Merchant Navy Research help

[littlefacey]

Hello!

I am trying to find the family of James Brown who was listed as a 'Seaman Fireman' in the 1911 census and a 'Marinier' on his marriage record and wondered if maybe he worked for the Merchant Navy? The thing is I am not confident at search Merchant Navy records and trying to search on FindMyPast is proving fruitless (to me anyway!)

Can anyone help?

James Brown born between 1870 - 1876 in Aberdeen
wife - Eliza Dawson m. 1898
father - Robert Brown, Engineer


FYI - my original post on James Brown
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=848287.0

[scotmum]

A possibility for the start of his career:

First name   James
Last name   Brown
Birth year   1875
Birth place   Aberdeen
Birth country   Scotland
Year   1891
Role   Boy
Vessel name   Fern
From date   01 Jan 1891
To date   30 Jun 1891
Previous vessel   First Ship

[scotmum]

The Fern was the one referred to at:

https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/archivecrewlists/52828

which then leads to

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C11752884

where you can see who else was on the ship.

[littlefacey]

Amazing thank you

Would there be any way of determining if this is the same James? Or if this James is the son of a Robert Brown?

[scotmum]

Unlikely, (in respect of his time in Merchant Navy up until 1911 census or so, at least):

Re Merchant Navy records of timescale given, as stated by National Archives:

.    The black hole in the records: 1858-1913
Between 1858 and the First World War the Merchant Navy did not keep registers of its seamen. This means that for these years the only record you are likely to find of an individual merchant seaman is his appearance in agreements and crew lists, for which you usually need to know the names of the ships he served on.   

That said, he is the only chap of name, year of birth, and place of birth that seems to be returned in the searches.

[littlefacey]

Oh noo 

[seaweed]

A long shot. I found  a  James Brown age 41, born Aberdeen in a 1914/15 Crew Agreement of the ship  LUCILINE official number 110160.

https://1915crewlists.rmg.co.uk/document/189709#&gid=1&pid=3
Number 25 on the crew agreement. Page 6

You will note that number 26 is an R Brown age 38 also born in Aberdeen. Both give the same address.
Brothers?
Unfortunately, the writting is not the best but the signature of James Brown is very clear.
May be worth following up.

[scotmum]

Address possibly reads Ormonde Street, which seems to be in Sunderland, unless there are others elsewhere




There were streets of same name in Jarrow, South Shields, Sunderland and a few other places in 1911. Wasn't your James back in South Shields at 1911, albeit at a different address?

[HMac]

Looking at Seaweed's post you will see next to his rank the number 1414U - this is an RNR number and confirms the same man that I found in the Fourth Register of Seamen.
He has an RNR record here:BT 377/7/120146 -   https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8580879
This file shows his father as Robert and a mother Jane. He has other cards which show his sea career from about 1922 up until  1931. That address by the way is South Shields. Does any of that help? He has distinguishing marks on his arms too - "two flags left forearm, forget me not left wrist, emblem of faith - hope charity on right wrist.


*Edited to add - looking on your previous link there is mention of 75 Denmark Street and looking on the RNR the same address is mentioned. The RNR record also mentions nok - wife Eliza.
The previous link suggests the mother's name was Margaret which does not tie in with the RNR record but everything else seems to tie in.

Regards
Hugh