Merchant Seaman’s record

[callbrian]

Thank you!

[cafetiere]

The first link I gave was to the series BT372. "Seamans Pouch's. I take it that the person you are interested in was British.
    
These records relate to individual seamen filed together in a pouch. These documents may include application forms, certificates, identity cards,(most with a photograph of the seaman) cessation documents and notifications of death.
As these documents relate to an individual and are catalogued as such, they should be  easy to find and copy, therefore, theoretically, they should be relatively cheap. I have long given up on how TNA fix a charge for copying. You would need to ask for a quote.

Thank you! Yes, it was the first link so, once they're up and running again, I'll ask for copies (I'm not near London but a trip wouldn't be out of the question). I wish I'd known about these when they were still open - am quite excited about what might be in there.

[seaweed]

Seamen's pouch's can be a hit or miss affair. Some contain chapter and verse, some next to nothing. There's only one way to find out.
Be aware that some 95,000 pouch's were destroyed sometime before 1988.
Good luck with your search.

[cafetiere]

Yeah, I read about some being destroyed  . If it's showing on the site, would that means it's likely that there's something there? I'll prepare to be disappointed.

[Vita Brevis]

Callbrian I too apologise for jumping on your thread but hope that seaweed can help

I've been trying to collaborate the story that Peter Burns b 1878 in Belfast was torpedoed in 1918.  I have no information that he was in MN and searches for his name has drawn a blank including a death record.  I've just found a Burns P in your first link but can't make head nor tail of what the infomation means, whether it's digitised or how I would go about finding out if it is him.  Appreciate any help.  VB

[seaweed]

Yeah, I read about some being destroyed  . If it's showing on the site, would that means it's likely that there's something there? I'll prepare to be disappointed.

If his name comes up in BT372 then there is defiantly a seaman pouch for him. The ones that where destroyed are not catalogued.

[seaweed]

Callbrian I too apologise for jumping on your thread but hope that seaweed can help

I've been trying to collaborate the story that Peter Burns b 1878 in Belfast was torpedoed in 1918.  I have no information that he was in MN and searches for his name has drawn a blank including a death record. I've just found a Burns P in your first link but can't make head nor tail of what the infomation means, whether it's digitised or how I would go about finding out if it is him.  Appreciate any help.  VB

The big problem you have is that the Central personal MN records for the period of the First World War, have been destroyed.
I cannot find any record of his death.  He is not commemorated on the CWGC site. Your only chance of finding him is to look at Find my Past to see if he has MN records post 1918. You may then be able to back track via Crew Agreements to find out what vessel was torpedoed
A quick search of the Irish Mariners site  comes up with nothing.
I doubt very much he is included in the first link I posted as it was not started until 1941. if you are referring to this record, https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C8270536 then its not him. The date  29/03/1917 is the seamans DOB.
Silly question! Do you know the exact or thereabouts, date the ship was torpedoed or the name of the ship?

[Vita Brevis]

The big problem you have is that the Central personal MN records for the period of the First World War, have been destroyed.
I cannot find any record of his death.  He is not commemorated on the CWGC site. Your only chance of finding him is to look at Find my Past to see if he has MN records post 1918. You may then be able to back track via Crew Agreements to find out what vessel was torpedoed
A quick search of the Irish Mariners site  comes up with nothing.
I doubt very much he is included in the first link I posted as it was not started until 1941. if you are referring to this record, https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C8270536 then its not him. The date  29/03/1917 is the seamans DOB.
Silly question! Do you know the exact or thereabouts, date the ship was torpedoed or the name of the ship?

Well .. that explains mountains.  No wonder I can't find anything!
I cannot find a death record anywhere, I've checked the CWGC too thinking he may have been a regular soldier, I've trawled FindMyPast and Irish Mariners site ... admit I'm not great on military/mariner research but, as I've said I can't find a civilian death record ... deaths at sea come up with nothing either.
The silly question is not so silly as actually, the story is off he set off in the morning & he never returned but the family are adamant that he was torpedoed.  Civilian or otherwise, I have no idea but either way I have no dates, thereabouts or name of ship. exact or otherwise.  I have spent many years trying to find him as I promised my aunt I'd find her Uncle.  Sadly, before I could keep that promise in March, she was suddenly taken by Covid-19, now I feel all the more determined that I must  find out what happened to him.  It somehow doesn't seem right that someone can just vanish in those circumstances and now I very much hope to fulfill the promise I made albeit too late for her.

I appreciate any and all the help you may be able to give. You experts do a great job & thanks VB 

[cafetiere]

Yeah, I read about some being destroyed  . If it's showing on the site, would that means it's likely that there's something there? I'll prepare to be disappointed.

If his name comes up in BT372 then there is defiantly a seaman pouch for him. The ones that where destroyed are not catalogued.

Excellent. Fingers crosses. Thank you.