John Davidson Death at Sea

[seaweed]

It seems to me that to resolve this we need to look at the vessels logbooks and crew agreements for the years in question.
There were some 34 vessels around with the name CALEDONIA (including one registered in Melbourne) around in that time frame but only one registered in Aberdeen CALEDONIA official number 275. If you look closely at the FindMyPast documentation you will see this number recorded there. Her masters name was Vollar. (confirmed in Lloyds Reg.) This is the ship we are looking for.
The problem is I cannot locate a crew agreement or logbook at the British Archives in the series BT98 or BT99
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/merchant-shipping-crewlists-agreements-1747-1860.htm#36476
A new set of eyes may do better.

majm wrote
As I understand it, a death at sea is meant to be entered into the ship's log, noting the Latitude and Longitude of the burial and other particulars, and it is then meant to be reported to the Registrar General for Births, Deaths and Marriages at the next port that the ship visits. 


My understanding is. After 1854 A death at sea is entered into the ship's log, noting the Latitude and Longitude of the burial and other particulars, The information was given to a British Consul (if one is available) at the next port of call, On the vessels return to a UK port the death is reported to the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen who in turn forwards it to the  Registrar General for Births, Deaths and Marriages in England and Wales, Scotland or Ireland as appropriate.

In this case, the documentation from FindMyPast comes from The Registers of Wages and Effects of Deceased Seamen, rather than the births marriages and deaths at sea registers.
Although the act was legislated in 1854 it took a little while for it to be enacted

[majm]

Right, well, thanks for the Master's name as this cutting shows, she is definitely Vollar's Caledonia that was in Launceston, Tasmania.  Tasmania was definitely a British Colony in the 1850s, and had been for many decades, it was hived off from New South Wales in the early 1820s, and formally known as Tasmania from about 1854, previously known as Van Diemen's Land.   Queen Victoria gave Royal Assent to Tasmania's written constitution 1855. 


Newspaper cutting showing Vollar as ship's master.

Entered INWARDS
January 30
Caledonia, barque, 444, Vollar, London
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/2461723  The Courier,  Mon 1 Feb 1858.


Find My Past, Australia version, has the Tas BDM that matches with Shaun's post.  It is the same image that I have found at the link I provided. 

There's a record on FindMyPast that says he died of consumption at Launceston. http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=bmd%2fmtm%2fbt153%2f0003%2f001-097&parentid=bmd%2fd%2fmaritime%2f802352&highlights=%22%22

The Caledonia was indeed at Launceston Tasmania in February 1858 per contemporary newspaper reports in Trove. There is also a local record of the death of the death at Launceston of John Davidson, a labourer,  on 12 February 1858 aged 20, of Phthisis.
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=anz%2fbmd%2ftas%2f007368140%2f00279&parentid=anz%2fau%2ftas%2fbmd%2fd%2f0000055651&highlights=%22%22

I noted too that there was a John Davidson of the ship Africa (with a Liverpool number 16213) who drowned at Old Calabar on 29 May 1858.

and 

(this gives a link to the free online digital image)

If he died while at Launceston, Tasmania, then the death would be registered in Launceston, Tasmania.  As I understand it, a death at sea is meant to be entered into the ship's log, noting the Latitude and Longitude of the burial and other particulars, and it is then meant to be reported to the Registrar General for Births, Deaths and Marriages at the next port that the ship visits. 

early Tasmania BDMs are now online   These registers contain the formal registration records for deaths in Tasmania from the beginning of official registration in Dec 1838. ....Digital images of this record series are available to view online by clicking on the item links below to get to the Item Details pages. Copies may be made for private research/study but any other use requires permission from the Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office. .   

http://www.linc.tas.gov.au/tasmaniasheritage/search/guides/bdm-registration

Cheers,  JM

Also, the Chief Officer on that voyage of the "Caledonia" was a James SIMON as per the evidence to the court at the enquiry into the drowning in Launceston Tas of the crewman (Chief Mate)  off the " Henry Reed " on about 11 February 1858.     

I would expect the  Tasmanian newspapers of the day would carry mention of a death at sea off that same voyage.   I gave example of coverage of a death at sea in Nov 1857 being reported in the Tasmanian papers in Jan 1858 .....

    

Cheers,  JM

[seaweed]

The last post by majm really substantiates the detail and leaves little doubt as to the cause and location concerning the demise of John Davidson.
To confirm this. After further research I have located the vessels logbook for 1858. If it has not been lost or destroyed, it should record the death
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?name=Search&_aq=&_ep=&_or1=&_or2=&_or3=&_nq1=&_nq2=&_nq3=&_cr1=bt98%2F5097&_cr2=&_cr3=&_dss=range&_sd=&_ed=&_hb=&_ro=any&_rd=&_rsd=&_red=&_st=adv&_rv=

It is up to the original poster if he/she wishes to take this course.

Again, as far as I am concerned, another Rootschat success.

regards
SW

[Steve Davidson]

It has been fascinating reading the messages, it has given me a lead to trace John Davidson. I will contact the National Archives and request a copy of the identified records and will post my findings

Kind regards

Steve

[seaweed]

If you cannot get to Kew yourself, by far the best course of action. Be sure to quote the name of the vessel and more importantly her official number.
 These box's contain documentation for 60 odd ships with some vessels having several crew agreements. Although it should be a relatively simple task to find and copy, TNA may try and say this is in fact "research" and try and charge you an inappropriate and disproportional fee.