working on the island.
The only thing they ask of visitors is loyalty – or, in the case of non-Brits, respect – for the monarchy.
Queen Elizabeth’s death is “huge,” says Rose.
But of course her loyalty is to the crown, not the woman.
They will continue to gather nightly to toast Charles with their own blend of Antigua’s prized English Harbor Rum – a blend made especially for them.
“I think from what I’ve seen over the past few days he’ll be fine,” says Rose of the new monarch.
“He won’t be Elizabeth.
