Women Sailors

[cire]

I have just received a marriage certificate for 1860.
In the "rank or profession" column the groom is entered as " sailor" and I know he was in the Navy at that time. In the same column for  the bride is a "ditto " mark. She lived and was married in Bridlington.

Is it possible that there were women in the navy at that time or perhaps on fishing vessels?

Eric

[willow154]

Hi Eric,
I did wonder if the person who filled in the form might have got mixed up a bit and put down the father's occupatiion in the wrong column, but then I found this:
http://www.amazon.com/Women-Sailors-Untold-Maritime-History/dp/0375500413
Great as it's one you can search, too.
So, it seems there were women sailors!
Paulene

[cire]

Hi Paulene
Thanks for the reply. What an interesting book. I knew that the expression "show a leg" was supposed to have come from the practice of having  "sailor's women" on board ship. If the leg you showed out of bed in the morning was "shapely" then you weren't rousted out to scrub the deck and climb the mast etc.!!!!!

So was Ann Rank a "woman sailor" or a "sailor's woman??? "

If she was on a ship was it a naval ship or a commercial vessel?
It could help to explain why a lady from the East Riding met up with a sailor from Kent, and also why we can not find her in the 1851 census, but not why we can not find her in 1841!!!!

Thanks again
Eric

[willow154]

Hi Eric,
If it was me I'd definitely want to make sure that the certificate information is correct, and that the original in the register office says the same as yours (unless of course yours IS from the original source).
I have several families missing on the 1851 census, who should be where I expected to find them (children born there, as proof).
If you tell me the details I'll have a look on the 1841 for you, too.
Paulene

[cire]

Hi Paulene,
I have an ongoing sequence of messages about Anne Rank(s) on the Yorkshire board and CaroleW has been looking for Anne on the 1841 and 1851 censuses. (I am with "findmypast" so don't have access to the 1851 cesus at  present)
 From later censuses and the copy of the marriage cert., Anne was born in 1828 and her father was Christopher Rank. At the time of the marriage in 1860 she was living in Bridlington Quay, but in the later censuses she gives her place of birth as West Lutton and Malton in Yorkshire.
In the IGI there is a parish register entry for Anne Ranks bt 21/5/1828 in Weaverthorpe, parents Christopher and Hannah, which is almost certainly "my Anne" as Weaverthorpe is close to West Lutton. There are no other baptism entries for Ranks in Weaverthorpe with those parents. There is however one for a George Ranks bt in 1830 in Weaverthorpe , parents Christopher and Elizabeth!!! So possibly Hannah died and Christopher married again.

Now in 1841 there is an entry for Elizabeth Rank aged 40, and an Ann Rank aged 10 living with her. They were in Kirby Grindalythe ( HO107  1210  13/3   12)  which is close to West Lutton. I think this could be Anne living with her step mother although the age is a bit out!!!
That's about as far as I have got. Perhaps a holiday in the East Riding is called for, with a few days in their Records Office.

Regards
Eric

[willow154]

Hi Eric,
Sounds as if you're in good hands
Glad you enjoyed the book - it is a bit different.
Hope you get the holiday+ Good luck with the hunt.
Paulene

[Valda]

1851 census HO107 2362 folio 68
9 Humber Street Kingston upon Hull
Ann Ranks 21 Servant Chamber maid East Lutton Yorkshire

Regards

Valda

[willow154]

Hi Cire,
I was looking for something for another another rootschatter today, and found this. Remembered you, and thought I would pass it on.
Hope you find it interesting.
Paulene
http://www.nmm.ac.uk/server/show/nav.2985

[cire]

Hi Paulene
Thanks for that. Looks like I could use a few days at the National Maritime Museum as well as a trip to Bridlington Quay.

The ONS people confirmed that their copy of the marriage cert has the ditto mark, and they also got in touch with the Registry Office in Beverley who confirmed that the ditto mark was on their copy.

They also suggested that I get in touch with their "Overseas Section" who apparently hold maritime records, but I haven't done this yet.

regards
Eric