Merchant seamens records 1918-1941

[seaweed]

I understand these records are now available online. Any one know if they are copies of the originals held at Southampton?

[CaroleW]

Hi

Just as an addition - he is in breach of the terms & conditions of his FindMyPast membership by offering to do lookups using that membership

What you can use the service for: You can only use the website for your own personal non-commercial use, e.g., to research your own family history. We are also happy for you to help out other people with their family history by telling them about records available on the website and how and where they can be found, including showing them anything within our free search results. However, you must not provide them with copies of any of the records (either an original image of the record or the information on the results page), even if you provide them for free.

[HMac]

I understand these records are now available online. Any one know if they are copies of the originals held at Southampton?

Seaweed,
No, they are copies of the files held at Kew and as you know not complete. Also Findmypast do not give access to BT 364. Here is the word:

These records are digitised from materials held at The National Archives and are the series BT348, BT349 and BT350. Please note that a fourth series – BT364 – is not being published at this time, due to data protection concerns. The collection is not complete for a further reason: most cards from 1913 to 1921 were destroyed by the Board of Trade in 1969.

Regards
Hugh

[CaroleW]

I note you have amended your original post to exclude the link to the FindMyPast lookup offer

If you are a member of that other board - it may be an idea to send a message to that person in case there is any comeback.  I noticed that one of the administrators had welcomed the offer!!

[ozzypip]

Hi
I am in Australia and am also chasing some records of a merchant seaman. I am not sure how I got about it. My husband's uncle, Douglas Charles Fake, was a merchant seaman before and during the 2nd World War. He was killed when the vessel he was on was sunk by the Germans in 1941. He was on the Nottingham. He was born in 1920. We were wanting to get his full service history to go with the medals he was postumously awarded. My father in law is deceased and the only two remaining memebers of the family were young girls at the time and don't recall the details of ships etc. I do have a few more details that I can give in a search but I am just not sure where to go.

Hope someone else interested in this topic is able to help me

Regards

[seaweed]

I guess you have seen this
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/details-result.asp?Edoc_Id=4478009&queryType=1&resultcount=2

NOTTINGHAM official number 168227 was sunk on 7/11/1941 just a fortnight after she was launched.
http://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/1198.html

I cannot find any records for him in the Fifth register of Merchant seamen 1941-1972 but it would seem someone with this name born in 1920 has records in the fourth register.1918-1941 As I am always getting told off over copyright, you will have to pay and find details yourself.
http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/merchant-navy-seamen

You can also look at the last crew agreement for NOTTINGHAM which will give you some personal records This can be obtained from here http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=8197691&CATLN=6&Highlight=%2C168227&accessmethod=0

[ozzypip]

thanks for the links. I am happy to pay... if I can find information. Just had no idea where to start and what to do. WIll let you now how I get on. Thanks so much
Ozzypip

[ernestjames]

Just to go back to Seaweed's original question.
My understanding is that National Archives at Kew made microfiche copies of the original CR10, CR1 and CR2 cards some 10 plus years ago and then transferred the original cards to Southampton. Therefore the findmypast website has copies taken from the microfiche copy of the original which is now held by Southampton. Approximately one third of the cards on the findmypast website are CR10 (with the picture). The picture quality will be best on the originals.
best wishes
ernestjames

[seaweed]

My understanding is when these records were copied lots of them were not included due to poor management together with the fact that some additional 8500 cards were discovered in 2008/9 and these are now being prepared for release.
Too often have I searched in Kew and found nothing only to get a result from Southampton.