Engineers' Certificates

[Peter Goodey]

This is from BT 139, Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Registers of Certificates of Competency, Engineers.

I'm not familiar with these registers; most of my ancestors very sensibly stayed on dry land.

Idiotically, I didn't copy the whole entry but I wonder if anyone familiar with the register could venture an opinion on how to interpret the first line of the remarks in red against ANDERSON. Basically, I'm wondering what it means.

[Jan1954]

Peter,

I really do not know the answer to this but...

Could ex-Velho refer to the name of a ship (there was an SS Velho but much later - in the 1950s) meaning that it was the last ship to which he was assigned?

Could ON stand for Operational Navigation, bearing in mind that this chap was an engineer?

No idea about the number, though... service number?

Just some random thoughts...

[Marie C..]

It was the vessel Velho. FMP gives his name Ernest H Anderson aged 55 on the Marine death indices for 1929 page 102.
I suppose after notice of his death in Kenya they were cancelling the cert and returning it to the deaths division in order that it be tranmitted to the F dept? maybe for payment of pension to widow perhaps(Only surmising... not got a clue really). M

[daggers]

O N means Official Number - every vessel had/has one of these.
D

[Peter Goodey]

Ok thanks very much everyone. Armed with that information and having read the research guide with more care, I can see a little research task opening up for the next time I'm at the National Archives.

[Aislin]

Peter, my great grandfather George Samuel Early was a Ship's Engineer in the late 1800's. Can you give me some advice on where I might find his records, if any?

[Peter Goodey]

Can you give me some advice on where I might find his records, if any?

This research guide contains a reasonable explanation...

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...sLeafletID=131

[Aislin]

Thank you Peter. I'll give it a rummage and see if I can find anything.

[Aislin]

Does anyone recognize this uniform? Is it British Navy?

[Geoffers]

Does anyone recognize this uniform? Is it British Navy?

If it is the photo you posted above, can you enlarge it at all at high resolution with either scanner or digital camera? (Particularly the cap badge). It doesn't initially look to be Royal Navy.