Thread: Sons of the Sea ~ Naval Resources for Family Historians

Bill@fslife

Another Echo article on family history for you to all have a look at.

This one is entitled Sons Of the sea.

The problem with early census returns in 1841 and 1851 is that they do not list Mariners on board ship, so unless your ancester was on shore leave between sailings on the night of the census, they are not going to be listed. The only clue will be if his spouse was listed - her occupation may appear as 'mariner's/seaman's wife'.

Ther are records available of men who served in the Royle Navy and the Merchant Fleet and many sailors served in both.

The Royle Navy site gives a breakdown of every possible naval resource:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
another good site of giving an overview of all records available is www.barnettresearch.freeserve.co.uk/mainaval.htm

Other sites available are:
www.parishchest.com/en-gb/dept_1749.html or:
This next site has a slight problem when you first open the page, however if you scroll down that page it will give you a new address site to access.
www.pbenyon1.plus.com/Nbd/index.html
www.liverpool.gov.uk/search/googlesearch.asp?=marine+archives

For Merchant Navy ancestors a good resource is the Through Mighty Seas
www.mightyseas.co.uk/ which covers the maritime history of the merchant sailing ships of the North West of England and the Isle of Man through the period from the late 1700s until WW1.

I hope the above sites help you in your search for your ancesters.