Marine Register [Archive] - Caithness.Org Forums

marionq

01-Sep-05, 14:29

fred

01-Sep-05, 18:43

One of my grandfather's brothers, John George Fleming, is said to be on the Marine Register in 1894 and then disappears from view. Does anyone know what this register is because when I put the words into a search engine I get all sorts of guff which don't seem relevant.

If, for example, someone died at sea - is there one place that would be recorded or would it just be the nearest port of call?

If you know the answers to any of the above I would be grateful.

If someone died at sea it would be recorded on the Seamans Crewlist and reported to the British Consul at the next port of call. The crewlists would have been handed in eventually, either at the first port of call in Britain after a foreign trip or after a period of time if the ship was a coaster and the information would have ended up on the Marine Register. The Marine Register was how the government kept track of British sailors in the days before we had a regular navy incase they needed them to fight a war. Every seaman had a ticket with a number on it which they handed to the Captain when they joined a ship and got back when they left. I think the Marine Registers are at the National Archives now but arn't very easy to search and are not very accurate for various reasons.

There are other reasons a sailor could disapear apart from dying. Sailors would be fined for any breaches of disciplin on a voyage ranging from half a days pay for not airing their bedding to one months pay for smuggling. Often a sailor could end up owing the ship money by the end of the outward voyage and have no option but to jump ship without their ticket. Sailors could usually get another ship without a ticket, there were a lot of fiddles going on, I don't think most Captains thought much of the government or their system which is the main reason the register isn't too accurate.

I have a copy of the 1851 Seamens Crewlists for Scotland if anyone has any seafaring ancestors from that time

.

jackie

05-Sep-05, 15:53

I just read your response and was interested to know if there are any Caithness Simpson's on that list from 1851. And any possibly from Orkney.

Thanks for any help you can give.
Jackie

fred

05-Sep-05, 17:53

I just read your response and was interested to know if there are any Caithness Simpson's on that list from 1851. And any possibly from Orkney.

Thanks for any help you can give.
Jackie

---
Seq No: 1888
Simpson Alexander
Current Ship: STORMONT of Wick Trade: Home
Age: 23
Born: CAI Ticket No: 282968
Mate
Date Joined: 01 Jan 1851 Place Joined: Wick
Date Left: Remains Place Left: Why Left:
Previous Ship: STORMONT of Wick
Comments: aka Simson
BT 98/: 2793
-------
Seq No: 3590
Simpson Walter
Current Ship: SODA of Wick Trade: Home
Age: 17
Born: Dunnet CAI Ticket No: 284515
Ord Seaman
Date Joined: 02 Mar 1851 Place Joined: Castlehill
Date Left: Remains Place Left: Why Left:
Previous Ship: SODA of Wick
Comments:
BT 98/: 2793
-------
Seq No: 5012
Simson Alexander
Current Ship: STORMONT of Wick Trade: Home
Age: 23
Born: CAI Ticket No: 282968
Mate
Date Joined: 01 Jan 1851 Place Joined: Wick
Date Left: Remains Place Left: Why Left:
Previous Ship: STORMONT of Wick
Comments: aka Simpson
BT 98/: 2793
-------
Seq No: 4676
Simpson Charles
Current Ship: EXPERIMENT of Kirkcaldy Trade: Fishing
Age: 41
Born: OKI Ticket No: 242843
Fisherman
Date Joined: 10 Apr 1851 Place Joined: Stromness
Date Left: 18 Jul 1851 Place Left: Stromness Why Left: Discharged
Previous Ship: EXPERIMENT of Kirkcaldy
Comments: Wrong box
BT 98/: 2553
-------
Seq No: 5986
Simpson William
Current Ship: EXPERIMENT of Kirkcaldy Trade: Fishing
Age: 40
Born: OKI Ticket No: 130297
Fisherman
Date Joined: 10 Apr 1851 Place Joined: Stromness
Date Left: 18 Jul 1851 Place Left: Stromness Why Left: Discharged
Previous Ship: EXPERIMENT of Kirkcaldy
Comments: Wrong box
BT 98/: 2553
----

Penny

05-Sep-05, 18:44

Fred wrote

I have a copy of the 1851 Seamens Crewlists for Scotland if anyone has any seafaring ancestors from that time

Are there any Thain's from Ackergill on that register Fred?

Penny

fred

05-Sep-05, 19:14

Fred wrote

I have a copy of the 1851 Seamens Crewlists for Scotland if anyone has any seafaring ancestors from that time

Are there any Thain's from Ackergill on that register Fred?

Penny

Thain James
Current Ship: RAMBLER of Wick Trade: Foreign/Home
Age: 16
Born: Ackergill Ticket No: 284130
Boy
Date Joined: 14 Oct 1851 Place Joined: Wick
Date Left: 31 Dec 1851 Place Left: Wick Why Left: Discharged
Previous Ship: FAVOUTITE of Wick

airdlass

05-Sep-05, 20:01

Hi Fred

Wondered if you had a James Hourston born in Orkney on your list
cheers
Fiona

fred

05-Sep-05, 20:48

Hi Fred

Wondered if you had a James Hourston born in Orkney on your list
cheers
Fiona

No, I've got a James Houston born Thurso, he was either 19, 20 or 22 years old depending on which ship he was on but no Hourstons at all

.

airdlass

05-Sep-05, 20:51

Hi Fred
thanks for looking
Fiona

Duncansby

06-Sep-05, 12:09

Penny

06-Sep-05, 16:57

Thank you for the information about James Thain Fred - that was most helpful. :D

Penny

fred

06-Sep-05, 18:28

Hi Fred

Could you tell me if a George Manson from Canisbay appears on your list, he would only of been 15 in 1851? Or perhaps his father Alexander who would of been 37?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Fiona

No, there's a William Manson 42 born Caithness and a James Manson 36 born Caithness but no George or Alaexander.

Duncansby

07-Sep-05, 09:06

Hi Fred

Thanks for looking for me.

Fiona

elizabeth forbes

07-Sep-05, 10:18

Hello Fred,
Any Durrand's from Wick on that register, maybe James father & son , Ship's Emanuel & Shannon
Regards Teeny

fred

07-Sep-05, 18:49

Hello Fred,
Any Durrand's from Wick on that register, maybe James father & son , Ship's Emanuel & Shannon
Regards Teeny

There are no lists in for Emanuel or Shannon, they could have been away for the entire year or they may just be missing.

I do have a John Durrand on the Ranger.

Durrand John
Current Ship: RANGER of Wick Trade: Foreign
Age: 15
Born: CAI Ticket No: 284226
Boy
Date Joined: 26 Sep 1851 Place Joined: Wick
Date Left: Remains Place Left: Why Left:
Previous Ship: RANGER of Wick

marionq

07-Sep-05, 19:59

As always Fred, you are a mine of information. This brother of my grandfather's ie John George Fleming is proving very elusive but at least I have a picture of what is going on. Earlier this year I didn't even know he had any brothers. Now I know he had two and I have a good history of the second.

Incidentally I was up in Wick at the end of July and the Family History department in the Library were so helpful as also was the Registrar's office in town. Many thanks to all you were so good. We stayed at the Harbour Bed and Breakfast and Brenda and husband were good too. Recommended!

Well done Wick.

elizabeth forbes

08-Sep-05, 11:06

Hello Fred,
Many thanks for the info, John went on to become a Master Mariner and died at his home in Wick 1901, Surviving son Alexander was also a Seafarer.
Once again many thanks and regards to all researchers
Teeny

jackie

08-Sep-05, 21:44

Thanks Fred, haven't been online in a few days thanks for the info.
jackie

walker6

09-Sep-05, 00:20

Hello

I am trying to trace my family tree and wondered if any seamen with the surname Blank were on the 1851 marine register. Possibly lived in Wick.
Many thanks for any help you can give. :o)

fred

09-Sep-05, 10:03

Hello

I am trying to trace my family tree and wondered if any seamen with the surname Blank were on the 1851 marine register. Possibly lived in Wick.
Many thanks for any help you can give. :o)

No Blanks on the lists. The problim is that the ships that did the long voyages would put in at Portsmouth first before returning home and that is where the lists would be handed in.

There is an Alexander Blanks who was a sailor on the 1851 census.

walker6

09-Sep-05, 21:07

Thank you Fred.

I have found a few with the surname Blank on the 1841 & 1851 Census. Sometimes my seaches have found the name is spelled with a c instead of k, I hadn't tried adding an s to the surname.

Thanks again.

Whitewater

05-Oct-05, 20:39

You are doing very well Fred, a mine of very useful information for some people. They will keep you busy.

fred

05-Oct-05, 22:51

You are doing very well Fred, a mine of very useful information for some people. They will keep you busy.

It works both ways, I get a lot of useful information back as well but you won't see most of that here.

tenabowla

06-Oct-05, 18:19

Hi

I am wodering if there might have been a James farquhar from wick aged around 50 ish, also I have an Andrew Nicol from Thurso. I Know he married in 1842 in Thurso so would assume also he would be 45-50 years of age.

Thanks

Jim

fred

06-Oct-05, 20:28

I am wodering if there might have been a James farquhar from wick aged around 50 ish, also I have an Andrew Nicol from Thurso. I Know he married in 1842 in Thurso so would assume also he would be 45-50 years of age.

The only James Farquhar was born in Port Gordon.

Andrew Nicol (or Nicoll) is there, he must have married when he was 24.

Nicoll Andrew
Current Ship: GOOD DESIGN of Wick Trade: Home
Age: 33
Born: Thurso CAI Ticket No: 54007
Mate
Date Joined: 01 Jan 1851 Place Joined: Wick
Date Left: Remains Place Left: Why Left:
Previous Ship: GOOD DESIGN of Wick

tenabowla

06-Oct-05, 21:29

Fred

Thanks very much, another piece to the eternal jigsaw.

Cheers

Jim