NAUTICAL APPRENTICES
The phrase ‘learning the ropes’ is derived from the fact that a new seafarer in the days of sail power had to learn what every rope on board the ship was for, despite there being hundreds of them. Apprentices and ship’s boys were employed as teenagers, and were initially given menial tasks such as cleaning and maintenance. However, they were learning all of the time – not least how to obey orders and work as a team – while watching
