Where next for RMLI research?

[overlandermatt]

I've been looking into 3 generations of RMLI ancestors from Plymouth and wonder where I should go next with my searches...

I have the service records from the National Archives plus attestation packs from the Fleet Air Arm museum collection for my GF (Arthur George Pope 13994) and his 3 brothers. This obviously provides a list of ships served on but I'm unsure what I could discover from researching ship records. He seems to have been on the Duke of Edinburgh at the Battle of Jutland and 'participated in ballot for VC' following the Zeebrugge raids in 1918 and reference maybe to a London Gazette article which I cannot read clearly. 

For GGF (Benjamin Thomas Pope 871), a sergeant in the RMLI, there was 25 years service from the age of 14 to 39. I have the attestation pack (less detailed than his sons) from the FAA museum plus difficult to read service record PDF from Kew.

There are two GGGFs who were also Royal Marines whose records (ADM 159 collection I believe) I have requested from Kew. Both these men were listed as Greenwich Pensioners in the 1871 census.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Matt

[MaxD]

With ref to the VC ballot.  This is the LG issue  https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/13294/page/2575 that has reference to the VC awards to two Royal Marines in which the citations refer to them having been chosen by their comrades to receive the awards.  Clearly, a number of men were initially considered worthy of this award but the system limited the numbers. Seems a bit unfair that he wasn't then recommended for a lesser award.

As to the service, best of luck, I lost count of the number of ships.  That said, each one should have a ship's log at Kew.  Try this site too http://www.naval-history.net/OWShips-LogBooksWW1.htm

maxD

[overlandermatt]

Thanks Max. I had not seen the actual piece from the Gazette but was aware that Norman Finch had won the ballot - my grandfather never spoke about this time with my father but we are keen to learn more now from whatever records remain.

I am hoping to go to Zeebrugge next year for the centenary of the raid along with my father and son. The more we can learn ahead of then the better.

As for the ships logs, these do sound like hard work... A trip to Kew sounds inevitable.

Thanks again.

Matt

[overlandermatt]

The attestation packs from Kew ADM157 turned out to be very useful. There were 5 pages in each pack for the two GGGFs and cost around £15 each.

The information contained included the attestation for Royal Marines and list of ships served on along with a couple of records of payments received. I now have records that show one (William Pope by 1811) did a full 21 years service and left in 1852. In a later census he was listed as a Greenwich Pensioner living in Plymouth. Are there any records that are 'easy' to find online about what this entailed?

Thanks in advance.

Matt

[MaxD]

If the question was about what a Greenwich Pensioner entailed, it simply meant he was in receipt of a Royal Navy pension (RMLI part of the Royal Navy for admin purposes), RN pensions being administered by the Royal Hospital Greenwich.  Army pensioners were Chelsea Pensioners, administered by the Royal Hospital Chelsea.  He was an "out-pensioner".  Those who lived in the institutions were in-pensioners.

maxD

[overlandermatt]

Thanks for the description Max. I had heard this was the case. I guess I am interested to know whether there are any interesting records that relate to Greenwich out-pensioners. What information do such records contain and where does one find it?

Thanks in advance to anyone who has tracked down any such info.

Matt