Shipping around the Bristol Channel

[riscuser]

I am researching my family tree and have found a number of references to the
Allen Family of Watchet in Somerset who were ship owners and masters between approximately 1800 to about 1910.

There was John who's son Isaac and his two sons Robert and Thomas were sailing from Bridgwater and Watchet to various West Country Ports such as Par in Cornwall, Boscastle, Newport and Swansea in Wales.

I have at present found the copies of ships papers of 1881 where the following ships are named, Minerva, Thomas & Mary, Ann, Fortitude, Taunton. At this time this appears to be the tip of an 'iceburg', and I will have to dig deeper into the records at the Taunton Records Office.

My request is does anyone out there have any further information from books or any source which I might find of interest.

[suedent]

Have you tried the National Maritime Museum?

Greenwich has a website here
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall has a website here
http://www.nmmc.co.uk/

They both have collections online

[AnnB]

Another site which may be of interest, is that of the South West Maritime History Society http://www.swmaritime.org.uk/index.php

Best wishes
Ann

[Lateegyptian]

I am a descendant of Thomas Allen, who took charge of the Fortitude, Jane etc from his father Issac.

I have records of various ships that Thomas was Master-mariner on.

Go to http://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/owners.php and enter "Allen".

You will see ships such as The Coronella, Fortitude, Heather Bell, Helen, Richard, Thomas & Sarah all registered to John Allen and the Taunton to Richard Allen in Watchet and the Ann to Robert Allen in Bridgwater.

The Allens eventually moved to Bridgwater per the Censuses to West Street.

Hope this helps.