missing seaman

[nina]

Thomas Wilson born Whitby, c 1833 was on board the John Murray (1861) listed as ships Misc. After this he seems to disappear. I cannot find him on another census and cannot see an obvious death record for him. If he died on board would his body be taken back to his home port or would his death be registered where he died?

There is a strong possibility that one of his daughters is in a seamans orphange in 1871 while the other is living with grandparents - no trace of mother.

I have looked at Geoffers info on finding info on ships but cannot find anything on this one reference the type of ship. Being from Whitby and only having a small crew I had thought it was perhaps a fishing vessel, but then it is recorded as being at Cromer Light on the night of the census, so would like to check out the possible area it would cover in order to check death registrations further afield. I have googled the ships name to no avail

Can anyone help either with Thomas Wilson or info on the ship

Thanks
Nina

[Geoffers]

Thomas Wilson born Whitby, c 1833 was on board the John Murray (1861)......I have looked at Geoffers info on finding info on ships but cannot find anything on this one reference the type of ship.

Looking at the page before the one holding the names shows the following:

Vessel - John MURRAY
Port to which she belongs - Whitby
Tonnage - 178 tons
Description - Brig, Coastal Trade
Master - Henry Stephenson

Place to which schedule was delivered - Greenhithe 8/3/61

If he died on board would his body be taken back to his home port or would his death be registered where he died

It depends on where he died (e..g in port). Have you tried the register of deaths at sea? Of course the other problem is a name like WILSON, if he popped his clogs in any large port, you could have a long search.

Position at midnight on 7th April 1861

Cromer Light bearing S distance 5 miles

[Geoffers]

Further to the above, if you ever get to The National Arvchives, try the records in BT153.

As a result of the Seaman's Fund Winding-up Act 1851, masters of British Ships had to hand over wages and effects of seamen who died on a voyage. The records in BT153 continue up to 1890.

The record includes Name, Register Ticket no., Date and place of engagement, date and cause of death, name and port of his ship, master's name, date and palce of payment of wages, amount of wages owed, date sent to Board of Trade.

There are indices to BT153 in BT154 and BT155

[nina]

Thanks for the info Geoffers. When I accessed the record on ancestry I didn't get the front page that you mentioned - do I need to carry out a different search for this? Unfortunately there is no chance of me getting to Kew but I will bear in the mind the info in case I get to know of someone paying a visit.

Thank again

Nina

[Geoffers]

Sorry, I won't use Ancestry so I cannot help you with that site.

If it gives you the option to move back and forward between pages; you need to move back a page.

If the site you use won't let you do that to view the enumerator's pages and the front sheet of the ships' census returns, then it's yet another reason for me to avoid Ancestry.