ships logs?

[jamesbow]

hi all,

had no luck trying to find out why my father was jailed in may 1908 for two weeks,as he was with "hms topaze" at the time could there be a possibility that he would be mentioned in the log,if so how easy to get pages of log?.

lastly i have his service record from kew,would there be any additional information anywhere ,i.e, when he was in r.f.r .

all the best jamesbow

[joseph]

Hi,

14 days Cell punishment was a Warrant punishment and would be annotated in the Ships Log (S321) which could be at the NA a search on their site should let you know. If they have the Deck Log (S322) it may contain more information.

Regards Charles

[Jonathan Saunders]

If they have the Deck Log (S322) it may contain more information.

I've looked at several ship's log but what exactly was a "Deck Log" and where would I be likely to find them at TNA?

[jamesbow]

hi joseph,

thanks for reply,my father did do 7 days on ship punishment in 1909 but i have been told that this 19 days c.p. was in a civilian prison, would his ship have been told, and where would i likely find it at kew?,i have searched all the local papers where my father lived and nothing,so i suspect the offence he committed when on leave from hms topaze,

many thanks jamesbow

[joseph]

Jonathan,

Everything and anything was put into the Deck log, it was kept by the Officer of the Watch, the Ships Log was kept by the Navigator who would transfer the information he required from the Deck log. Other Logs/Books worth checking to see if the NA have are, Medical Log, Signal Log, Night Order Book, Engine Room Register, Ships Ledgers and Divisional Registers.

Officer of the Watch,

General Duties.

After taking charge of the watch, he is to be constantly on deck until properly relieved; he is to see that the watch are alert and attentive to their duties; that every necessary precaution is taken to prevent accident; that when approaching land or pilot water, soundings are obtained with sufficient frequency; and that the ship is as perfectly prepared for battle as circumstances admit. He is to be careful that the ship is properly steered, and that a correct account is kept of her way by the use of the log, and that the notations necessary for navigation are made in the deck log, together with every other occurrence worthy of notice, and all accidents occasioning loss of stores. He is to be careful, if not in a flag ship, that all signals are recorded as the Captain may direct. At the end of the watch he is to sign the deck log book, properly filled up, with his initials; and when the occurrences of the day have been entered in the ship's log book, he will in the same manner place his initials at the end of each watch, in proof that the entries are correct.

Regards Charles

[joseph]

James,

C.P. means he was convicted by the civil power, its likely he would have served his sentence in a civil prison, it could be in the remarks column of his documents otherwise CP is just for Pay and Time Forfeited. If you know where he was 'Caught' the local archives may still have the court papers.

Regards Charles

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Searching TNA catalogue for Topaze 1905-1909, ADM only gives matches for the ships/navigation logs.

[Jonathan Saunders]

Charles - many thanks. Gives me another avenue of research.

Jon

[per ardua per mare per terram]

They have the masters logs for some years at TNA. Other logs went to the National Maritime Museum, I know they have Lieutenants logs, but its hard to marry them up with specific ships. As usual loads of useful stuff went to the scrap heap.