Thomas Burnett - Royal Navy carpenter - 1804 to 1847

[Beaujolaiswine]

Hi Folks

I am seeking some help to find out who the parents were of my 2nd great grandfather Thomas Burnett who according to a records I obtained from the National Archives  started his career in 1804 as an able seaman on HMS Proselyte, transferring to HMS Galatea in 1805, then to HMS Goree in 1808 at which point he became acting carpenter. In 1810 he became a Carpenter on board HMS Rolla.
This record appears to indicate that he may have been named Robert Thomas Burnett of Montrose and that from 1805 he is referred to as Thomas Burnett.

He married (as Thomas Burnett) in 1815 Stoke Dameral, Devonport. in the 1861 Census he is said to have been born in Scotland about 1780. On his death certificate in April 1859 he is stated to be age 81 (ie born about 1778). It therefore appears that he joined the navy age 24 or 26.

I would greatly appreciate some advice about how to locate Thomas's place and date of birth or baptism and who his parents were.

I wondered if there are any naval records which might indicate exact place of birth.

I also wondered if he would have received a pension following his 43 years of service with the Royal Navy and where to look for such pension records.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Many thanks

Richard

[GrahamSimons]

Naval pensions advice from the National Archives:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/royal-navy-rating-pension.htm

I've had a look at Scotland's People for you. http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

1775-85 no births for Thomas Burnett in Montrose; one birth for Thomas Burnet in Angus (widening the search slightly); no births for Robert Burnett in Angus. The one birth was in 1772. I've run out of credits so can't check any deeper....

[Beaujolaiswine]

Hi Graham

The only records I could find in searching the National Archives were the pay records. In searching the NA catalogue online I couldn't find a a pension record for Thomas Burnett. Thomas was an able seaman between 1804 and 1805 then a Caulker  until 1807, then from 1808 to 1810 an acting carpenter and finally from 1810 until he retired in 1847 a Warrant Officer Carpenter. With this length of service I thought he might have been given some sort of pension.

In searching Scotland's people I found 2 Thomas Burnetts born in the general vicinity of Angus, one in Fetteresso, Kincardine baptised 25 Dec 1780, and the other in Peterhead on 6th Jun 1778. Either could be correct or neither!

Thanks for your advice in November.

Happy new year

Richard