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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Hampshire & Isle of Wight => Topic started by: MaryThorn on Sunday 31 May 15 22:40 BST (UK)
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Trying to research my husbands family.
His 3x great grandfather was a coastguard officer in northumberland in the mid to late 1800's, named Henry William Clements.
According to census details he was born in Ryde in 1824. According to his baptism record he was baptised in Newchurch 1824 and his father was Charles Clements and mother Sarah.
I have found some Coastguard records that seem to point to his father Charles also being a coastguard but I can find no census records for Charles or Sarah.
Anyone any ideas how I can research this line of his family?
Many thanks.
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You need the GenUKI page on Coastguards! http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Coastguards/C.html
And that says:
Clements, Charles Place of birth n/k (not known)
1821 moved from Saltdean, Sussex to Sconce Point, Yarmouth, IOW
1822 Moved to Bembridge, IOW
1828 Moved to Walton on the Naze, Essex
Family not known
Presumably he died before the 1851 census?
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Henry's details are on the same page:
Clements, Henry W born Ryde, IOW, 1823
1851 Alnmouth Northumberland
1861 Craster NBL
1871 Newton by the Sea NBL
1881 on pension at Alnwick, NBL
Wife: Rachel, 1823, Berwick
Children: Christian (1847) & Emily (1848) & Charles (1850) all Berwick
Henry WL (1859) & Alexander (1861) , Budle, Bamburgh Seahouses, NBL
Edwin G (1870) Newton by the Sea, Embleton, NBL
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Thanks KGarrard. Yes this is the information I have found. Also found information tonight indicating that Charles was Chief boatsman in the year that Henry was born but that is all when it comes to Charles and Sarah.
Looking at the 1841 census you find Henry living in a shared house in Berwick and he is aged 17/18, Rachel is also living there but I can find nothing in the 1841 census for Charles or Sarah. I also can't find anything to indicate why Henry moved from one end of the country to the other at such a young age, but endearing that he followed his father into the same profession.
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Because Charles can't be found in 1841 is what makes me think he had died?
The header page of that GenUKI collection has this to say:
But it didn't do for Coastguards to become too well acquainted with the local people, and they were transferred quite frequently, movement taking place precisely during the period when the men were marrying and their families were being born (although this did not happen quite so much in Scotland in the early censuses, when men appear to have been recruited locally, and stayed in post throughout their careers). Furthermore, couples often settled in the last place of appointment on retirement, many miles from their places of birth. Keeping track of an ancestor and his family is therefore a particular problem if he was a member of the Coastguard.
It was an anti-corruption measure! ;D
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I hadn't seen that last part on the GenUKi site but makes much more sense now. Interestingly Henry didn't move around too far in his profession but it's very frustrating that I can't find anything else on Charles and Sarah. I suppose their anti corruption measures are applausable all these years later when it is thwarting me in finding more out.
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Mary
A little more info on Henry: He was issued with a Merchant Seamen's Ticket in 1845 (No. 84,781) while serving on the Revenue Cruiser Mermaid, on this his date of birth is given as 9 Sept. 1823. You can view this on Find my Past - for a fee - but in addition to providing an actual date of birth there is also a physical description.
Using Mermaid's Muster Book it would be possible to trace his early career, but this can only be done in person at the National Archives, Kew.
From my own research I also know that he was one of the 2600 Coastguards who entered the Navy during the Crimean War, serving on HMS Monarch, for which he received the Baltic Medal, returning to his normal duties when the war was over.
Martin
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Actually its Ryde, Isle of Wight.
I have one Coastguard in my line. Stephen Gammon.
Born Kent
Married St. Bees, Cumberland
Children born at Whitehaven, Cumberland
Maryport, Cumberland
Bowness on Solway, Cumberland
Portsea, Hampshire
Titchfield, Hampshire
Milton-Next-Sittingbourne, Kent
Died at Milton-Next Sittingbourne.
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I've now done a little work to trace Charles. He was first nominated to the Preventive Service, the pre-runner of the Coastguard, on the 10 August 1819, serving at Brighton. The record (ADM 175/5 pdf 316) indicates that previously he worked as a Extra-man at the same station. These men were not on the Establishment but were generally local men, so as an educated guess I would therefore assume Charles was originally from Sussex.
I traced his movements until his death at Caistor, Yarmouth District, on the 27 July 1831 (ADM 175/5 286). His record has DD against his name, which means 'Discharged Dead'.
Martin
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Wow, Martin, thank you so much for all that information.
I have a worldwide subscription to Findmypast and it has been invaluable in finding out numerous history from both mine and my husbands family, but I have never been able to pick up as much detail as you have.
I found a newspaper article about Henry being awarded the Baltic medal but that was all, no other information.
I think there is perhaps a lot of information I am not accessing on Findmypast.
Thank you so much again for that information.
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Mary
Glad the info was of interest, but not all came from FindMyPast. For Coastguards the Establishment Books that are available as free downloads from the National Archives website are invaluable, these are in the ADM 175 series of documents. As to the Baltic Medal I have been constructing a database of all 2600 CG men who served in the navy, using the medal rolls, ship's description books, seamen's tickets and establishment books to confirm as many as possible.
Martin
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Hi,
I don`t know if you already have this:
On 2nd June, 1846 a Charles Newbury Clements, Mariner married a Jane Frances Constance at St. Nicholas Yarmouth. His father was named as Charles Clements Coastguard H M Service.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12308-200269-17?cc=1416598
You will see one of the witnesses was an Emily Clements and I can only find this one in the 1841 census in Norfolk. Trouble is I can`t find either of them later. I have now :)
1841 census
Caister, Yarmouth
Sarah Clements, 50, Not born in County
Emily Clements, 12, Not born in County
HO107/765/1 Folio 10 Page 13
Mo
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I did find Charles N Clements, born Seaford 1819, who subsequently served on the Revenue Cruiser Royal Charlotte in Yarmouth, but could make no positive connection to Charles Snr, so well done mosiefish!
Martin
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I think this is Sarah in 1861- I can`t find her in 1851 as yet.
Caister
Widows Home
Sarah Clements, Head, Wid, 75, Dover Kent
RG9/1195 Folio 6 page 5
The registration for Caister was Flegg and there is a death registered in March Quarter, 1867 for a Sarah Clements aged 80. Volume 4b page 23.
Meanwhile I believe that Emily popped up to Northumberland and married a David Clark on 25th June, 1855.
St Peters, Wallsend
David Clark, 26, Bachelor, Labourer father James Clark Labourer
Emily Clements, 23 (hmm), Spinster, father Charles Clements Boatman
Witnesses: William Rassmason and Mary Ann Gray
The 1861 has them in Walker Northumberland
David Clark, Head, Mar, 31, Waterman , Norfolk Saxlingham
Emily, Wife, Mar, 29, Essex Walton
Walton tying in nicely with where father Charles was posted in 1828.
Mo
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Mo, that's amazing. Thank you so much.
How on earth did you find all that out. I had found the Sarah and Emily 1841 census entry after Martin posted about Caister yesterday but that's as far as I could take it on the the Find my Past entries.
This has helped so much building my husbands family history. Until recently we knew nothing as his mum died when he was 4, she was an only child and his grandparents died when he was really young, so,this has literally opened the door to one half of his family history we knew nothing about. It's such a fascinating family history too.
Once again, thank you so much to,you and Marting for finding out this information.
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Hello
I'm probably not in the correct area but I have been clutching at straws and googling which has led me here.
My 3 x great grandfather, Thomas Williams, was born in Weymouth, Dorset about 1791. He and his wife Mary (Russell) had eight children, all born in Weymouth except the youngest (William Henry b 1840 - my 2 x ggf) who was born in Hull.
1841 census shows the family living in Hull and occupation of Thomas is shown as Customs Boat.
1851 census shows Thomas still living in Hull with his second wife, Elizabeth, her two sons and his son William Henry - (first wife Mary died in 1847) - occupation of Thomas is shown as 1st class weighman in her majesty's customs. I haven't been able to find marriage details for Thomas and Mary in the Dorset area and because Mary died before 1851 I'm not sure where she was actually born. I was pretty much at a brick wall. Then..........after about seven million google attempts :o I found information relating to 'Retired Allowances for Superannuation' parliamentary papers. It was under the heading COWES Isle of Wight and showed a Thomas Williams, Chief Boatman in the preventing boat at St Ives - Treasury Letter, 25th February 1819 - received 32 pounds - he had been in the service five years - the payment was for the loss of a hand, a consequence of the execution of his duty which was 'to board and rummage ships and to guard the coast against smugglers'. I'm not sure if this is my 'Thomas Williams' - I have checked the Genuki coastguard site but he wasn't there. I'm not sure where to go from here and I sincerely appreciate any help/tips/advice etc. I'm in Australia so I'm not really sure about the distances and if it is feasable to think someone born in Dorset could go to Cowes and end up in Hull. Sorry to ramble on......
Regards
Lynne
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Hi Lynne,
I'd advise starting a new thread as you are talking about customs officials rather than coastguard, a separate service.
Others here will know more, but customs records are at the National Archives in Kew and staff and pay lists and appointment books are arranged so that it is feasible to follow an individual's career with a bit of research. You might find someone here who is willing to look up the references for you!
It is very possible to move around the outports in the way suggested - my great great grandfather was a customs officer in Cardigan, Wales, before moving to Northern Ireland and then Bristol in SW England.
All the best,
Rob
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Thanks heaps Rob, I have taken your advice - I was a bit confused ......
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I have always been given to understand that Customs officials were deliberately NOT employed in their home town/port/area?!
In order to mitigate against corruption! ;D