Checking death at sea

[lizb]

I am following up a family member who served in the English Navy between 1868 and 1878. Subsequently I cannot trace him except for possible death on ship in Cape Town in 1880 and wondering how to check this out.

Details are:
Albert Bishop. Born 1850 Wellington, SOmerset.
Enlisted 30/4/1865 (per NA ADM 188/6/236)
Served ten years 16/6/1868 to 1878 (perNA  ADM 139/733/3) - on ships Agincourt, Oal and Shah.

I cannot trace him after this.

There is a possible death (per findmypast site) of an A Bishop on SS Melrose in Cape Town in 1880.
Wonder if he became merchant seaman after he left navy and this is him.
CAnnot find anything online about this Melrose and not sure best way of checking this out.

lizb

[hugatree]

Hi lizb

A short Melrose history is available here:

http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=17358

Regards

Hugs

[lizb]

Thanks for this info.
Melrose was passenger ship. Some online info on passenger lists which does not include A Bishop.
Cannot find this this death in UK death register
Cannot find ship in those with crew lists at National Archives.
So I may have got as far as I can........

just thought - might look for burial in Cape town.
Need to find age or something to link this death with  my man.

ANy other ideas?

[lizb]

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=619331.new#new

just put query in south africa forum

[The Mc]

Familysearch has these census entries.....

1861
Aged 10 born 1851 Wellington, Somerset. Son.
Civil parish Wellington.

1871
Aged 20 born 1851 Wellington, Somerset
Record type - vessel
Reg. District Stoke Damerel, Devon
Stoke Dameral is in Plymouth so the Naval Dockyard springs to mind

[lizb]

This ties up with info I have.

The ship he was serving on (the Agincourt) was grounded near Gibralter and nearly sunk. It returned to Plymouth for repairs.

Albert's second ship, (the  Opal) nearly came to grief too when it hit a rock in the Megellan Straits.

He left the Navy in 1878 and I cannot find him in UK or elsewhere after then.

As there is a death of an A Bishop on the Melrose in 1880 I am wondering if I can find out more about this A Bishop to prove it is him.

Alternatively to find him somewhere in the UK after 1878