Merchant Sailors 1811-1830 - London-Quebec

[AmandaP]

Hi all,

I am after advice for researching a merchant sailor please. My great x 4 granduncle was indentured as an apprentice mariner in New South Wales, Australia in 1801. The term of his apprenticeship was four years. We have traced him working out of Port Jackson (Sydney) up to the end of 1810. I have found newspaper records of him (or someone with the same name) first as the captain of the Violet docked at London Warf in 1815, then as the commander of the Sterling, pin pointing the week of him changing his employment. He carried out three voyages from London to Quebec, Canada, with the Sterling being wrecked in a blizzard at the end of 1816 at the start of the voyage back to London. I would like to know do records exist for London for merchant sailors in London during this period? If so where are they held and how do I access them? Also, what about records for this period for Quebec, Canada? I tried to look at the Quebec Archives website but I do not read French.. I am trying to confirm 100% that this is our man, not just a man with the same name. Any advice would be grately appreciated.

[Westoe]

Hello AmandaP,

There are a lot of old digitized newspapers available free online at the Quebec Archives.

https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Quebec_Newspapers#Digital_Issues_Online

You do not necessarily have to be able to read French to hunt for him - some of them are bilingual and just a few words will do. The usual format for the shipping news is:
(Vessel Name COMMA Master Surname) - be sure to put the comma between the two names.

I would have tried searching for him on STERLING but you have not given his name.

Cheers,
Westoe

[AmandaP]

Thanks I will have a look.

This is not a look up request, I am just after sources to investigate.
I have purposely not given his name so that this doesn’t show up in a google search. Too much misinformation has already been spread for this person unfortunately.