Coastguards

[Top-of-the-hill]

   I have three men in my extended family tree who were in various versions of the coastguard. The first, born in Dover and posted to Norfolk, was listed in his children's baptisms (1823 - 1834) as Preventive Service. At that date, I imagine the problem was still smuggling? (James Sneller)

   John Pay joined the R.N. in 1842, but in 1856 joined the Coastguard, which seems to have been part of his R.N. service. He was posted for several years to Northumberland, Craster area.

   William Pay, R.N.1853-74. Between 1863 and 1869 he was on Coastguard service on the Humber with Cornwallis and Dauntless.

   I am puzzled as to what the Royal Navy Coastguard was doing around the North East coast at that time?

   
   

[KGarrad]

Coastguards were routinely posted away from their home town- to discourage corruption. 

[KGarrad]

There is an index to Coastguards here:
https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Coastguards

Sadly, no longer updated.

[Top-of-the-hill]

  Thanks, I knew about them being posted away from their home patch (and their old pals!). It is the Royal Navy connection I am unsure of.
   I had a look at the coastguard list, which includes John Pay. I panicked a bit when I saw the census entry for him, with the "wrong" birthplace, but I have checked back and am now pretty sure I have the right man.

[Little Nell]

There is a useful potted introduction to the coastguard service here:

http://www.hansonclan.co.uk/coastguards_1.htm

By the mid-19th century, the coastguard were a reserve force for the Royal Navy.  Many coastguards were drafted to serve during the Crimean War and then returned to their stations afterwards.  The role of the coastguard changed over the century, but they played a role in dealing with shipwrecks - one who I have researched was known to be in charge of the breeches buoy.  He had been a coastguard in the early 1850s, having served on a revenue cutter for some years.  He joined the Navy during the Crimean War and was on a ship as part of the Baltic blockade. 

I see that John Pay was posted to Craster as a Boatman from HMS Waterloo.  He was removed to Kingsdown in 1863. Have you traced the careers of the others through the establishment books?  These can be downloaded in digital format from TNA, but the files are huge!

Nell

[Top-of-the-hill]

  Thank you, the link you give looks useful. I did find one article, which also mentioned the "reserve force for the R.N.", but I don't really know what that means.
  John Pay was in the Baltic Fleet, before becoming a coastguard, but it seems to be still part of his naval service.
   You say he was removed to Kingsdown - is this just a new posting or was there some other reason?
   This feels like a different type of coastguarding from William Pay's service round the Humber.

[Little Nell]

It was a new posting -"removed" is the standard terminology for this type of move when the man concerned kept the same rank.

The Cornwallis and Dauntless were what is known as guard ships, ready for military service at short notice. There were guard ships stationed around the coast near major ports or rivers e.g. Southampton Water, the Humber, the Thames, Leith on the Forth.  In the later 19th century, the crew were on the strength of the RN even though they were nominally coast guards.

Nell

[Top-of-the-hill]

  I wonder if they were ever called on for service? William had his wife and children living in Hull for the six years he was there.
   Can you tell me a bit more about the establishment books please?

[Little Nell]

The Establishment Books list the men posted to every station within Great Britain and Ireland in the 19th century.  Every appointment is listed and you can work both forwards and backwards, but it time to do this.  You would have to download each of the files since they cover different areas and dates.  If you know where the man was stationed on a certain date, then you can begin there.  The columns have reference numbers for each appointment, the name and rank of the coast guard and which station he came from and where he went, with the dates.

This is the link for the TNA files in ADM 175:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C1884

The records are available free as part of the digital microform project.  They are not indexed.

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/free-online-records-digital-microfilm/

TNA also have a research guide here:

https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/coastguard-officers/

It explains about the establishment books and registers.

Nell