Merchant Navy Raphael Church

[Churchie]

I've attached 2 merchant navy records for Raphael Church 1819-1891, cropped to make them easier to see.

The date columns at the top of the first page that relate to him are 1845 and 1846. I'm trying to work out how and when he ended up in Melbourne, Australia, where he seems to have had an interesting time! His first appearance there is in 1849. Any help with interpreting the record would be appreciated.

The second, I have deduced he sailed back to London from Melbourne on the Gil Blas in December 1855, but would appreciate confirmation that I'm on the right track. It seems the Gil Blas did the postal run between Melbourne and Dunedin around that time.

I've just found a new coastal shipping record on FindMyPast showing him on the Wonga Wonga, bound from Sydney to Melbourne in June 1855, presumably about to sail home, which got me interested again. He is listed as a miner, so either did well or badly in the goldfields...

The other thing that interests me, but I expect I am plumb out of luck, is any additional information about his 4 year career in the Royal Navy, and how he went to sea aged 11 in 1830. I know his father was a sailor, so would he most likely have gone along with him?

So many questions, sorry...

Caroline.

[seaweed]

I have taken a look at the original copies on FindMyPast.
First the BT113/13 document.
Ticket number 24883
He sailed on a London registered ship with the port rotation number 3006 on 1/June/1845 and returned to the UK around 18/May 1846 on board the same vessel.
For a fuller explanation see
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=753957.0

Normally I would offer to follow this up for you as I understand you are in New Zealand. These searches can take time and I have just got too much on for my next visit to TNA.


The BT116/18

Interesting. I think your guess reference to GIL BLAS  has nothing to do with the vessel that he sailed home aboard. Although it is likely he sailed on her in 1853
I think it was the sailing ship BLACKWALL. Official number 24894, 838 GRT built and registered in London in 1850.
If you take a look at the newspapers on FindMyPast. It is reported in the London newspaper "Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser" 25/April/1856 that the vessel BLACKWALL arrived in London on the 24/April/1856 from Melbourne. The date on the BT116 document is given as  27/April/1856 This would be the date the ships logbook and crew agreement were deposited with the port authority.
On the BT116 you can make out her name.

As we have a name to work with, I will endeavour to look at the crew agreement for you to see if your man was onboard.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4068937

I would make a post on the Armed Forces board Re Royal Navy service.

[Westoe]

Hello Churchie,

Further to Seaweed's post, I would also suggest posting your query to The Mariners List at RootsWeb.

http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/MarinersList.html

One of the stalwart members there is very knowledgable about RN records.

Cheers,
Westoe

[Churchie]

Thank you both so much for the advice and suggestions, I will re-think and follow up.
Thank you Seaweed for offering to check the NA for me, as yes, it's a wee bit far from New Zealand.

Silly me, I had assumed that Blackwall referred to his destination on arriving in London. We live and learn...

Caroline.

[Churchie]

Thanks to Seaweed for your help with the correct vessel name. I have found more newspaper articles, and some great pictures of the Blackwall.
I also located a family tree online with references to an ancestor who crewed on the Blackwall on her subsequent voyage to Melbourne, a voyage of 111 days, with extracts from a diary kept by passenger Thomas Probin.

On the Blackwall's voyage to London in 1855-56 she was carrying several tons of gold dust, worth 350,000 pounds, not to mention the gold being carried by the large number of passengers returning home from the goldfields. There was some concern that the vessel was overdue, and according to The Royal Cornwall Gazette "some few nervous people took fright and effected insurances on this vessel at 5l 5s percent"
I can only speculate that Raphael Church had not been so successful, as he must have signed on as crew in Melbourne, rather than buying his passage home? Anything you can locate re the crew agreement would be very interesting.

Thanks again,
Caroline.

[seaweed]

Yes. Nice picture. A little bit of artistic licence saying she was 1000 tons, in fact she was 838 GRT. You have the correct vessel as McKerlie was her master for a number of years engaged mainly in the trade, London to the Antipodes and return.
I will be at TNA on 16/09/2016 and have pre ordered the box which hopefully contains her Crew Agreement.

[Churchie]

Thanks so much Seaweed, it is very generous of you to take the time to do this for me.

I have a dream of getting to the NA, but if I ever made it happen, there are so many things I would like to look at my brain would probably explode.

Caroline.

[seaweed]

Sorry, forgot to ask, If He is on the Crew Agreement, do you want the information pertaining to him or do you want to have a copy of the document in it's entirety?

[Churchie]

Seaweed, whatever is easier for you, as I don't want to take up too much of your time.
Obviously I am greedy for information though. I have become fond of this little man, and wish I could time travel to ask him about his travels! And if there is any cost associated, I am happy to pay for it.

Best regards,
Caroline.