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Hi Roo,
I found it from a link in FindMyPast but the pages you want to get are at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/merchant-seamen-interpret-voyage-masters.htm

..and you will need the related guides mentioned on the right of that page.

Actually the pictures they give you to help with the deciphering are pretty confusing, but I think I have got the basics!

The port numbers are in the Abbreviations listing:
 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/merchant-seamen-RGSS-register-abbreviations.htm

As far as I understand it, the ship numbers are unique to the port, e.g. 3006.64 is ship 3006 of 64 (London), and apparently there is no key to these "port rotation numbers".  I can't believe ALL the books would be lost if they were registering ships in every port, but that's what they say.  But they are different to the ON Official Numbers which identify unique ships on a national basis (I think).

We need an expert on here to sort this out (and write a better Guide)
Hope this helps!

Hi Calmar,

Many thanks for looking that out, but I already have that information, maybe I should have said.  I have his death and marriage, and I've found him in censuses 1911, 1901, 1891.  I've also visited the cemetery. 

The ages don't tally up exactly, giving his birth between 1865 - 67.  Unfortunately, even though I have his father's name from his MCert (John Comer) there are no unique Michaels within the date range, and a couple of possibilities if I go to 1864 or 1869, or further.  So I'd like to get some kind of fact that would make it clearer.

Best wishes
Steve

Hi all,

I did say I'd post an update on my family.  I found the girls were in fact born at Staunton, not Stowe.  I suppose with a strong accent the enumerator could have been fooled, especially if he had just been to Stow.

George was a widower in 1871.  He married again and had three more children, but he was a widower again by 1881.

By the way, I think the ginger beer reference is a red herring.  There are lots of places called Stow(e) that could explain the label on a bottle.  Ginger beer was made everywhere.

Steve

Hi Morgan, Many thanks.  It seems to describe addresses on one side of Caerphilly Road from New Inn up to Hickmott Terrace, then cross over to Post Office Row. So I think P O Row might be the only building on the East side of the road, near the junction with Maes y Coed Road.  (anybody tell me if I am wrong?)

Interesting that they don't call it "Old" Post Office Row, as in the census.

My ancestor wasn't there in 1914 but looking at the 1911 directory he is there, although they don't name Post Office Row, it is just part of Caerphilly Road.

Steve

Hi,

This is a really long shot.  I have an ancestor Joel Thorpe Ward, born in the Eccesall Bierlow Workhouse 11 March 1838.

His mother was Eliza Ward, and my guess is that his father was a Thorpe.
I can make no guess as to his other name, as "Joel" is the name of her father.

All I know about Mr Thorpe is that Eliza thought enough of him to use his name for the baby, and to allow the baby to keep the name.  He is listed in the 1861 Census in 1861 as Joel W Thorpe, which is after Eliza has married Robert Allen.  It might also be because her father was living with them, but whatever the reason it means that Thorpe had not been forgotten.

So I am looking for a Thorpe family story of an unmarried mum-to-be going into the workhouse.  I don't have any workhouse records to see if Thorpe was a resident there (I enquired with the Archives years ago). 

It's exactly the sort of thing peole would have kept quiet about, but also the sort of story that sometimes gets told.  Does any Thorpe descendant have anything to tell me?  Seems I am a Thorpe descendant too......