Sailor 1877

[ragdollrosie]

Looking for MATTHEW BENJAMIN BANKS. His sons birth certificate 1877 states occupation "sailor". Could this mean he just worked on ships or Navy?
His sons birth was registered by his wife, but when he married1871 his occupation states " Traveller".
He does not appear on any census records after his marraige.

[Christopher]

Good Morning Rosie,

The 1881 census showing Ships in Port may help you.
www.angelfire.com/de/BobSanders/81Intro.html
Does the birth certificate mention where Matthews son was born?


Best Wishes, Christopher

[ragdollrosie]

Hi Matthews son WILLIAM ALFRED BANKS was born NEWINGTON, surrey. Thanks for website will have a look, and see what I can find! Rose x

[suttontrust]

In my experience, "sailor" tends to mean the Navy.  Other kinds of seamen are called Mariners or Seamen.  But it's not a hard and fast rule.

[ragdollrosie]

Thanks for the advice, Now I will try to find out if he was in the Navy. Its somewhere to start looking!
Does anybody know what the diference would be between the Royal Navy, and the Merchant Navy? I really dont have a clue, nobody else in the family has had any links in Navy before that I have found.
Rose x

[suttontrust]

The Merchant Navy is a term meaning the seamen who served in privately owned ships, i.e. merchant ships.  They weren't in the armed forces.

[ragdollrosie]

Thanks for that suttoncrust, that may make it a bit easier I hope to track down Matthew.
Rose x

[ragdollrosie]

oops I do apolagise was not looking at what I was typing, Suttontrust, just spelt your name wrong, was busy trying to get the cat away from the keyboard, so sorry.
Rose x