Gaming found the documents in grandfathers/fathers house and would like to understand their meaning
The documents, in the order they appear in the first post, are:
1. Visitor’s Pass for Aden. That’s a document issued by the immigration authorities in Aden, allowing the holder to stay there as a visitor, for 2 months from 14th May 1934.
2. Certificate of Registration. That’s a document, issued by the British police, recording the fact that an Alien (ie someone who was not a British or Commonwealth citizen) had registered with them. At that period it was routine for most alien nationals staying in the UK for more than 3 months to be registered with the police. It was used to keep a track of where they were living and working and also if they had left the country. Date of entry to the UK was recorded as 6th April 1925. So it shows a) he was not a British citizen at that time, and b) that he resided in the UK for longer than just a short visit. Exactly how long is probably recorded within the document.
3. Postcard of the vessel Atlantis at the port of Dubrovnik.
4. Seaman’s Discharge Certificate. A document issued to merchant sailors to track their voyages and conduct on board. In this case issued by the Canadian authorities. It’s a document which can be used by a seaman, in place of a passport, when travelling as a member of a ship’s crew, and when joining or leaving a ship as crew.
5. A letter from Thomas Cook, travel agents. I cannot read the wording.
6. A letter from the Post Office, dated August 1928, confirming that a telephone line is to be installed at an address in South Shields.
Then in post 28, there is an Argentinian Seamen’s book. As with the Canadian document, it could be used as an identity document when travelling as ships crew.
So, in summary, these are documents generated as a result of life as a merchant sailor, in the UK, Canada, Aden and elsewhere.
