Master Mariner Help James Bobbitt DoB 14 September 1831

[Nickna]

Hi all and Happy New Year

Long time lurker that’s finally signed up !

I wondered whether anyone might be kind enough to point me in the right direction please as I’ve managed to confuse myself.

I’m trying to locate the certificate/ licence number for an ancestor I believe to have been a master mariner

James Bobbitt
DoB 14 September 1831, Walton Suffolk
Dod 4 September 1883, Gravesend Kent

I believe he sailed on the Asshur 47305 in 1880 and the Elizabeth curry 62390 in 1881. I also believe (but am not sure if I’m misreading the info) that he went on to own the Elizabeth curry and that he apprenticed his son, John James Bobbitt.

I’ve read quite a bit of material around the topic but am really struggling to find an online resource to locate his certificate number that would enable me to track James’ full sailing history. Many of the links I’ve followed have sadly moved or are not working.

Does anyone happen to know if there is an online resource I could use to try and find his certificate number ?

If there is no online resource would a trip (or a paid search of) the national archives be my only other route ?

Thank you so much in advance for any pointers anyone could offer !

[Westoe]

Hello Nickna,

Welcome to RootsChat. Am I right in thinking that you got the ELIZABETH CURRY information from the 1881 census?

Did you check the other censi? In 1861, he appears on the ANN with two crew. I can't seem to find him in the Masters and Mates Certificates database, but, since after 1850 certificates were mandatory for foreign voyages, suggests he might have been a coastal trader.

Cheers,
Westoe

[Westoe]

more ...

ELIZABETH CURRY, schooner, built in Sweden, previous name CLARA.

Maritime History Archive in Newfoundland holds several crew lists, but warn you, they are pricey.

https://crewlist.org.uk/data/vesselsport?Portid=77&Year=1880&Showalsos=1&Seealsolist=143,297,126,303&Sort=name&Letter=E

Cheers,
Westoe

[Westoe]

more ...

Info on ASSHUR here:
https://www.clydeships.co.uk/view.php?a1PageSize=75&ship_listPage=6&a1Order=Sorter_name&a1Dir=ASC&a1Page=33&ref=53650&vessel=ASSHUR

EDIT:

Nickna, have you checked the newspapers for your lad? Even without a subscription, you can read the thumbnails. The usual format in the shipping news columns is:
          (VESSEL NAME) comma (MASTER'S SURNAME)

I used the British Newspaper Archive:
https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?basicsearch=bobbitt&exactsearch=false&country=england&retrievecountrycounts=false&region=north%20east%2C%20england&mostspecificlocation=north%20east%2C%20england&sortorder=dayearly&page=1

I see Bobbit on ANN in snippets from 16 June 1859 to 14 August 1862. She appears to have been a coastal collier as her departures are usually Shields or Newcastle and her destinations are usually English coastal ports.

That suggests that James Bobbitt may have sat his certificate exam late 1862 or later.

Cheers,
Westoe

[Nickna]

Oh my Westoe thank you so much for taking the time to respond and for the info ! Some fabulous leads there.

Yes it was the census record that first sparked my hunt.  I’ll try and lay my hands on the other census.

I’ve also just found him in the admissions records for the Dreadnought hospital in August 1852 having been discharged from the Olivia, although I can’t quite fathom the reason for admission. I’ve checked the Lloyds registers and there seem to be three Olivia’s one of which may also be a more coastal ship. So more digging to do there.

I’ve got myself in a pickle over the Asshur. It was actually his son, John, not James that took a voyage on that in 1880.  It looks as if he may have jumped off at Rio of all places ! If that’s right then I’m assuming if certificates were compulsory from 1850 I might be able to find John James Bobbitt’s certificate number somewhere?

The newspaper snippets are great (and quite tantalising!). I hadn’t thought of looking at newspapers for info - I fear the urge to sign up for a short time to get a bit more info might prove irresistible!!

[Westoe]

Hello again Nickna,

Looks like John James served in merchant navy in WWI

https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7103568

though I'm not sure of what the citation number 7875164 refers to.

[Nickna]

Amazing Westoe - looks like I’m certainly going to be busy digging around a little more ! Thanks so much