Liverpool ship Cavalier

[joycelyn]

I have just received a photograph of an ancestor, Daniel Schroeder, and a letter he sent to his mother dated March 20th (unfortunately no year but maybe 1870's). In this letter he says he had signed articles to work as cook and steward on a Liverpool owned ship Cavalier which was sailing to South America. He was never heard of again and was presumed lost at sea. Does anyone know where I might get information on the Cavalier?

Many thanks

Jo

[Peter Goodey]

Have a look at the National Archives research guides under "Merchant Seamen" and "Merchant Shipping" for advice on how to progress this.

Have you searched the Deaths at Sea index (available on findmypast and elsewhere)?

Also see this TNA research guide -

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=246

[joycelyn]

Thank you both for your replies - on with my search.

Jo

[Geoffers]

If he was presumed lost at sea by the Captain of the ship, then there should be some record created under the Seaman's Fund Winding-Up Act 1851; records of which are held at TNA in document class BT153, Indexes to seamen's names are in BT154/7 to BT154/10 for the 1870's.

The registers provide:
Name, Register Ticket No., Date and place engaged, date and cause of death, name and port of ship, master's name, the date and place of payment of his wages, amount of wages owed and date they were sent to the Board of Trade.