Captain & Master Mariner - James Henry WOLFE

[SusieMc]

I am trying to trace James Henry WOLFE.

Born c1833 in Liverpool, England, his marriage certificate of 1856 states that he was a Master Mariner. I am keen to establish if there are any records of his career as we have so little information on thsi man.
 
I would be most grateful for any assistance, suggestions or information on him which anyone may be able to offer…

Many thanks!

[elin]

Hi Susie,

I am trying to help my friend who is looking for an ancestor who is listed as a Master Mariner  in Hull on the 1861 census. 

We are very much in the dark too!  I have been given two links by another RootsChat member which may be of use to you as well.  National Archives may at least be able to give you his crew no and for the initial W you would need to put in the ref: BT 114/22. These cover up to 1856.   I think that they also hold some service records although some were destroyed and others are kept at local records offices.

The other link that she gave me is www.crewlist.org.uk and that does have some useful info.

Good luck,

Elin

[SusieMc]

Hi Elin,

I have had a breakthrough...maybe they will be of use to you too...

I contacted the Guildhall Library and they very kindly did a look-up in the Lloyd's Captains Registers for me. Amazingly, they found the man I was looking for! 
They provided me with his Certificate of Compentency number, which I was then able to give to the archives people at the NAtional MAritime Museum. Thye are now issuing me with James's certificate and application (£23 for copy) which I hope will provide some more clues...

Don't know if your guy was a Captain? But may be worth contacting them, I have found them wonderfully helpful:
http://www.history.ac.uk/gh/capintro.htm

[elin]

Hi Susie,

I am really pleased that you have found the info that you were after!!

Thank you very much for sharing it, I'll definitely follow that up for my friend and pass it on to  the other lady who gave me the other info she is also looking for a Master Mariner.

Don't know if a Master Mariner and a captain are the same thing.

Best wishes,

Elin

[Christopher]

A master mariner can be either a captain of a merchant ship or a seaman
who has been certified competent to be the captain of a merchant ship.

[kooky]

I have been looking for some mention, any mention [!] of JOHN EDWARD BOSHELL, b. Dublin about 1838.
He is described variously as Captain of a vessel, sailor, ships mate, & Captain Merchant Service, on his marriage cert. and the birth and death certs of his children.
There is no record of him anywhere
Kooky

[elin]

Thank you for your help Christopher.

Kooky, it does seem really difficult to get any info.  We did find a small article about my friend's ancestor being injured in an accident unloading a ship.  He seemed to have fallen on hard times and was working as a labourer by then.

My friend is really keen to know what ships he was on but it is proving very difficult.

Elin

[kooky]

At the time of his death in 1886 John was a labourer too. He did have 5 children under 10, so I suppose it was difficult for him to be away!
Kooky