adm12 indexes national archives

[Jane Gee]

Hallo
Does anyone know what the following would relate to which I have taken from the adm12 indexes.
It is to do with my ancestors appointment to the Colossus and Humber. I have his service record so know which Captains he served under. However I am unsure which records to check when I look at ADM1 etc. The index has the following:-
It looks like Captn 300 84.2
Captn 297 84.2
I know that there is a "possibility" that there could be letters held relating to this but what should I be checking under the Captains initial of the ship my ancestor was appointed to as a Lieutenant or the captains letters which I know are a different set of records.
I know the staff at the archives also find the above confusing.
Jane

[Kerrywood]

Pending the arrival here of someone more expert . . .

The last time I had to do this at Kew I used this research guide to help me, especially paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2.

As well as the references you give above, ADM 12 should have given you a year and date for each letter. To convert the references to a piece number in ADM 1, you'll need to consult the ADM 1 series list. This is filed on the shelves in the Open Reading Room, close to the Enquiries Desk.

Unless you feel very confident about it, I suggest you enlist the help of staff in identifying the correct piece(s) of ADM 1 to order up. The key is to find the "right" member of staff to ask, because it's water off a duck's back to some of them. But it's easy for the uninitiated to slip up, and it can be very frustrating to order an item and wait 40 minutes, only to find you've ordered the wrong piece and have to start all over again.

Hopefully someone else will be able to add to this.

[Jane Gee]

Hi Kerrywood
I agree with you thanks for the advice I have the reference books but didnt find them totally helpful for the period I want ie 1807. It depends on who is on the enquiry desk in the map reading room which has been become my second home. This series can be like "gold" if you can find an entry and then track down the next series.
Best Wishes
Jane

[Hollytree]

didnt find them totally helpful for the period I want ie 1807.
Jane

If you are looking for Captains letters, at this time then why don't you call up the boxes of Captains letters and trawl through them? 'My man' was onboard a ship in 1797, and I found some of his Captains letters in the boxes, I think that they are arranged alphabetically (eg ADM 1/1979 to ADM1/2003 represents Captains letters to the Navy with surnames that start with the letters I-J and datiing from 1698 to 1839 arranged year by year). It takes time to sit down and plough through the letters and there is no guarantee that your man is there, but if you have seen some evidence in the Digest that he was writing letters to the Navy Board and there is a date of the letter, then look through the ADM 1 page by page (tedious) and you might get some joy.

I have tried to use the Digest, and have found reference to letters etc, only to find that they have been destroyed, they can help I think to prove that there has been correspondence when you cannot find it anywhere else. I was lucky to find both letters from my Lieutenant and his Captain.

I am going to Kew on Saturday.

Anne

[Jane Gee]

If you are looking for Captains letters, at this time then why don't you call up the boxes of Captains letters and trawl through them? 'My man' was onboard a ship in 1797, and I found some of his Captains letters in the boxes, I think that they are arranged alphabetically (eg ADM 1/1979 to ADM1/2003 represents Captains letters to the Navy with surnames that start with the letters I-J and datiing from 1698 to 1839 arranged year by year). It takes time to sit down and plough through the letters and there is no guarantee that your man is there, but if you have seen some evidence in the Digest that he was writing letters to the Navy Board and there is a date of the letter, then look through the ADM 1 page by page (tedious) and you might get some joy.

I have tried to use the Digest, and have found reference to letters etc, only to find that they have been destroyed, they can help I think to prove that there has been correspondence when you cannot find it anywhere else. I was lucky to find both letters from my Lieutenant and his Captain.

I am going to Kew on Saturday.

Anne

Hi Anne
So am I went last Saturday but have decided need to go again as on a role with bits and pieces if you see someone lugging great adm12 volumes it will be me! Or I will be photographing a document all on the same floor.
Good Hunting.
Jane