pressganged fisherman

[Rogers]

What an era to investigate! I seem to recal reading fishermen were exempt from the "Press" but perhaps like merchant seamen, they could be pressed only when they were homeward bound. There is a great deal of nonsence talked about men being pressed & it is more likely experienced seamen like fishermen would have been volunteers & so advanced quicly in the RN. The pay was in comparison good especialy for Petty Officers & the conditions certainly no more ardious than those of a fisherman of those times. 1815 was as you will know the end of the Napolionic war & the gratefull government of the time would, as they always do, "downsized" ASAP, the heroes of Waterloo & Salamaca along wth those of The Nile & Trafalgar. The RN has good records if you have Rank Name & Number & the name of His ship would, I would think, make it easy to trace. If He did indeed serve at Trafalgar He would have been entitled to a medal especialy struck for those who served at it. The catch to Him getting one though is that He had to be alive in I think, 1870 (dont quote me on that one) and to have made application for it, no doubt after filling in a small library of forms, to receive it. They had the same multitude of Sir Humpreys then as beset us now. The uniform you write of was standard issue. Quatermaster is the bloke who does the steering so He was a steady resposible seaman. His next step up the promotion ladder would I think have been to Masters mate a very responsible position. He could have had His final Pay Off at Tynemouth which would hve been a busy port in those times, hence His "tying the knot and swollowing the anchor". Sailors didn't Take the shilling only soldiers did, seamen where given a "Note"presumably to buy their gear for sea & perhaps leave for their dependents untill they could make alotments for them to be paid whilst they where at sea. Most if not all of the Note was usually "crimped"either ashore or on the ship. Good luck with your search & dont forget to post your findings. R.

[pejay]

Hi many thanks for your reply and info.I still have not managed to get my head around this one - even after all this time! It started off as a tale a long time ago that an ancestor had been pressganged during the Napoleon war. I decided it was a mistake - chinese whispers -oral history call it what you will. But it keeps coming back with different snippets each time. I have ruled out he was on Trafalgar and indeed I have checked the crew list. The latest snippet I had was he was on one of Collingwood's ships. How true this is I do not know But I do get the uniform & jack tar constantly. I think I will start again and try to lay this one to rest.