Archives Master Mariner lookup request

[AfricanDream]

I have just found my 4 times great grandfather as Master Mariner on board a few ships.

His name was Thomas Richards, born 1820/1821 in Porthleven/Helston, Cornwall.
His Masters Cert number was: 52647

I found him in the 1861 census onboard the ship Sir Edward, as Master.

I also found him as Master to the following ships between 1864 - 1877 on various trips:

Emily

Florence

Prioress

In the 1881 census he seems to have retired since he is listed as a grocer keeper at Bridge Street, Resolven, Neath.
I would really like to find records for when he became a certified Master Mariner. I assume these records would be kept at the archives in Glamorgan.

Thanks in advance.

[osprey]

the records of mariners are held at the National Archives at Kew and there are research guides online

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/officermerchantnavy.htm

Have you seen the entry for him on this site?

http://www.welshmariners.org.uk/search.php

It mentions Sithney as his place of birth, Porthleven was in that parish at the time.

[gmc4404]

Thanks for posting those links osprey - just quickly found a whole lot of info of ancestors of mine which we had heard 'bits' of buth now have some degree of clarification.

Always amazed at what people on here know......

GMC

[osprey]

the Welsh mariners site is fantastic, isn't it? The amount of work it must have taken!

[AfricanDream]

Wow thanks Osprey! It mentions Theresa Alma! She's my ggg grandmother And Lilian is my gg grandmother.

For others researching this is also very useful: http://www.swanseamariners.org.uk/swanseamariners.php

One question I do have is this, is a Master Mariner and a person in the merchant navy the same thing? Is it an automatic understanding that he would have been in the navy?

[GrahamSimons]

One question I do have is this, is a Master Mariner and a person in the merchant navy the same thing? Is it an automatic understanding that he would have been in the navy?

All that the Merchant Navy means is non-military shipping. There is no such organisation as the Merchant Navy in reality. So a Master Mariner was qualified - he would have a Master's Certificate - to command a merchant ship. Many merchant navy men were also in the Royal Navy reserve and could be called upon in wartime.

Incidentally Masters' Certificates have been digitised by Ancestry and are easily searchable by name. One trick with this: when you get to the first image, you may well be in the middle of your man's record and you need to go forwards and backwards to check you've seen all his pages. A second point is that you may find more than one record for him, perhaps when he gained his Mate's Certificate and then his Master's. Helpfully the records include date and place of birth, current residence, and seagoing service, so you can check you really have the right man, even if he's named John Smith.

[AfricanDream]

Thanks so much for the clarity and info.

[Colin D Gronow]

AfricanDream,

Thomas Richards "Masters Certificate of Service" shows he was a Boy, Mate & Master & had 14 years service in the British Merchant Service.

If you would like a copy of his Certificate, PM me an email address to send it to.
Regards.