Grandfather

[Ryegate]

Hello all

I have just discovered that by 1910 my grandfather was in the Merchant Service (is this the same as the Merchant Navy?)

Is there anywhere I can look to research any details there might be on him.

He was born in Ipswich Suffolk and was married with 8 children!! by 1910 and on the birth certificate of my uncle William, his father is stated as 'Mariner, Merchant Service'.

Can anyone help please

Regards

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Yes the merchant service and merchant navy are the same. There are no pre war records for other ranks of the service. There are records for 1918 onwards. There are medal index cards at Kew for the Mercantile Marine War Medal. Merchant service men often joined the Royal Naval Reserve (this could have been pre war as well as during it) and Mercantile Marine Reserve. Service cards exist for the former but not latter; there are alphabetical medal rolls for both.

The National Archives has several research guides

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalog...esindex.asp?j=1

[Ryegate]

Thank you per ardua per mare per terram.

I have already searched the lists of the NA but his name does not appear there.

Presumably, I would have no hope of finding any record for him at Kew without his service No.?

Regards

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Which lists did you search? The RNR records are not online.

As the medal rolls are in alphabetical order that's the best way to find him, but they are offline. The Mercantile Marine War Medal cards are also alphabetical and offline.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

For post war service look in the Merchant Seamen: Sea Service Records 1913-1972 leaflet, which is online.

BT 349 & BT 350 are both alphabetical.

[Ryegate]

Thanks for that.

I have made a note of it and intend to visit Kew for the first time ever this week.

I have a long list of things I want to find but I guess I am being very optimistic!

Still, if I come away having found at least a few, I will be very happy.

Thanks for your help

Regards

PS I'm not sure what it was I was searching. I am not very good at finding things. But it was definitely seamen services and I am sure it was during WW1 although there is a break and the records do not start again until 1913. From what you say though, it could be I was looking at something entirely different!!

[per ardua per mare per terram]

There is one Walter James Burgess in the online Royal Navy registers of seaman's service. If you think it's him you can download for free at Kew.

Name Burgess, Walter James

Official Number: L865

Place of Birth: Enfield Lock, Middlesex

Date of Birth: 18 April 1886

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=1

[Ryegate]

Thank you for checking that for me. I had found that on the lists I was searching but the birth place is incorrect. My granddad was born in Ipswich Suffolk but it is a coincidence that all 3 names are exactly the same!

I am not having much luck with anyone I am searching but then I guess I am still amongst the lucky ones as I noted the other day that someone was searching for 60 soldiers and could not find any of them. My total is about 6 so I shouldn't be complaining but I still hope I will be very lucky at Kew this week. My first visit!

Regards