Such a muddle I'm in now

[hurworth]

sorry did you search "Lochgilphead" on FindMyPast as the ones i saw say Tobermory Argyllshire and Jura ?

These were the search terms:
Alexander
First name(s)

Macdougall
Last name

1822
Year Of Birth

Lochgilphead
Where

It came up with these on the index (I can't open them as my sub expired on Monday)
McDougald   Alexander   1822   —   1845   Britain, Merchant Seamen, 1835-1857   Great Britain   
McDougald   Alexander   1822   —   1845   Britain, Merchant Seamen, 1835-1857   Great Britain

Perhaps it did a broader search?  I chose name variants for first and last names.

[isobelw]

The address on the Mates certificate ( 1855)  is in Glasgow. The 1857 Master's certificate does show an address in Greenock, but it doesn't match either of the census addresses in 1851 or 1861 for the Alexander married to Eliza. Also the Greenock Alexander is shown as born 1825.
I personally think that ticket 100043 belongs to the Alexander who was married to Ann/Agnes McPhie.
Isobel

[manda_mcd]

Thanks i will have another look
Did you know if you register with the National library Scotland you can access FindMyPast records free via their online collections

[manda_mcd]

Is this the same certificate? as this lists the voyages of ticket holder 100043 previous to application which when looking them up are all based around greenock

[hurworth]

I wonder whether that record is missing some earlier years?  There's no mention of an apprenticeship.

My gtgt-grandfather started his career in his mid teens in his home town in Scotland, but soon after completing his apprenticeship he was on ships from other ports and then later on doing trips to South America on a Cork registered ship.  That didn't make any sense to me until I realised the Master of the Cork ship was his first cousin, and the ship belonged to his cousin's wife's family.

His younger brother started at the same time and was only 4 foot 8 inches when he began his apprenticeship.  Their father had recently died so I suppose the boys needed to find jobs very quickly.

[isobelw]

The Clyde was not navigable to Glasgow for larger ships until well into the 19th century. Greenock was the major port for Glasgow, with larger ships being unloaded there and cargo transferred to Glasgow by other means. All the ships except one on your list were registered in Glasgow but may well have sailed in and out of Greenock.
Isobel

[Josephine]

Scotland's civil death records usually provide the names of the decedent's spouse(s), if any, and parents, including mother's maiden name (if known).

So the death records for one or both of those men might help you sort them out.

Regards,
Josephine

[manda_mcd]

Thanks everyone who has replied , There is a 5 or 6 pieces which are attatched to his mates and also masters certificates and it did state he (100043) went to sea as a boy and had 6 years for which he could provide no references.Most of those listed were lighter and Tugs belonging to the Clyde shipping co. The duke of Northumberland which is last mentioned sunk after a collision in 1858 but there were no fatalities I have tried to trace his death certificate with no sucess he was already deceased in 1869 when John his son married. Parents were Ann Gillies and Duncan McDougall (mariner) b 1801

[manda_mcd]

The records on FindMyPast have a ticket number of 224,681 which i will try and trace if possible