granddad cooper

[glen cooper]

Thomas Cooper coal trimmer is there records of which ships people sailed on or did they move about . And thank you for the info on coal trimmer
Glen

[Geoffers]

You don't mention a date/period when he was working, which might affect where you look and what you can access from Australia.

First place to view (over a cuppa) are the research guides on The National Archives web-site - click here (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp?WT.lp=gs-researchguides#m) and look at the guides prefixed 'Merchant Seamen'

If your chap's service was in the 20th century, try a search of TNA's catalogue (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/default.asp)

What to do using the above link:
Click on Search the Catalogue
In the word or phrase field enter - cooper t
Leave the year range blank
In the department or series code enter - BT372

Note that this is just a catalogue, you cannot view the record online, but it shows you of the existence of a record.