Thank you to "TOT" for enlightening me regarding the term SLOPS. I was in the navy for 12 long years (1961-1973) and apart from 'dishing out the tots' (rum issue) one of my other jobs was to man the slop room. Whilst I know that to a sailor the word meant 'slops', I never knew it had it's roots in English, I thought it was nautical slang for clothing. Unless of course, like may naval terms, it came ashore. regards John Hume looking for any HUME in the northeast, especially Durham.