Genealogy Chat

Please could someone advise me how to track down the ships and career of a merchant navy steward when I have minimal detail - only Edward Walker b 1900 in Liverpool who was a steward possibly until the 1920s also possibly with the Blue Star line as he had a blue star tattoo. Also his grandfather who was Jacob Carr who was a Chief Steward and was born in Ulster. Both men lived in Liverpool.
Please point me in the right direction
thanks,
Jill
EDIT: On the 1871 census Jacob's wife Alice and family are at home in Toxteth Park, Liverpool while he is noted as "at sea"
Is there any way of finding which ship he was on?

At Southampton Archives I viewed record cards for Merchant Navy men.
I'm not sure of the dates covered but OH's grandfather's card was there. He was born in 1890 and had 'disappeared' in 1930s.
The cards also had a photo of the seaman on the reverse of each record card.
We were allowed to photograph the cards on each side, - free..., but there was also a service available where the staff made a larger copy, for a fee.

I'm not sure whether these records are in addition to ones held at Kew, ...See National Archives holdings, online, ..... or whether they are duplicate cards.


Gwyn

Thanks Gwyn, I didn't even know about the seaman's 'card' but it sounds very exciting to see that.
We didn't even know Edward Walker was a seaman and we only found out because his daughter remembered vague talk about it and saw the Blue Star when she nursed her father.
We wonder if Jacob Carr must have been on sailing vessels.
All assistance is much appreciated so thanks,
Jill

You'd need to look in Liverpool for his records.
Not sure about stewards.
Like Gwynn, I found the records of an ancestor at Southampton, but he was in the Merchant Navy (my grandfather born 1897), but couldn't find my G Grandfather who was a (civilian) steward on the liners - but many records were destroyed in WWII.

If Jacob was on a merchant ship, he also may be in Liverpool Local records office.

The merchant seaman I have been researching has his information in the National Archives collection. I think that was because he was involved with that navy during the war. His documentation was surprisingly held in Cardiff Wales.

good morning Gwyn, Maggie and aunty Sherlock,
thank you very much for the input.
I'm ashamed to say I didn't even know there was a difference between Merchant navy and a civilian steward - you learn something new every day!

I was wondering abut the 1871 census when his wife, Alice, at home in Liverpool, entered him as "at sea".
Did the census returns ever cover men at sea?
or would it take place on British ships wherever in the world they were?
thanks for the help - much appreciated.
cheers,
Jill

Try to find his Continuous Certificate of Discharge. This was issued by the Board of Trade under the Merchant Shipping Act 1894. The address for handing back lost certificates is Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen, Tower Hill, London England. Don't even know if that address still means anything. I'd still try the National Archives first.

Thanks, aunty Sherlock,
all advice taken note of and will act thereuopn!
I dread going to any of these places personally as I might never come out and would be lost without trace!
The whole secret of family research is obviously Knowing what question to ask!!!
thanks,
Jill

A census was taken on British ships in 1871 as I found a g g uncle on HMS Forte in Bombay Harbour. Throughout his life he was always known by the nickname' Admiral'

So where would i access the Census about people on ships? such as in 1971 ?
Thanks for that input Julie,
cheers,
Jill

Julie just poking my nose in but could you please tell me how to access British Ships in the 1871 census? My Darling family were all in Merchant/Royal/Marines and I can't find them on most of the census.

Aunty Sherlock I wonder if we're connected? I have Sherlock ancestors
(Birmingham born) in my tree.

regards to all
Grace

Try www.mercantilemarine.org
You can post queries on there and they are very helpful and knowledgable.
as most are ex merchant navy.

All brilliant advice,
thanks so much
Jill

Thank you Shannette

regards

Grace

The records at Kew, held on microfiche, are the same as the ones in Southampton. Many are missing but it is worth looking. He may have one of the records with a photo and some of the ships that he served on. I won't be going to Kew for a couple of weeks but will have a look if you are still interested. Do you have an exact date of birth in case there are a lot of Edwards.

David

Dont know if this helps, but my dad was in the merchant navy during the last war, and I am lucky to have his discharge book of continuous service. This lists signing on dates to a particular ship, and signing off dates. I found a website called Arnold Hague Ports Databse, Port arrival and departures. So by entering the ships name, I could then see where that ship had been between the dates shown in dads book. I also found the convoy numbers that he had been on.
I'm sure you will be able to access his records through National Archives.
Good luck with your research.
Christine

Hi Grace. No connection. My connection is through Holmes. (Bristol based). And don't let anyone know that, it's a secret!!! Aunty

I didn't look up any special listings for ships. i just looked on Ancestry 1871 census, put his name and year of birth and up came a crew listing for HMS Forte. His name was John Mondey b1852 Titchfield Hampshire.

What a brilliant offer David,
Here is the detail you asked for. If it's not enough just let me know and I'm grateful for any help or advice given.

Edward Walker was born 9th November 1902 son of Edward Thompson Walker and Isabella at 14 Salop St, Kirkdale, Liverpool. We don't know when he went to sea as Steward but guess it must have been after World War l when he was in his teens. He was not known to go to sea after 1924 or so.
His maternal grandfather was Jacob Carr, born about 1834 in Ulster. He married Alice Drysdale on 20th January 1861 in Birkenhead, Wirral. They were in Liverpool at 1 Bethesda St Everton, Liverpool in 1881 and on the 1871 census his wife entered him as "at sea - Steward" and he was named as 'Chief Steward 'on daughter Isabella's marriage to Edward Thompson Walker in July 1895.
Thanks so much for any offer of help,
Jill