Crew Lists, Merchant Navy Ship, 1891

[HMac]

Hi Romilly,

The Third Register of Seamen closed in 1857 [just prior to his birth] so no central register of seamen was kept for 56 years [this period would have been his most active years at sea if indeed he went to sea]. During this period seamen could only realistically be traced using crew lists with a known ship to begin with. He could of course still have served later into the Fourth Register. Do you know where he was born?

Regards
Hugh

[Romilly]

Hi Hugh,

On the 1901, 1911 and 1921 Censuses my Grandfather William James Wilson (1860 - 1937) says that he was born in Manchester, Lancs.

I’ve never been able to find a definite Birth or Baptism for him in Manchester, and I’ve never been able to find him on any of the earlier Censuses.

As five of his six sons, including my late Father, spent time in the Merchant Navy, it seems a reasonable assumption to think that he also must have spent time in the Merchant Navy?

His eldest son was William Havelock Wilson (1894 - 1974). I had assumed that the Havelock part of his name was a tribute to Joseph Havelock Wilson, leader of the Seaman’s Union in Swansea at that time. However, when I noticed ‘The Lady Havelock’ arriving in Swansea from Brest in 1891, I wondered if she was my Grandfather’s last ship?

Romilly

[AllanUK]

Romilly said: He turns up in Swansea and marries my Grandmother Margaret Rees there in 1893. He’s untraceable before then…

His occupation on the marriage certificate states that he is a Painter ----- nothing to indicate that he was a sailor.

[Romilly]

A Marriage Certificate only requires a current occupation.

Romilly.

[AllanUK]

A Marriage Certificate only requires a current occupation.

Romilly.

Very true but from a Sailor to a Painter without some sort of training / apprenticeship?

[hanes teulu]

Romilly,
Had you seen the item in the South Wales Daily Post, 19 Oct 1899? Welshnewspapers on line.. Doesn't resolve your problem but has him setting up in business ("draper, painter and decorator") in 1893. He really is a mystery man.

Will be shopping in St Helen's Road later this afternoon!

regards and pob lŵc.

[Romilly]

Yes, hanes teulu, - quite a few Articles about him in Swansea in the Welsh Newspapers Online Site😉

I’ve also got a copy of the patent that he took out for his invention, ‘The Wilson Air Purifier’ in 1897.

He’s listed as a Newsagent at 113 St Helen’s Road in the Kelly’s Directory for South Wales in 1893. Later he ran a Painting and Decorating business, ‘Wilson and Co’ from 1895 - 1930 and a Newsagents and Bookshop from 99 St Helen’s Road. At one stage he also had a Drapery Business in the Mumbles!

Romilly 🙂

[hanes teulu]

Suspected as much.
I did spot an 1891 Census record for a William James Wilson, born 1859, Manchester at Falmouth - a Royal Marine. But again like looking for a needle in a haystack.

[Romilly]

Hi hanes teulu,
I too spotted that man and visited Kew to search for his Attestation Papers. He remained in the Royal Marines after 1893 and so wasn’t my Grandfather, who was in Swansea running several businesses and married to my Grandmother.
Interestingly, my Grandfather’s first Painting and Decorating business was run from the Arches in the Northern Docks, Swansea. I think that this lends weight to my theory that he might have spent time in the Merchant Navy.
Romilly.