Merchant Navy - ship's log

[Penholder]

Would a Merchant Navy ship from the 1830s have had a log book?   If it survived, where might it be now?

I am interested in The Martha that was registered at Bideford.   A nephew of my 2 x great grandmother was apprenticed for 5 years in 1833 and I can find no trace of him afterwards.   

I'm guessing he was lost at sea and hoping a log might record the event.

Any help or suggestions as to how to proceed would be very welcome.

Diana

[iluleah]

http://www.rmg.co.uk/researchers/library/research-guides/the-merchant-navy/research-guide-c5-the-merchant-navy-sources-for-ship-histories

TNA after 1861 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/crew-lists-agreements-log-books-merchant-ships-after-1861/

[seaweed]

It was not until the Mercantile Marine act of 1850 that masters were compelled to keep an official  logbook which recorded illness's, births and deaths on board.
There are some Crew agreements rather than logbooks for the port of Bideford from 1835 but in my experience these are far from complete.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4064542
There may be early Muster Roles more or less early Crew agreements available from local records offices, so you should  enquire from Devon Record Office.

The ships name "MARTHA" was fairly common in the 1830's some 24 vessels recorded with that name in 1834. This is further complicated by the fact there were two vessels with that name
 registered in Bideford. One, a 94 ton vessels ceases to be recorded after 1833. Just wondering if she was lost.
In any event I think you will not have an easy task confirming your ancestor died at sea.

[Penholder]

Hi iluleah and seaweed

I'm very grateful for your replies and the detailed information I have got from the links you supplied.   It looks as if visits to Kew and Greenwich are called for, so not too difficult.   I had expected a trip to Devon would be involved.

I got my dates slightly wrong.   It was in 1831 when my man started his apprenticeship but the Martha in question had a "burthen" of 136 (tons?).   I'm hoping that means she wasn't the one that ceased to be recorded in 1833.

Thank you both so much for your kind help,

Diana

[seaweed]

The other Bideford vessel named Martha  had a tonnage of 137 tons built in Appledore in 1819.
Owned and managed by S Lewis. she was a Brig employed in the coastal trade.
Given her tonnage I am fairly confident this is the vessel you are looking for.

[Penholder]

Hi seaweed

Thank you very much for the extra information about the Martha.   Simon Lewis is the name of the Master on the register of apprentices.

Regards,

Diana 

[Rena]

You can follow the arrivals and sailings of the ship via online newspapers on the British Library website, which is free to members of local British libraries :-

http://find.galegroup.com/bncn/basicSearch.do

Using the search term "Martha AND Lewis", I did a couple of searches:

one to double check that it was the ship Martha out of Bideford with Captain Lewis and got confirmation in this newspaper, Royal Cornwall Gazette, Falmouth Packet & Plymouth Journal (Truro, England), Saturday, January 01, 1831; Issue 1436. 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II.

which states:
PENZANCE,
 Arrived
"the Martha of Bideford, Lewis (= captain), from Cork, to London"

==
The second sample was this Southampton Shipping Arrival but you'll notice there's no indication of it sailing to its next destination on that day:-

SOUTHAMPTON, FEB. 22 , 1834.
Hampshire Advertiser & Salisbury Guardian Royal Yacht Club Gazette, Southampton Town and County Herald, Isle of Wight Journal, Winchester Chronicle, and General Reporter (Southampton, England), Saturday, February 22, 1834; Issue 553. 19th Century British Library Newspapers: Part II.

"Arrived
Martha ( = the ship), Lewis ( = captain), from Waterford"

==
If the ship has problems when it sails into port there's usually a word to describe it such as "limping"

[Penholder]

Hi Rena

Thank you very much for that information.   I had managed to pick up the Martha in a couple of Devon papers but will now try looking farther afield.   I am going to Kew this afternoon, so have my fingers crossed that I can turn up the log book there.

Regards,

Diana

[Penholder]

Mixed success at Kew!

Sadly there was nothing for the Martha in the Bideford box which covered 1835 - 1844 (BT 98/175) and nothing at all exists for Bideford earlier.   Hopefully more information will turn up elsewhere.

Luckily I did better with someone else in my tree who drowned at sea.   His ship's log gave a very long list of his effects, which is great info to have even if it does make sad reading.

Sincere thanks to those who offered help and advice.

Diana