Debbie Beavis
 
 

Organised service records of a seaman's career do not commence until1835. If you are searching for a Master Mariner or Mate whose service fell after 1845, you should read also the Guide to researching Master Mariners as the records are different.

The Merchant Shipping Act of 1835 required masters of all ships to file Agreements and Crew Lists with the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. The Government saw the need for registering all seamen who could be called upon to man Naval ships in times of war - the RGSS extracted names of all men from the Crew Lists and entered them into a series of Registers.

These registers are filed at the Public Record Office as follows:

BT120 - Register of Seamen series l, 1835-1836

This is a small series comprising 5 volumes, listing the men alphabetically by surname.

BT112 - Register of Seamen series ll 1835-1844

There are 83 volumes in the series, divided into two parts. Searches must be made in both sections, which can be in two volumes or two sections of the same volume. It should incorporate the names from BT120 but you must not rely on this being so. This register requires great care as the layout of the two sections is not straightforward and it is easy to overlook the
section required.

Both sections are roughly alphabetical, the first indexed by separate alphabetical indexes: BT119 Alphabetical Index to Seamen. This gives the reference number which can be used to trace the correct entry in BT112.

The second section is internally indexed. It is NOT indexed from BT119. This means that both sections must be searched for each seaman. It is important not to rely on the accuracy of the indexes in BT119 nor the internal indexes in the second section. If your seaman's name does not appear in the indexes you must always be prepared to search the actual registers. You may expect to find the seaman's name, number, age, place of birth, and reference to the ship or voyage.

BT114 - Alphabetical Register of Seamen's Tickets 1845-1854

From 1844, any seaman leaving the UK was required to have a register ticket, details being entered in this series of registers. This register gives the name, place of birth and Register Ticket number.

BT113 - Register of Seamen's Tickets

The key to this numerical register is the Ticket number obtained from the alphabetical register in BT114. There may be a brief biographical details of the seaman and a note of his voyages. It must be remembered that many entries are blank, especially towards the end of the series. The reported voyages are again in a simple code and provide a numerical key to the crew
lists and agreements.

BT116 - Register of Seamen Series lll 1853-1857

The ticketing system was abolished in 1853 and a new series was begun, much easier to search, listing seamen alphabetically with age, existing ticket number, place of birth and voyage details.

The problems with recording seamen throughout the whole period of 1835-1857 were eventually viewed as insurmountable and the whole system was discontinued. From that date up to 1913, the only way of tracing the career of a merchant seamen is by reference to the Agreements and Crew Lists.
 
 

Reminder!  MASTERS & MATES are the subject of a separate Guide. However until 1845 they will be found in the above records. BT115 (see Guide to Tracing Master Mariners) is extracted from the records of BT114.

Last updated 21.04.02ef

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