Australian Navy

[saxonw.]

I've got a name of someone who died in 1898 who  was serving on  the Waterwitch which I believe was part of the Australian Squadron.   Where would I find any records of him joining etc?

[Neilhilt]

Have you tried the suggestions on www.navyhistory.gov.org ?  RAN did not get going until 1901, when the various colonial fleets were combined.

[wenrob13]

HI,

Up until 1901 it was called the Victorian Navy this may help.

Wendy

[majm]

Hi,

The Royal Australian Navy formally came in existence in 1911, some ten years after Federation.  http://www.navy.gov.au/Commemorating_our_Service_to_the_Nation_1911-1915
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Australian_Navy   

There were British RN vessels on the Australian Station in the years before and after Federation.    It is possible that the chap serving on the Waterwitch signed up with the RN and if so, then his records should be in the Admiralty archives in Britain. 
http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/UKRNPersonnel.html

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/   Search for "Waterwitch" ....


Cheers,  JM

[majm]

From Trove, digitised newspapers

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/14156319 18 January 1898 Sydney Morning Herald (a leading Sydney NSW newspaper)

EDIT TO ADD ... The article would most likely be referring to the Joseph Blundell, as there's a coroner's report in that name referring to the fall from the hotel. 

NSW BDM online index has:  Joseph Blundell's death registered Sydney, given names of parent's as unknown and ref 128 of 1898.  The low number (128) suggesting to me that it is very early in the year 1898.   A transcript of the d.c. would provide burial information and age, occupation and perhaps other family history information.  Transcriptions are cheaper and quicker (can be sent by email eg as pdf file), and contain the same information as a "real deal" certificate.

Transcription Agents  http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory/howToTraceYouFamTree.htm#TranscriptionAgent

Cheers,  JM

[saxonw.]

Thanks for that. It was in the third week of January he fell to his death. The age is right and if it is the party I am looking for he did a runner some six years earlier from the UK.It would also fit together with a family rumour that someone had gone out to Australia and changed his name to John Blundell because of some misdemeanour in the UK.  If correct his wife takes up with someone else has two (or maybe three) kids by him but has returned   to the Blundell name (a widow of course) in 1901. So I really need to find out when he joined up. Some of the articles have him from HMS Torch though.

[majm]

Hi there,

I believe your best option is to expect to find him as RN and thus I urge you to follow up with the UK National Archives.  Perhaps he served on more than one RN vessel, perhaps at different times he was stationed on different stations throughout the Empire,  but his PAY would be authorised via the British Admiralty with offices on Whitehall, London, and I would hope their archive records would be at Kew, Surrey, England.   


Cheers,  JM

[saxonw.]

Thanks for your help.Yes a visit to Kew I think willl be necessary sometime!

[Fmf]

Hello I read a few of your posts about the Blundells and Guests in Kings Norton well my Great grandfather was john Blundell his wife Charlotte Cutler but her parents was not married and her father was Josepeth Guest they all lives in Bartly green Kings norton so maybe we could have a link? I have more infomation
I hope to ear from you soon
Take care
Kate