Death mystery

[ails81]

Hi
I was wondering if anyone had any fresh ideas about a bit of a family mystery, I wont put specific details on names etc due to living members of the family but can give you the general idea.

It is regarding my stepfathers father.  His parents married in 1952 in Argyll, I have their marriage certificate and he is listed as a merchant seaman.  My stepdad was born in 1953.  My step-grandmother says her husband died in January 1954 by drowning.  However I have never been able to find his death certificate despite searching the whole of Scotland and every name spelling under the sun.  She then remarried and her new husband adopted my stepdad as his own.  She wont give me any more information and I just know there is something odd going on!  I have found out the missing mans parents marriage certificate and his mums death certificate but I cant find his fathers.  What makes it more complicated is that my step grandmother says he was adopted, whether this is true I dont know.

I might have found his merchant navy records on the TNA and am waiting for copies to be sent to me but im not 100% sure.

I cant understand how I wouldnt be able to find the death certificate when I have a specific date unless:
1) He is not dead 
2) They were divorced (although she is listed as a widow on her 2nd marriage certificate so I presume she would have to have produced his death certificate?)
3) He was sent to prison or something else embarrasing such as he was already married etc etc

I would love to know if anyone has any other suggestions, I know he may have died in England but he has a very common name so there is no way I can find him without more information.

Thank you!

[HMac]

Hello,
It is difficult without anything to go on.
You say he may have died by drowning and also that he may have died in England.

If he was a seaman could he have died at sea?

If he died at sea and no body was recovered that may indicate why there is no Death Certificate.
Regards
Hugh

[mosstrooper]

Hello,
It is difficult without anything to go on.
You say he may have died by drowning and also that he may have died in England.

If he was a seaman could he have died at sea?

If he died at sea and no body was recovered that may indicate why there is no Death Certificate.
Regards
Hugh

My uncle John lost his sanity in WW2 Convoy from USA to the UK and comitted suicide by jumping overboard in the Atlantic. There was no body, but there was a Death Certificate. I obtained a copy from the Marine Register held at the General Register Office Edinburgh plus an 11 page copy of the ships Log Book detailing the incident written by the Captain and First Officer.

PS. You will not find any record of this on Scotlands People, just an indication the record is held elsewhere.

James

[HMac]

Thanks, James.
My understanding was that a D.C. could not be issued unless there was a body. For those lost at sea, I have seen certificates issued presuming a death at sea but not actually a Death Certificate although it amounts to the same thing. I am not 100% sure but things may be different now.
Certainly, for the enquirer, if his relation did die at sea there should be an entry in the ship's Official Log - problem is we need the name of a ship. You would get this from his form CRS 10 held at TNA.

Regards
Hugh 

[ails81]

Thanks to you both, still stuck though.
I have now also checked the fatal accident records, divorce records and court records with no sign of him.
I dont know how to find out what ship he served on in the merchant navy, the records I got were not his and were the only 2 that matched.
So frustrating!!!! 

[sancti]

Do you have his 1953 birth certificate to confirm both his parents names?

When did she remarry?