Mug Up!

Hello Everyone,

Aboard Lunenburg schooners, mug ups meant ‘lassie cookies and big, steaming cups of tea. Huge slabs of fresh bread, butter and molasses. Tea biscuits and baked beans. A little bit of whatever you could "lay your hand to".

"Mug ups" were an important part of life aboard fishing schooners. The men would go to the galley and have a hearty feed, whenever they could take a break. It was a time to re-fuel themselves, have a momentary sit down in the forecastle and warm up before going back to work or going to their bunks.

The cook and the galley stove had few breaks. Bread, cookies and full meals had to be kept at the ready. Even during the poorest of times, the owners of the vessels understood that the crews needed to be well fed. Healthy, contented fishermen were able to work with all their strength; a crew that was half-starving couldn’t fish the North Atlantic with any success or degree of safety.

‘Lassie (molasses) cookies were favourites of crews from Lunenburg. They were huge, usually soft and always a treat.

The term "mug up" made an easy transition from ship to shore. It was used in coastal communities by the mid-1800s, if not earlier, to describe any snack throughout the day or evening. From the Dictionary of Newfoundland English: "Had a mug up at the Skipper’s house, after which he and one of his men took me in their punt and rowed me up to the head of the Arm." (Manuscript, Howley, 1869)

Mug ups are special events at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. This coming summer we plan to have them to help celebrate the 70th anniversary of our schooner, Theresa E. Connor. ‘Lassie cookie, anyone?

Wishing you Smooth Sailing,
Heather