There were approximately 2600 Coast Guards who entered the Royal Navy to help fill a manning shortage during the Crimean War (1854-56). For the majority of these men there is no official record of this service.
In an effort to redress this I have just completed a three-year project (I work slowly!) to create a database intended to identify those men who did serve in the navy. This has been constructed from Ship’s Muster and Description Books, cross-referenced with the Medal Roll, it records the ship(s) they served on, their ships no., place of birth and age in 1854, together with where their medal was sent.
If you have an ancestor who was a Coast Guard during the Crimean War, I’m more than happy to do a lookup.
Martin
Results 1 to 10 of 81
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07-09-2010, 1:24 PM #1
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Coastguards during the Crimean War
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07-09-2010, 1:29 PM #2GeoffersGuestOriginally Posted by crimea1854
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07-09-2010, 5:56 PM #3busyglenGuest
Well done Martin! That's fantastic, and I shall definately point people your way.
Glenys
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08-09-2010, 10:40 AM #4Tony RoachGuest
Martin ~ True devotion to your subject, don't be so modest.
No one else could have achieved this huge task in so short a space of time.
Please, publish your work in a booklet.
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19-03-2013, 4:05 PM #5SpugalugsGuest
Look up please
Hi Martin, Not sure if your still happy to do this but Im looking for my ancestor Thomas Carter born abt 1820 Emsworth, Hampshire, (living with wife Mary, son Thomas & daughter Mary) according to the 1851 Census they were living in Government Building in Herne Kent and he was a coastguard, I would much appreciate any info you have. Many thanks
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20-03-2013, 8:14 AM #6
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Hi Spugalugs
Your man may well have served in the navy during the Crimean War, but not as a Coastguard entrant.
I did research him using the CG records available as free downloads from the National Archives (ADM 175 series), and uncovered an interesting story. He was first nominated to the CG Service from HMS St Vincent on 25 April 1849 with a posting to Herne Bay CGS, but on 21 Nov 1851 he absconded, the reason given appears to say 'for committing rape of Chief Officers (?)' (ADM 175/7 pdf 76).
Now he may have cleared his name, or else took a huge risk because on 13 Mar 1857 he was nominated again, this time from HMS Amphion with a posting to Hartlipool. On 3 Jan 1861 he was promoted to Commissoned Boatman remaining at the same station (ADM 175/9 pdf 39), then on 6 June 1864 he transferred to Seaton Carew, from where he was pensioned on 31 Dec 1869 (ADM 175/37 pdf 80).
You are now questioning is this the same man? Fortunately the Merchant Seamans Tickets, available on FMP, have one issued to Thomas while serving on HMS St Vincent. This gives his date of birth as 20 May 1820, Emsworth, and a physical description - 5' 6'' tall, brown hair, fresh complexion, blue eyes first went to sea as a boy in 1831 and at the date of issue (mid 1840's) he had served eight and a half years in the RN. The later CG Records include a date and place of birth, which is identical to the information on the Ticket.
To find out more about his service on St Vincent and Amphion you would need to consult their Ships Description Books, this can only be done in person at the National Archives, Kew.
Hope this is of some help.
Martin
Coastguards of Yesteryear
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20-03-2013, 8:41 AM #7
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I've now checked and there is a service record available for a Thomas Carter born Emsworth 20 May 1830 on the NA website. My guess is that this is your man, so it might be worth the £3.36 to purchase this, as it may fill some gaps.
https://discovery.nationalarchives.go...s?uri=D7545395
Martin
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20-03-2013, 9:55 AM #8
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Having had another look at the 1851 CG record I think it says 'for committing rape of Chief Officers nurse maid'. Looking at the 1851 census the Ch Officer had a Maria Mount, aged 20, working for his family as a nurse maid, so I suspect this was his accuser.
Martin
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22-03-2013, 11:22 PM #9
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- Jan 2005
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- Kent
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- 75
Hello Martin.
While you are in the mood to help on Coastguard issues, I have a Joseph Sherrell (bn 1816) who was a boatman in the coastguards at Goldhanger, Essex, in 1851; promoted to Commissioned Boatman in 1856 and stationed at Frinton Battery in 1861. He had a string of children at about 2 year intervals from 1850 until 1864 but none between 1852 and 1857/8. It occurs to me that if he was serving in the RN during the Crimea War that might explain the long gap between children. (Of course there could have been births in this period that I am just not aware of.) Do you have a note of him serving in the RN?
Many thanks,
Geoff
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23-03-2013, 6:56 AM #10
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Geoff
I can confirm that Joseph served on HMS Cressy as an Able Seaman during the Crimean War (Ships No.6), being awarded the Baltic Medal.
You might not be aware that he also served on HMS Endymion during the 1st China War receiving a named 1842 China War Medal. He was also issued with a Merchant Seamans Ticket while serving on HMS Albion in Oct 1845 (No.302,750). On this he is described as 5' 6'' tall, light brown hair, fresh complexion, grey eyes, with bracelets tattooed around each wrist; first went to sea as an Ordinary Seaman in 1836, at the date of issue he had served 6 years in the Royal Navy; when not at sea lived at New Passage - I'm assuming that this is in Stoke Damerel, Devonport, his place of birth.
To find out more about his prior service it would be worth looking at Albions Description Book in ADM 38/7490 at the National Archives.
Regards Martin
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