William Small of East Cowes, IoW.

[Deux Chevaux]

Just done a quick search and got this on Genuki

Small, William   
IOW 1801 West Cowes   1841 Brightlingsea ESS
1851 Trimingham NFK
1871 On pension at Mundesley, NFK [RG10/1797/47]

Wife: Jemima, 1803, Gosport, HAM. Children: Susannah & William & George & Jane, c1821 & 1828 & 1830 & 1832, all ESS; Henry & Elizabeth, 1834 & 1836, Shorwell, IOW; Caroline, 1837, ESS; John Thomas & Richard, 1838 & 1845, Brightlingsea, ESS; George, 1849, Sidestrand, Trimingham

Which pretty much confirms where he was. I guess I can search the full record at NFK [RG10/1797/47]

[Little Nell]

He was first nominated from Cowes in April 1831 to the new station at Hastings.

28 Mar 1833 he was posted to Atherfield
25 Feb 1837 to St Osyth Stone Point
27 Oct 1845 to Sydestrand - and interestingly the reason given is "wife's native place"
7 Sept 1857 he was discharged.

He was a Boatman throughout his career.

Nell

[Deux Chevaux]

Wife's native place sounds intriguing. 

I've just downloaded some (hopefully useful) files from National Archives, so I'm going to have a look through them.

[Deux Chevaux]

Big files which doesn't help with the not particularly fast broadband I have here in a remote corner of the Shetland Islands.  This is going to take a while. 

[Deux Chevaux]

Well I've had a good look through the files I download from NA and sadly there was nothing in them that has helped me. I've had a quick look to see whether there were any Nations (surname) around the north coast of Norfolk, but again I've not come up with anything.

[Little Nell]

The coastguard as served by William Small did not really come into existence until around 1820.  There was a Preventive Water Guard set up in 1809, a fleet of Revenue cruisers and the Riding officers onshore.  These three services were streamlined to form the Coastguard.

I haven't looked into the career of any man who served in these predecessor services, so can't advise what records exist for them.  The TNA guide might help:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/coastguard-officers/

Nell

[Deux Chevaux]

Ah yes, I read that an hour or so ago. Can't say I was aware of the history of the coast guard and what preceded it. It's certainly interesting. Thanks

[rosie99]

Marriage
William Nation
Susanna Ward
16 Nov 1800
St. Peter And St. Paul, Fareham, Hampshire

There are baptisms for siblings of Jemima in Hampshire on familysearch - Mary Ann, Henrietta & William

William junior can be found at Holy rood, Southampton in 1841.  HO107 /416 bk 5 f4 p3.
with wife Jane and children Ellen, Jemima, William & Martha.

There is a burial at Holyrood 28 Feb 1841 for Susanna Nation age 63 (bn c1778)

[Deux Chevaux]

Thank you very much Rosie. I've added the details to my tree and I'm going to have a look for Susannah's parents in and around Fareham.