Merchant Seaman Records 1913 to 1918

[Lone Pine]

Hi

I have been searching for my Grandfathers Merchant Seaman record, as he travelled out to Australian in about 1914, and then joined the Australian Army, well I have some awful news for people who are looking for the same info. I have enlisted the help of one of the guys who works with me, I actually work for Shipping Lawyers, and today he sent me this.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...llDetails=True

I am so upset gutted completly gutted, if anyone knows any different please let us know.

[Peter Goodey]

Have you looked at the Research Guide particularly the paragraph "Looking for a Seaman between 1913 and 1920?"?

[Kerrywood]

See Peter's reply above.

Also ...

he travelled out to Australian in about 1914, and then joined the Australian Army

Just in case you're not already aware, images of Australian WW1 service records are available online (free). Click here to search.

[Lone Pine]

See Peter's reply above.

Also ...


Just in case you're not already aware, images of Australian WW1 service records are available online (free). Click here to search.

Yes I know I search them all the time, and have the record of my Grandfather, it was one of things that gave me the break though that I was desperately looking for.

[seaweed]

So when exactlydid he arrive in Australia? If you have the date he arrived, it would not be difficult to find the name of the ship he traveled on. If you have a name, you can then find the ships official number and with this you should be able to find the ships Crew Agreement. This should give you his details and hopefully the name of his previous ship. Then with luck, you can backtrack Crew Agreements and maybe find details of his entire sea going career. The key to finding Logbooks and Crew Agreements of British Merchant Ships is via the vessels unique O/N. You can have several ships with same name, they can be renamed but the O/N will stay the same as long as the vessel remains on the British Register
How do you know he was Merchant Seaman? Do you believe he made more than one voyage or just the passage to Australia? Have you searched the CLIP project? It is far from comprehensive but it has got quite a few Crew Agreements Of British Merchant ships from 1861 until 1913.
http://www.
crewlist.org.uk/

[Lone Pine]

Hi seaweed and therein lies the problem, I know he went to Australia as he was KIA at Lone Pine serving with the 4th Battalion AIF, I have found an embarkation record for him but everyone elses list an address in Australia, except for my Gradfather, typical. So I have his war record which shows enlistment on 6th November 1914 at Liverpool Camp, so when did he arrive in Australia no idea, Dad was born February 1914, so had to have been in the country before that, obviously. So presume it must have been 1914, did find listed somewhere, can't remember off hand where, Merchant Seaman, then listed as a farm labourer. So its like looking for a "needled in a haystack" its just something that I would like to find, but realise that as I have no info whatsoever, I may not find it.

[seaweed]

Hello again,
Could you give us his full name, date and place of birth?

Seaweed

[Lone Pine]

OK
Grandads full name: William Pritchard
Date of Birth: 1890 - Brick Lane, London (not sure of the actual date as in month, as don't have Birth Certificate here with me at work).