G'day Mark,
thank you for your suggestions on methodology. I believe I have been quite thorough in eliminating the possible John Goldies who were living in Shadwell when his sons were baptized in 1824. I have son Thomas's marriage certificate stating who his parents were when he married in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in 1854, so I know they were John Goldie (a seaman) and Sarah Ann Peart. Thomas had joined the merchant navy in 1838 in London when he was 16 years old and neither he, his brother or parents can be found in the 1840 or later censuses in the UK.
I have a marriage record of John Goldie of the Parish of St Dunstan, Stepney and Sarah Ann Peart of the Parish of Shadwell, marrying in 1819 in Tower Hamlets. Witnesses Sarah Peart (Sarah Ann's mother maybe?) and Mary Ann Nicholls. I did find a marriage of a Sarah Ann Goldie - widow, to John Smith (great!!) in St Dunstan, Stepney in 1826 and thought this might be Thomas's mother remarrying after John had died between 1824 and 1826, but as you can appreciate, looking for a John Smith in the census has been overwhelming and I have not found them living in Shadwell in 1840.
Hi Maggie
Tynron looks wrong, if the M.I. online is a correct transcription from the Memorial? I wonder if the Memorial is still there, to check 1821?
Pity about the 1841 Census? It should confirm if Birth was same County - Yes / Y; No / N; or Scotland / S or Ireland /I, etc.
The ages of adults in the Eng & Wales 1841 Census are usually rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5 years.
A fellow Rootschatter managed to find an 1850 Merchant Navy Master's Certificate online (for me) with place & date of Birth. But that was a Master's Certificate for someone residing Yorkshire.
National Maritime Museum - GreenwichSome Seaman appear in Muster Rolls, with birthplace and abode given in the Muster. If not online, these may still be with a Museum or Archive, like the National Maritime Museum - Greenwich.
http://collections.rmg.co.uk/archive.html#!asearchOther Muster Rolls - Saved by the Public Record Office (TNA, Kew, search 1820 to 1840)
Some Ports not named (Record set incomplete)
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r/4?_aq=muster&_cr=BT&_dss=range&_sd=1820&_ed=1840&_ro=any&_st=advBut those for London may be at Greenwich
Trinity House, LondonThere was also a Trinity House, London for Seafarers, some of their records have survived two fires, with some searchable online.
But do you know his Vessel name and also his Port at all, it can sometimes help when searching, (where they are not transcribed)?
Mark