Hi everyone,
This is my first post so I do apologise if it's in the wrong place in the forum!
I've been quite successful so far when looking up my ancestors records, but there is one area that I am struggling to get my head around, and where to search next... and this is merchant navy records of the 1920s and 30s.
Basically I am looking up the records of my great-grandfather and I started to search this topic when I found out he was a 'ships cook' in the merchant navy, and was admitted to the Dreadnought Navy Hospital. This had his 'previous ship' in 1927 as Port Melbourne, and after a bit of research online I was able to get the crew list from the archives centre in Newfoundland.
I then found two documents on Find My Past, his CR1 record and CR2. To be honest, from looking online I am still a bit confused as to what these documents really mean, and any help in explaining would be appreciated! I think the CR2 is foreign voyages, but after asking the National Archives numerous times (and simply getting sent the same webpage link...) I've given up trying again! I hope I've done this correctly, but I've added both the CR1 and CR2 to this post... any help in translating the record(s) info would be appreciated!
One thing I can see from the CR2 (in the bottom left corner) is that my ancestor was on a ship named Doric Star until 1927... but Newfoundland sadly said this was the home trade agreement (?) and not international (which is what they have) so I am currently unable to see any earlier crew lists.
I then looked up the other two ships from 1939 (Jamica Pioneer & Kirkland), but even though the crew lists are listed as at the National Archives they have said they can't see his entry. Unfortunately I have now hit a dead end even though I have the foreign voyage ships clearly written on the CR2 doc... any advice as to what I am doing wrong, and how I can pick up the trail again, would also be appreciated!
And lastly... I am reading all sorts of information online about CR10 documents and 'seaman's pouches' but I have no idea where to start. My great-grandfather retired just before WWII (I think?) in 1939, so am I right in thinking he won't have a CR10 record? Also, I have tried looking at whether he has a 'seaman's pouch' record, but is the CR documents technically the same thing? If not, can you search these online? I asked the National Archives as it says they have 500,000 records surviving, but I wasn't sure if they have all been digitalised on the NA website and Find My Past, and if I already have the only surviving records.
My hope is that I may find a set of records for him, and perhaps a picture, but I presume this is wishful thinking!
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Nick Watts
