Genealogy Chat

The records are held at Maritime History Archive,Memorial University of Newfoundland. They hold 70% crew lists 1863-1938 80% 1951-1976 but none for 1939-1950. Shirley You have to pay ,of course!! to get them to search.

I believe that the records retained by the PRO were just a random sample comprising 10% of the total, or maybe even only 5%. Is it Newfoundland where they're kept? I thought they were in Halifax. I've yet to try and use these records in anger, but I believe that both sets are organised according to the same system.

Webster.Because they were going to destroy all old merchant navy records,but there was such an outcry that they had to find alternative storage for them. Lots are housed in Newfoundland with only a few still kept at Kew. think that may be those that have some out of ordinary event. I emailed Canada for info on my grandad & they were able to tell me the vessels he served on in the early 1900,s,but they didnt have the ships log of the vessel he was lost from in 1911. This I found at Kew.In order to search at Kew you do need to know the vessels name. Shirley

why canada??

Try this: http://www(.)theshipslist(.)com/Research/Resource.htm Might not have exactly what you want but could point you in the right direction. Kim

Unless I'm getting confused with something else, aren't the maritime records at the PRO only a 10% sample? I think that the rest of the records are retained in Canada(!).

I can't directly answer your question, but I believe that the Maritime Museum in Greenwich is a useful resource for ancestors with a maritime background. I think that they have some general information on their website, but they'd certainly be worth contacting.

There are merchant seamen's crew lists at Kew. Go to www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp#m to find research guides on Merchant Seamen: Abbreviations Found in the RGSS Registers Merchant Seamen: Interpreting the Voyages in the Registers of Seamen's Tickets and the Alphabetical Registers of Masters Merchant Seamen: Interpreting Voyage Details in the Registers of Officer's Services Merchant Seamen: Interpreting Voyage Details in the Registers of Seamen, Series II Merchant Seamen: Medals and Honours Merchant Seamen: Officers Service Records, 1845-1965 Merchant Seamen: Records of the RGSS, A Guide to Research Guides Merchant Seamen: Registers of Service, 1835-1857 Merchant Seamen: Sea Service Records, 1913-1972 Merchant Shipping: Crew Lists and Agreements After 1861 Merchant Shipping: Crew Lists and Agreements, 1747-1860 Merchant Shipping: Registration of Ships, 1786-1994

Can anyone tell me where i can get lists of ships crews. I have an ancestor who was a mariner, but i do not know on what ship. His family lived in west ham essex, that is all i know apart from his name. ....Please help