Rum · History · Short entry
Black Tot Day: end of the navy rum ration (1970)
On 31 July 1970 the Royal Navy issued its last daily rum ration, ending a practice dated to around 1655.
31 July 1970
The final tot was served at 11 am; sailors marked the day with black armbands and mock funerals.
Why it mattered
The Admiralty decided on 17 December 1969 that a midday drink was incompatible with operating complex weapons and navigation systems.
The last tot
Royal Museums Greenwich dates the daily ration to around 1655, at first a pint a day, reduced in later years and known as "Pusser's" rum after the purser who issued it. The Admiralty resolved on 17 December 1969 to end it; the last tot was poured at 11 am on 31 July 1970.
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