Crewlist lookup at Gloucester Archives

[chrisc]

Hi,

Can you help please?

I live in the far depths of Essex on the Blackwater Estuary. Recently I have found entries on The National Archives web site for a ship named the INDUSTRY, which apparently are held in the Gloucester Archives:

Reference no's

D3080/11610  Industry  -  1863 – 1913
D3080/20981  Industry  -  1863 – 1898
D3080/26741  Industry  -  1876 – 1893
D3080/60577  Industry  -  1869 – 1906
D3080/60589  Industry  -   No date
D3080/78710  Industry  -  1883 – 1891
D3080/87603  Industry  -  1883 – 1913

I am trying to trace my ancestors whom I have established sailed on the INDUSTRY, Official Number 10865 between 1883 to 1891.

If anyone is going to Gloucester Archives and willing to help, please can you look in the files for any crew members with the surname CHAMPION who served on this ship. The files are the Half-Yearly Agreement and Account of Voyages and Crew of ship's. There will be two records per year (i.e. January to June and July to December) per file, which will vary in size from 6 to 12 pages. The records include name's of the crew, vessel voyage details, types of cargo transported, and in some instances pictures of the ship and/or crew members.

In hoping more than one person is willing to help, please can you contact me first to agree which file(s) to look at. Any costs you incur I shall reimburse.

Yours sincerely,
C







 

[jcmac]

chrisc,
I don't know if London would be an "easier" journey than Bristol but I wonder if either the RMG,Greenwich or TNA,Kew could provide some of your details from CL&A from Industry ON10865.
RMG lists 1861 and 1865 and potentially 1875, 1885 and 1905.
TNA lists 1878, 1879 and 1884 as possibles.
If you are unable to visit London it might be an easier visit(s) for someone with less to check ?
jcmac. 

[seaweed]

I am trying to trace my ancestors whom I have established sailed on the INDUSTRY, Official Number 10865 between 1883 to 1891.

A quick search for the vessel with the O/N 10865 reveals she was registered in Bridgewater.
Are  you searching  for a Samuel Champion?

A search of Gloucester Archives says a vessel with the name INDUSTRY was involved in the river Severn Trade which would imply she was a river and/or coastal trader.

INDUSTRY was a very common name of ships around this time.  The Mercantile Navy List for 1883 records seventy odd vessels with this name, 4 of them registered in Gloucester! 
Official numbers.
11610 A Sloop of 19 tons,
20781 A Trow of  24 tons,
60577 A Schooner of 84 tons,
60589 a sailing Barge of 23 tons.

Gloucester Record Office only have Crew Lists, 1863-1913 for the Port of Gloucester. Some of the O/N's mentioned correspond to some of the reference numbers you have given.

Your observations please.

[chrisc]

Hi Seaweed,

My apologies, this was an oversight on my part.

I have narrowed my search down to 1883.  While visiting Liverpool Record Office I obtained a CD for Crew Lists & Agreements produced by the CLIP Project. Contained within the searchable data was 2 entries for Samuel Champion indicating he sailed on the 'Industry' in 1883, official no. 10865. The source: Somerset Archives; I.D. no's.; 038300 & 038301.

While on holiday in Somerset I took the opportunity to visit the Record Office and obtain a copy of a Crew List & Agreement for the 'Industry' a Ketch classed as a 'Home Trade Ship', official no. 10865, owner Charles Hookway, port of registry Bridgewater. Just the one record held, reference DD/RSS/1/37/43-44 (1883).

However, while searching on the findmypast website recently I have found 2 entires listed for Samuel Champion on the 'Industry', apparently both are held at Somerset Archives in Box 37. One of the listed details has a Charles Hooking recorded as the owner, which I am certain has been transcribed incorrectly and is actually Charles Hookway. The other record lists a W Moule as the owner, which I am now investigating. If true, this will be extremely frustrating knowing I was told by staff at the Somerset Record Office they held only one file for the 'Industry' for the period I was researching.

Now I a not sure if Gloucester holds the answers? The key for me is whether a record does exist, listing a W Moule as the owner of the 'Industry' and Samuel Champion listed amongst the crew.

My only option to try and move this forward is to make contact with the Somerset Record Office and ask them to double check Box 37.

C

[seaweed]

One things for sure Samuel Champion sailed on INDUSTRY 10865 some time in 1883. There is only one vessel registered in the Port of Bridgewater in 1883 with the name INDUSTRY.

http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/asp/shipsur.asp?LastName=champion

The Mercantile Navy List of 1883 records the owner of INDUSTRY as William Moule of Bridgewater, The 1884 edition lists her owner Charles Hookway. My guess is she was sold sometime in 1883.
That said, as a Home Trade vessel she should have two half yearly agreements regardless of who owned her.
Of course the "missing" Crew Agreement could have been lost or destroyed.
I think your suggestion of contacting Somerset Record Office and asking them to double check Box 37 is the correct way to proceed. I would also ask them to check Box 36.

In my opinion searching Gloucestershire Records would, at this stage, deflect from your main line of enquiry.

Regarding your request for a look up at  Glamorgan Archives.

I am visiting a friend who is in a Nursing Home in Swansea between now and Christmas. When my plans are more concrete. I will post again or contact you via PM.

[chrisc]

Thanks Seaweed, much appreciated.
C