Registration of anyone dying at sea

[Foresthamlet]

I was wondering...If a person working at sea suddenly died...Would the death be registered where the boat docked or departed from? I'm not familiar what the procedure would be very grateful if anyone could help me.



Chris

[ScouseBoy]

Are you talking about a British registered ship, and a merchant seaman or a passenger?

How long ago did this happen?

Have you looked on findmypast deaths registered overseas yet?

[ScouseBoy]

Can you possibly give a little bit more information, please?

How long ago did this happen, and have you any idea the name of the ship, the name of the deceased, the ports involved, plus any more detail.

[Foresthamlet]

As far as i know (James Brown) was a chief mate in 1871 Census (Liverpoool). Not sure what kind of ship or boat though. Was in North Manchester (Salford) in 1873. Stories passed down say he died at sea around 1873 and he was a young man in early 20's


Chris

[ScouseBoy]

I am not sure of how they recorded things in those days.   but  I have looked into similar to this, because I had an uncle who was a merchant seaman, and believed to be buried in Capetown.

I suggest that you go on the www.findmypast    web site   and  look for British seamen  died on board ship.

[Pels.]

I suggest that you go on the www.findmypast    web site   and  look for British seamen  died on board ship.

Hi Chris,

I've already had a quick look through twelve male J. Brown's but I'm afraid I can't find anyone during that time scale fitting the description.

There is also one male J Brown, age not given, so not a lot of help really.

Pels.

[ScouseBoy]

My other suggestion would be to visit the archives library at Merseyside Maritime museum and ask for their advice.  they have loads of records.

[dawnsh]

Not all deaths at sea are recorded in the GRO index, if it was outside of British waters then there won't be an entry there. If his death abroad was not reported to the local consul, there won't be an entry.

There are registers at the National Archives at Kew, info here,

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/births-marriages-deaths-sea.htm

but with the name 'James Brown' it won't be easy, and being a chief mate in his early 20's maybe unlikely. The ranks of chief mate and master mate had to be worked for over many years and ship owners would have been reluctant to entrust their valuable ships to someone so young.

If his name was a little more unusual I would have suggested looking at the Lloyds Captains Registers at the London Metropolitan Archives for more information.

Dawn

[ScouseBoy]

Not all deaths at sea are recorded in the GRO index, if it was outside of British waters then there won't be an entry there. If his death abroad was not reported to the local consul, there won't be an entry.

There are registers at the National Archives at Kew, info here,

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/births-marriages-deaths-sea.htm

but with the name 'James Brown' it won't be easy, and being a chief mate in his early 20's maybe unlikely. The ranks of chief mate and master mate had to be worked for over many years and ship owners would have been reluctant to entrust their valuable ships to someone so young.

If his name was a little more unusual I would have suggested looking at the Lloyds Captains Registers at the London Metropolitan Archives for more information.

Dawn

  Forgive me  wishing to qualify your first sentence.   If the ship was British  registered  I think there would be a requirement to register the death, even though the actual death may have occurred in International waters.   Secondly,  It would have been normal for the Captain or the ship owners to feel obliged to notify the next of kin of the death.