Ship's Carpenter - Merchant Navy

[atrombly]

My gr-gr grandfather, Edward Cooney entered Merchant Navy in 1835, age 16, as a ship's carpenter.  This title seemed to have given him some sort of junior officer status from some information I've read.

I'm wondering what sort of training he would have received to qualify as a ship's carpenter.  Would he have been apprenticed out?  He was from Clonmel, Waterford, where there are several Cooneys listed under carpentry/building business (but none listed for his father Thomas).

Anywhere I could look for records of this kind of training?

[seaweed]

In the days of sail and wooden ships, carpenters would have been specialists who effected essential repairs and maintenance to keep the ship afloat. One of the more important tasks was to take twice daily soundings of the ships bilges.
In the hierarchy of the ship, they would not have been classed as officers but would hold a rank just below that of bosun.
Wether or not he served an apprenticeship at sea is open to conjecture. From what you have stated maybe he received some kind of informal training by relations before joining the mercantile marine as a ships carpenter at the age of 16.
Suggest you look at the Index of Apprentices to ascertain if he completed a formal apprenticeship.
Available from the British National Archive in series BT150
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?name=Search&_aq=&_ep=&_or1=&_or2=&_or3=&_nq1=&_nq2=&_nq3=&_cr1=bt150&_cr2=&_cr3=&_dss=range&_sd=&_ed=&_hb=&_ro=any&_rd=&_rsd=&_red=&_st=adv&_rv=

I note when he was not at sea he resided in St John, New Brunswick.
 Have you been in touch with the Maritime History Archive at the Memorial University of Newfoundland to see if they have anything on him.

[atrombly]

Thanks for some great information and a lot of good ideas.

I know he entered service at age 16 as a ship's carpenter, so I'm guessing he received training before then.  I will follow the link you gave for apprentice information.

I've been intrigued by the St. Johns, New Brunswick connection.  Until I saw that, had no idea how many Irish emigrated through Canada.  He ended up in NYC - I'm guessing the Brooklyn Navy Yard - but have yet to find any of their records.

New Brunswick becomes even more important as I have tried to find out who his wife was.  They had three children while living in NYC.  After his wife died, he placed a daughter in a convent, sent his sons to live with a family in Dudley, MA, and seems to have gone back to sea as he listed his occupation as 'sailor' on 1870 census.  The family he placed his sons with has no discernible connection to him - until I found that the wife was from New Brunswick.  I'm theorizing she was the sister of his wife.

Will also check out the Maritime History archives.  I have no record of him after the 1870 census.  Not with his sons on 1880 census and apparently was not at his son's wedding in 1887.  I've searched records for America, Ireland, England.  No idea what happened to him.

Thanks for all the great ideas - much appreciated.

Ann

[seaweed]

The Maritime History Archive at the Memorial University of Newfoundland publish a CD, Ships and Seafarers of Atlantic Canada
https://www.mun.ca/mha/publications.php#order
I understand the information contained within, is available on Ancestry.com
If you can find the last ship he sailed on, then there is a good possibility of discovering his entire Mercantile Marine career.
Have checked the British deaths at sea. Nothing.

[atrombly]

Thanks again.  I used the link and the surname Cooney is listed, but no other information than that.  Will keep checking around that site and see what else I can find.

Time to renew my membership on Ancestry!

Ann

(great song - Fiddler's Green)