My ancestor was a sailor - help

[romawi]

Hello, Does anyone know any information about Sailors from Durham area around 1840's. My ggggranfather was a John Watson who was listed as a "sailor" on my gggrandfathers wedding certificate,(Does this mean he was in the Merchant Navy ?)
He appears absent on the 1841 census for hetton le Hole East Rainton - North Pit. His children and wife Mary are on the census, John is not. Can anyone suggest how I start to find Information  about his where abouts. I don't know if he appears at all on the 1851 census for the area as I don't have it. Please help.

[casalguidi]

It is a general rule that a "Sailor" was Royal Navy whilst "Mariner" or "Seaman" was Merchant Navy but there is always the exception to any ruling and, I suppose, it depends who decided to put what on the census return at the time.

You can read here about ships being included in census returns etc..

http://www.gendocs.demon.co.uk/census2.html

Good luck

Casalguidi

[romawi]

Thank you, I shall try this and see what I get.
Sarah