Charlie Noble

English Charlie Noble (chimney) Alternative forms en Charley Noble Etymology en; said to allude to an officer or captain of this name who insisted on having the funnel polished. Noun en naval _ slang A funnel for discharging smoke from the galley. en 1917 Orton Porter Jackson; Frank Edgar Evans The Marvel Book of American Ships 357 One of the last customs that passed from the decks of the modern navy was the “shooting of Charlie Noble.” The chimney or galley-stack of the ship's kitchen was dignified by the name of Charlie Noble, and when the galley-stack became clogged with soot the ship's cook fired a blank cartridge up it, loosening the soot. en 1945 Harold Augustin Calahan Learning to Cruise 120 Charlie Nobles should be fitted with cowls which will automatically turn to leeward and thereby force the draught. A Charlie Noble should be demountable and the hole through the cabin roof should be covered by a strong, tight-fitting lid. en eponyms