Navvies, or laborers who work on construction projects, typically eat hearty, filling meals to sustain their energy throughout the day. Common foods include bread, potatoes, meat, and stews, often accompanied by vegetables. They may also consume portable snacks like Sandwiches or fruit for quick energy during breaks. Traditional fare varies by region, but the focus is generally on nutritious, calorie-dense options to support their demanding physical work.
The noun 'navvies' doesn't have its own collective noun. Since navvies were the workmen who built the railroads, a collective noun suitable for workmen will work; a gang of navvies, a crew of navvies, etc.
A lot of navvies
The Irish labours who built the canal system in England were called navigators, shortened to navvies.
They dug canals.
"Navvies" refers to a group of laborers working on civil engineering projects, while "navvy" specifically refers to an individual laborer within that group. So, "navvies" is plural and encompasses multiple workers, while "navvy" is singular and refers to a single worker.
Irish navvies
Navvies on the prairies likely ate foods that were easy to transport and store, such as dry goods like beans, salted meat, hardtack, and canned goods. They may have also foraged for wild game and fish if available in the area. The diet would have been basic and focused on providing energy for the demanding physical labor they were undertaking.
In 1871, navvies, who were laborers working on the construction of railways and canals, typically consumed a simple and hearty diet. Their meals often included bread, potatoes, and porridge, supplemented with meat or bacon when available. They commonly carried a "dinner pail" filled with these staples, and tea was a popular beverage. The diet was designed to provide the necessary calories for their physically demanding work.
Navvie is short for navigator Navvie is short for navigator
To find work as there was more work in Britain than in Ireland.
The term, 'navvie', is short for 'navigator' -the name that, at one time, was given to labourers who dug trenches.
Alun Francis has written: 'Contexture in paralax 2' -- subject(s): Wind quintets (Bassoon, clarinet, flute, horn, oboe) 'The Navvies' Union and the building of the Manchester Ship Canal' -- subject(s): Navvies' Bricklayers' Labourers' and General Labourers' Union