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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: lthorne on Monday 08 May 17 21:47 BST (UK)

Title: National Archives
Post by: lthorne on Monday 08 May 17 21:47 BST (UK)
hi folks,
I am trying to navigate The National Archives to find a record of John Lamble ROBERTS. I have Reserve record 80205 which says there was a previous R.V.2 68685. I can't work out how to find it. Even by backtracking from the links from 80205.
John is an enigma to our family. Last traced to the Marion Woodside in 1891 having a spat with the cook and steward in Brisbane. So any information is welcomed. He was born in 23/03/1853 in Ballycastle or Belfast as he has preferred to say for the record 80205. We do not know if he was married or where he died.
Can someone help me find this record please? A link perhaps so I can download and buy it.
Thanks
Lara-May
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: hallmark on Monday 08 May 17 22:29 BST (UK)
So he was a Merchant seaman....

http://www.coastguardsofyesteryear.org/forum/viewthread.php?thread_id=1493&pid=4329#post_4329

Have you searched Civil Reg for Marriage?

Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: lthorne on Monday 08 May 17 22:46 BST (UK)
thanks for your reply. I had this request up on the coastguards of yesteryear and was told that I should post here...
can you send me the link for Civil Reg for Marriage please?
:-)
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: hallmark on Monday 08 May 17 22:51 BST (UK)
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/irish-records-what-is-available/civil-records
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: hallmark on Monday 08 May 17 23:06 BST (UK)
Had a look on civil Reg for a marriage... no luck
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: lthorne on Monday 08 May 17 23:18 BST (UK)
oh, blow. Well thanks for trying to help me/us (mum)!

I think his immediate family didn't know either as apart from his name and DOB in the Bible, there is nothing more.

Hopefully the Merchant Seaman Record will offer something...
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: hallmark on Monday 08 May 17 23:29 BST (UK)
Well plenty of marriages for John ROBERTS no John Lamble ROBERTS.... and you don't know who he married.
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: hallmark on Monday 08 May 17 23:30 BST (UK)
..or where! or if he married!
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: lthorne on Tuesday 09 May 17 01:31 BST (UK)
I will sift through the website and this one. Though if you have any pointers for me to find the Merchant Seaman record 68685. I have just had another go with no luck. Many thanks! ;D
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: KGarrad on Tuesday 09 May 17 06:35 BST (UK)
Merchant Seamens records aren't easy!

See: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/merchant-seaman-serving-1858-1917/

(Don't forget that Ireland was a part of the UK until 1922!)
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: dawnsh on Wednesday 10 May 17 07:25 BST (UK)
Relocated to Armed Forces from the Ireland boards in the hope of more help about using and accessing records from TNA.
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: seaweed on Saturday 13 May 17 13:38 BST (UK)
There was no official registration of merchant seaman between 1857 and 1913. The Merchant Navy began to register its seamen again in 1913, in the central indexed register, or Fourth Register of Seamen. However, the entries for 1913 to 1917 have not survived. I have searched to see if he saw service between 1918 and 1921. Nothing.
http://www.irishmariners.ie/searchdatabase.php
The document you have seems to be a RNR  (Royal Naval Reserve) record.
So, the only positive? we have is that he sailed on the Belfast registered Barque MARIAN WOODSIDE (note correct spelling) official number 99112, in 1891.
Problem is, her 1891 crew agreements seems to have been lost or destroyed. There are a few Crew Agreements at TNA but none for the year 1891.
Would it be possible for you to attach "I have Reserve record 80205 "
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8174117
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: lthorne on Monday 15 May 17 23:45 BST (UK)
Thank you Seaweed for your assistance and confirming the spelling of Marian.

I have attached the record. In the his fathers Bible the only entry is that he was born in Ballycastle in Northern Ireland on 23/03/1853 and sometimes Lamble is spelt Lambell (esp in previous generations)

Information about his father can be found at http://www.coastguardsofyesteryear.org/photogallery.php?photo_id=188

Kind regards, Lara-May
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: seaweed on Friday 19 May 17 10:48 BST (UK)
As I suspected these documents are his RNR records.
To my mind, One the keys to your search is to get hold of the crew agreement of MARIAN MOORSIDE o/n 99112 covering the date 12/8/1891 when he was discharged or deserted in Brisbane. However as we have seen this is not available in the usual places.
I have been advised to look in PRONI https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni to see if they have a copy, it may also be an idea to get in touch with MHA in Newfoundland just in case the crew agreement has been miscatalogued.
Did he stay in Brisbane or did he find another ship to return to the UK?
Title: Re: National Archives
Post by: lthorne on Thursday 25 May 17 08:06 BST (UK)
hi Seaweed, it was actually a marvellous discovery to find him in Brisbane as he was the only person in the family Bible with no information. I was assuming that he was to return to Belfast given the record I posted and newspaper article. In the same year a J L Roberts is listed in the Deniscore but I cannot find the name of that ship in Oz or NZ papers in 1892. I am getting the information from the archives in Oz for "Discharged and Deserted Seamen". I am putting a request for this record and the one for J L Roberts of the Marion Woodside (their spelling). Then I think I will make a course up from there as to where to go... Many thanks for your advice about Newfoundland