Genealogy Chat

Thanks for that Mary, I haven't got around to any in depth search yet Mary but I will, it's my homework for the coming week lol!! I'm hoping Charles' brother Jonathans cert comes Monday, as I ordered them together...........be interesting to see if he also became a Mariner, as they were both block makers?? Lin

Thanks again girls for all the informative advice and help. Lin

Lin, wouldnt have thought so. They would likely learn on the job. The training ships were for Royal Navy men.

Good site for the 1881 census. Germaine x change stars for dots. SHIPS IN PORT UK 1881 - INTRO.The 1881 Census contains details of many ships in UK ports. These records are useful for tracing seamen and passengers coming into or going out of the .. . www*angelfire*com/de/BobSanders/81Intro*html

I have an ancestor on hms Bristol, in Funchal Bay, Madeira, on census night 1871so it seems that in some cases ships at sea were counted on the census. Can't find him in 1861 though on land or sea, Lynne

<(*u*)> Would appear so Carole lol Lin

Ha ha - explains why we find them on the census then...bit difficult sailing off to sea when it's not acually a ship :-)

Heather, Carole, If they were block maker who did go to sea, would they possibly be based at these training camps also, from time to time. Lin

Yes Carole, they still are - all the training 'colleges' get names like HMS xxxxxx

Louise Not on the same as mine - Royal Adelaide - another training ship - but I believe some of these raining ships were actually not shps but bases

Oh and Kate, not to forget all those sailors in lodgings on census night where the landlord has no idea who they are and you just get a list of 'Mariners' dob unknown pob unknown.

Well that's opened up another avenue Kate re the wills, thanks for that little gem. Lin

Hi Carole My great grandfather was in Devonport in 1881 too. HMS Impregnable, I believe it was a training ship. I have other mariners who appear on the censuses. Louise

My (English) great-grandfather turned up on the Scottish census for 1891! The coordinates given for the ship's location place it in English waters, so I can only suppose it was a Scottish-registered ship. Worth a try if you are going on Scotland's People anyway, but I wouldn't suggest buying credits just on the off-chance! But I haven't managed to find him on some of the other censuses. Some seamen are only listed by their initials anyway, and sometimes everybody on a ship will be birthplace unknown, so it isn't very easy to find them. Some of my great-grandfather's uncles etc. who were also merchant seamen are nowhere to be found on any census! One good thing is that they often left wills, though... Kate.

One of the census returns for the household states husband at sea. You never know what you could find.

Oh if he were married, certainly, check for the wife's name.

From what your saying then Heather, it might pay me to look in the census' under the wives? Lin

Ive only ever found fishermen on the census if they are out at sea. My Great Grandad only appears on one census after he marries and that is when he appears to have retired and become a stationary engineer at the gas works. Prior to that wife is shown as head 'mariner's wife'.

Thats useful Carole thanks, I shall have to get my sea legs then as they say lol! A lot to look into here, could be at this for quite a while......... Funny thing is too, this uncles older brother, is also missing from the census' too, they were both training as Block makers in 1851, then both disappear after that. they married within two years of each other 1858 and 1860. I sent for both their marriage certs and have so far just received the one...............I will be gobsmacked if his brother has gone the same route.......???? Roll on Monday........other cert better be here by then lol..........I might end up with two to do!!! Lin

That was so lucky Carole, and I can share Pippa's frustration in having them disappear on you like that. Lin