Scottish sailor early 1800s - HELP PLEASE!

[neilelliott21]

Hi. I am trying to find out more about an ancestor who was a sailor from Mochrum Wigtonshire. James Hutchison (various spellings) Born about 1799 was showing as a sailor in 1842 on sons birth cert, but not at home in Mochrum in 1841.

Only one of his childrens births shows up on Scotlands People. Alexander 1842. His wife Agnes and 8 children are in Mochrum in 1841 but disappear after that.

I would love their marriage or death certs, but nowhere to be found. Can't find James' naval records at the National Archives site either.

Any suggestions please???

Thank you
Neil

[mfwebb]

Hi Neil,

My wife has an ancestor who was a Scottish "sea captain" but we haven't got very far in locating him either. He, too, is missing from census records where we have found his family -- presumably away at sea on the night of the census.

Your post seems to suggest that you are concentrating on the possibility that he was military as you cannot find his naval records. Don't forget that there were probably as many if not more more sailors who were not connected to the navy.

He may have been merchant navy or simply a humble fisherman or, as we suspect with our ancestor, maybe plying the canals crewing or in charge of a bulk carrier.

I can't advise where to go, but there are other possibilities than military connections.

[neilelliott21]

Thanks for your comments Malcolm. I had considered that he may have been a Merchant Seaman. It is looking more and more likely that he wasn't in the navy.
I will base my search on that assumption from here on.
Cheers

[Geoffers]

Thanks for your comments Malcolm. I had considered that he may have been a Merchant Seaman. It is looking more and more likely that he wasn't in the navy.

If your chap wasn't in the Royal Navy but in the Merchant Navy, you will need to have a view of the research guides on Merchant Seamen (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp#m)for ideas on how to proceed.

Do I take it that you've looked for a discharge certificate via TNA's web-site?

Do you know if your chap was an officer? - On the birth certificate is he just recored as 'sailor' or is some other description given?

[neilelliott21]

Hi Geoffers
I have searched TNA without success. He may have died which would account for the lack of discharge papers. The birth record simply states that he is a sailor. It doesn't say any more than that.
I have checked the merchant seamans register without luck also.
I guess i'm stuck!

Thanks for your help

[Geoffers]

I have checked the merchant seamans register without luck also.

I think it most likely that he was in the Merchant Navy rather than Royal Navy.

Which of the registers of seamen (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/browser.asp?CATLN=1&CATID=38&POSCATLN=3&POSCATID=112&MARKERSCN=)have you checked? - Has someone phsically been through these records for you?