Navy Ships from 1890 - 1909

[Mhilsden]

Hi there

I have amazingly managed to find a Navy service record online at the NA, for my ancestor, William Hilsden.

Now, I would like to know where I can find records that tell me about the ships on which he served?

I checked the sticky, but that list only goes up to 1800.

Thanks,

marty

[dawn/karen]

if you apply to the national archieves they wil do a search for the paper work and do an estimate of the cost for you, that info should have the list of ships he served on, i had 6 copies made just the other week and it cost £4 including postage and came very very quick!! sent the money monday got the info wednesday, hows that for service?

[Mhilsden]

sounds good! Thanks for that. Only just getting used to the National Archives! Thanks again

[Sandra Parker]

There are quite a few sites which can help you 'fill in some gaps'. One is Late 18th, 19th and early 20th Century Naval and Naval Social History - Index http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Naval.html (http://www.pbenyon.plus.com/Naval.html)
I will see if I can find the other ones I've used to date and add them.
Sandra

[Mhilsden]

Thanks Sandra, Appreciate the tip!

[peter nicholl]

Hi Marty
If you can list the ships I may have some information on them.
Peter

[Sandra Parker]

a few more:
National Maritime Museum http://www.nmm.ac.uk/index.php

Ships logs pics etc http://www.members.optushome.com.au/lenorefrost/shipslog.html

Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section
http://www.history.ac.uk/gh/capreg.htm

Ships' Crew, Information, Movements, Pictures and Shipwrecks (http://www.coraweb.com.au/shipcrew.htm)
http://www.coraweb.com.au/shipcrew.htm

an online ship image archive with over 500.000 images
www.shipspotting.com (http://www.shipspotting.com)

The Ship's List http://www.theshipslist.com/pictures/index.htm

These may not all be relevant but they should keep you out of mischief for a while.:D

Good hunting.
Sandra with the spectacled aura

[Mhilsden]

Thanks's Sandra, I would imagine they will! hehehe...much appreciated!

[Mhilsden]

Hi Marty
If you can list the ships I may have some information on them.
Peter

Okay:
Boscawen 1890
Vernon 1891
Victory 1 1893
Royal Sovreign 93/94
Victory 1 95/96
Pallas 96/98
Urgent (?) 98
Pallas 98-99
Duke of Wellington 99
Victory Flag 99
Alexandra 99
Pembroke 00 -02
Ven?able 02-04
Pembroke Unclear

For rating I have: Signalman; 2nd sig; yeo sig; sh.corp (?)

From what I have been able to find out so far, it appears they were all training ships? Does that mean he became a teacher of sorts? It doesn't appear that he saw any action anyway?

Thanks for any help.

[peter nicholl]

Hi Marty
My guesses are:
a) Boscawen 1890 - From 1873 Training Ship at Portland; ex 110 gun
1st Rate Screwship HMS Trafalgar

b) Vernon 1891 - Torpedo Training School, Portsmouth

c) Victory 1 1893 - Portsmouth Depot Ship

d) Royal Sovreign 93/94 - 14,150 ton Battleship

e) Victory 1 95/96 - ditto c

f) Pallas 96/98 - 2575 ton 2nd Class Cruiser

g) Urgent (?) 98 -Depot Ship Jamaica; ex Assaye 735 ton Torpedo Gunboat

h) Pallas 98-99 - ditto f

i) Duke of Wellington 99- Depot Ship Portsmouth; ex Windsor Castle 120 gun 1st Rate Screwship

j) Victory Flag 99 - Although Victory was as c) above, she also carried the Flag of CinC Portsmouth

k) Alexandra 99 - Coast Guard, Weymouth

l) Pembroke 00 -02 - Chatham; ex 101 gun 1st Rate Screwship Duncan

m) Ven?able 02-04 - Could be HMS Venerable 15 000 ton Battleship

n) Pembroke Unclear - Chatham as l) above, but if after 30/4/1903, onshore Barracks.

HTH
Peter

[Mhilsden]

Thank you very much Peter. Would I be right then, that he never saw active service?

[peter nicholl]

I can only guess, but I reckon that d) Royal Sov', f) & h) Pallas, k) Alex' and m) Ven' would have seen him at sea and probably g) Urgent too. Perhaps you could take it further by looking up the individual ships and seeing what they were doing at the times in question.
Peter

[Mhilsden]

Okay, thanks. I had looked up some of them on Wikipedia...the Ships were all active, seefaring etc....just when HE was on them, it appears that they were at the end of their days...and put to harbour!

Thanks for your help and suggestions. :)