question on national archives search

[nickyclarke52]

Please could someone confirm what the date range means in the national archive search, and what the date listed in the result is.

Is it date of birth or of signing up?

Am searching http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...amp;queryType=1

Thanks.

Nicky.

[Max]

Nicky

I think that the date range refers to the date of the documents creation.

Andy

[nickyclarke52]

Thanks,

Does that mean it should be about the time of signing up, or were there big delays?

[John_Hartley]

I think that the date range refers to the date of the documents creation.

It is. The earliest date selection in the box is "pre 1000" and the most recent "1950 - 1999".

[nickyclarke52]

Am getting nowhere.

A search on Robinson in Register of Seamens Services from 1907 to 1915 shows only 6, all 1907/8.

Am I looking in the wrong place for my great-grandfather who served in the RN submarines in Gallipoli?

[melliget]

I may be wrong but I thought the date in the Registers of Seamen's Services was the date of birth (the place of birth is also given). In any case, have you tried searching just on first and last name, i.e. not entering a date, and browsing through the results?

regards,

Martin

[nickyclarke52]

Found there is a Royal Naval Division search

but of 11 Robinsons listed, the only likely match is this one (was expecting a James F Robinson) :

Name Simm See Denis Simm Robinson, James

Service Number(s): Z/3105 ...

Date of Birth: 1870-1900

1914-1919 ADM 339/1

See details --->

Description

Name Robinson alias James Simm, Denis Simm

Service Number(s): Z/3105

Rank or Rating: Ordinary Seaman, Able Seaman

Date of Birth: 1 September 1897

Date 1 September 1897

Catalogue reference ADM 339/1links to the Catalogue

Dept Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies

Series Admiralty and War Office: Royal Naval Division: Records of Service (Microfiche Copies)

Piece Ratings/other ranks

Image contains 1 document of many for this catalogue reference

Number of image files: 1

Image Reference

Can anyone explain what this means?. A search on Denis Simm returns nothing.

Thanks

[nickyclarke52]

Thanks Martin. That seems to tie in with the navy records - the results actually say ' date of birth' and it matches the searched date.

Problem is I don't have a first name. Likely marriage certificates suggest a few, but nothing coming up, apart from previous post. Don't even have an exact year (prob 1893/4) or place (london or essex) of birth.

Is there anywhere else to try??

[melliget]

Nicky.

Only 4 born in Essex but dates don't seem right. London returns 10 with some possibles.

Any possibility he was an officer? That online index is only for ratings.

It's difficult without a definite name or date and place of birth, isn't it.

regards,

Martin

[nickyclarke52]

Thanks for your help.

Don't think he was an officer - as far as we know he was from a poor family, and was very young.

Have found a few likely matches (although a couple seem too old to become fathers in 1912) in the naval search, all are in dept -

Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces, Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies

and are all ordinary and/or able seamen

Does this sound right for a submariner?

Feels like finding a needle in a haystack!