Genealogy Chat

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Possibly! Merry

Or is it difficult to try and work out just what you might be able to access. I'm trying to find out some details about a coastguard rellie from 1840ish to his last posting in 1880,and try to find out if he is an ex serviceman pre 1840 but the site seems so awkward to try and navigate. How do you decide what might be relevant? Glen

Merry!! I leave you alone for a few days and look what happens.You must have missed me. Glen

LOL! I've only just arrived on here right now, today....and there was your thread....too tempting to resist! LOL And this man's name and place of work? Merry

Hi Glen My coastguard ancestor (joined circa 1835) was exnavy (as a clue, he always called himself lieut. RN). I found his naval career initially from his memorandum of service. I read the log books of the ships he sailed on and once he was in the coastguards, I could follow him round the country from posting to posting. But.... There was nothing online. I had to visit Kew to get the information. There are plenty of records to look at and they are easy enough to order and look at and follow through, but you'll have to take off the tinsel in favour of an anorak, I'm afraid.

Glen, If possible try to go to TNA in person. In the room where all the fiche readers are there are leaflets that give you a step by step process of tracing your rellies. I have used these leaflets at the archives to find servicemen, members of the womens land army and policemen. The leaflets are far more user friendly than the website - take my word for it!!! Cheers, Horatia

This is the link to the research guide for coastguards: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=54 and by the look of things, the first records to search would be in ADM 175.

My man was called George Hay,born c 1810 in Clerkenwell. He was a coastguard by his marriage in 1839 (nr Leicester!! a fine coastal town i'm sure you will agree) By 1851 he was stationed at Berwick,1861 Wells next the Sea in Norfolk and remained there or thereabouts until 1880 when he died. Kew is a bit too far to get to,his Berwick adventures are pretty easy to check (i'm local to there)but his early days (1810 to 1839) are my main interest,and his appointment to the coastguard service. His son Joseph ( Berwick 1847 birth) went on to be a master mariner,retiring by his early forties.Trying to kill two birds with one stone so to speak. Glen

Glen, Then I have a link to this man!!!! He married my relation! Cheers, Horatia

Glen, Do you know when he died?? If it was in Wells Next The Sea I may be able to help. I am going there next month and I plan to do research. Cheers, Horatia

Glen, He died on 22nd February 1880 and was buried on the 26 February. Horatia

We certainly have Horatia,it's the george/Maria Waller connection again. His appearance on the 1841 is rather novel (on the beach at Lowestoft). The Berwick appointment still needs looking into but i'm sure there must be some stories in the papers of the time,he does make an appearance on the link to coastguards via Genuki (pre Maria though). My main problem is that me being in Coldstream makes Kew a bit of a trek without any prior knowledge of what to expect,and possibly a lot of info to find. Glen

Glen, As I have a link to this man myself I will have a look next time I am at TNA. I am recovering from a broken ankle at the moment so won't be able to visit until June time. Cheers, Horatia

Thankyou to both of you.I have sent pm's Glen

Oh, that is a lovely thread, thanks for that guys. Hope ankle knits quickly Horatia - pack up the sky diving,eh.

Heather, I was walking on National Trust property (Nymans in Sussex) when I slipped in some mud and bingo! Broken ankle. So easy to do. Anyway, Glen, sorry for hijacking your thread with my ankle but you'll forgive a relation by marriage won't you!!! ;-) Cheers, Horatia PS Glen - Coldstream is too far away from TNA so I'll see what I can do for you unless someone beats me to it. I'll contact you before I go to TNA to see if you have already got the info.

Thankyou, I'll beaver away at anything in the Berwick area,i'm still trying to decide why a certain building in Hide Hill 'draws me in'. Everytime i walk past i feel like someone is watching me from a certain window. Weird i know but i only found out the Berwick connection after the first time i experienced the feeling,and one of my job interviews was definately in a building that has connections to George. Just on a flight of fancy,Berwick Town Hall was renovated at the time George was living there,and there are references to the Mayor etc on the building.Now i wonder..................... Glen

That must have been so painful Horatio. I know its so easy to do. I remember once a chap next to me on a pavement waiting to cross just slipped on the kerb and he broke his ankle. I guess we wouldnt go out if we thought about it.

Hi Glen, The Beach was a village below the cliff in Lowestoft. It was where a lot of my fishing ancestor lived. Gwynne