All at sea

[jacky160]

I would be grateful if someone can tell me what L M stands for in the Naval medal and award rolls on Ancestry. Thanks for any help.



Jacky160

[notanotherminer]

Can you please tell exactly what's written please and in what context LM comes into it. Was your man a Marine or Naval Rating?

The LM could signify that he was a Leading Mechanic if he was a Naval Rating. Traditionally dubbed "Stokers" the Mechanical Branch eventually became the Marine Engineering Branch and are responsible for the Ships' engines and boilers

[Bertie]

It means Landsman - this referred to people with no previous sea-going experience

[jacky160]

Thanks for your help . The man I am looking for gave his occupation as Mariner on his first marriage in 1765 and as Master in the Royal Navy on his second marriage in 1795 - so LM as a landsman does not make sense in 1794.

I have found in the medal rolls (on Ancestry) for HMS Audacious around the time of the Battle of the Nile awards for Andrew Tracy as both AB (Able Bodied Seaman) and LM. Both he and his son Andrew were at sea so it is possible that these awards refer to his son (who also ended up as a Master Mariner according to his will).

So further clarification of LM may enable me to stay at home rather than travel 200 miles to Kew and back.

Jacky160

[Geoffers]

If this reference and also this one on TNA's catalogue is to your chap, could the figure 2 have been mistaken for the letter L?

PS - I hope this saves you a journey

[jacky160]

Many many thanks Geoffers. I will look again to see if, I have mistaken the figure 2 for the letter L . I am sure the reference you have given me will be a big help.

jacky160

[Geoffers]

I will look again to see if, I have mistaken the figure 2 for the letter L .

If you haven't mistaken a 2 for L, perhaps the person writing the original list did so?

[notanotherminer]

Thanks for your help . The man I am looking for gave his occupation as Mariner on his first marriage in 1765 and as Master in the Royal Navy on his second marriage in 1795 - so LM as a landsman does not make sense in 1794.

In light of those dates my theory about a Leading Mechanic is also off mark. I wrongly assumed you were asking about someone a lot more contemporary.

I rather envy you. To find an ancestor who was a veteran of the Battle of the Nile as part of Nelson's fleet must have been hugely satisfying

[jacky160]

No, I have checked and the entry occurs too often for this to be anything other than "LM". I now think this refers to his son who would have been about 19 at the time and "Landsman" would probably be appropriate particularly as another entry places him on the same vessel as "AB".

How did you find the Nat Archive references as every time I enter the name I only find other references that are not of any valid use? Equally, if I type in the references that you have found, NA goes very coy and fails to locate the information.

[notanotherminer]

....another entry places him on the same vessel as "AB".

You probably already know this but an AB is an Able Seaman. That was the case then as it is now