Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Hi, I am researching a relative who we think sailed on the S.S,Virginian in 1912. The Virginian, "Allan Line" was equiped with the latest radio systems and was reputed to have received messages from The Titanic and steamed to the scene. Obviously too late as history shows.
Although the family have a photograph of this relative dressed in uniform with the cap indicating H.M.S. Virginian and the uniform looked more Royal Navy than Merchant. I understand that The Virginian may have been under admiralty control as an armed merchantman and perhaps that is why the cap has H.M.S. upon it.
Although I have found passenger lists, menu's and even prices of radio messages I cannot find a crew list except for The Captain's and senior officers names. Any help and advice including opinions on this subject would be most apreciated. The relative in question is the father of my sisters late husband. His name was Nicholas Wilde, born Bootle 1888 and was the son of Lawrence Wilde, Born Lough Shinney 1857 and settled in Bootle.
I would also be pleased of any help researching Lawrence in Lough Shinney having had no luck so far finding that searching Irish records a bit tricky for someone with as little Hi-Tec ability as myself
Thank you, Bill

There are a few references to this Ship on the Liverpool Archives Catalogue. I can't offhand recall if the Archives have any crew lists for this ship.

Link to Liverpool Archives Catalogue:-

http://archive.liverpool.gov.uk/CalmVie ... ew.Catalog

Have you tried the National Archives Catalogue.

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

The majority of Crew list are held at Newfoundland in Canada.

http://www.mun.ca/mha/holdings/searchcombinedcrews.php

You do need the ship number in order to locate a Crew List that you know he was on, which is 123600.

Hi and welcome to the forum.

If it's the same man then the National Archives have a card for him, together with photograph and it will give you his number and various other information, which as I'm no expert on seamen I wouldn't be able to identify for you.

You could do worse than purchase a few credits or try a two week free trial for Findmypast, which will also have it.

Hello Bill and welcome,
It is possible that during WW1 Nicholas Wilde may have served in the RN since the Virginian is listed as a Merchant auxiliary cruiser on this site:
http://www.norwayheritage.com/p_ship.asp?sh=virgk

Here she is listed in August 1914 as a troop ship for Canadian Expeditionary Force. In November 13, 1914 she was requisitioned as armed merchant cruiser, 10th Cruiser Squadron.
http://www.titanicinquiry.org/ships/virginian.php

With regard to research connected with Nicholas Wilde's father I suggest you do a separate post under Other Areas Help.

Hi Bill,
It would appear that it is worth investing in a few credits on Findmypast to look for him under Education and Work, Merchant Navy and Maritime collection.

If your Nicholas was born in Bootle on the 24th of March 1888 there is an MN card for him complete with photograph. He is a fireman [aka stoker] and served on the SS Marquesa from 20/11/1918 [ http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/l ... A_303.html ] and the SS Graciana from 30/01/1919 [ http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?222101 ]

The other part of the topic has been split, from this subject. You can find it here. http://forum.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk ... 22&t=14145

Thank you all for such prompt and informative replies. It gives me plenty to work on.
Regards Bill

By the way the Findmypast offer of 30 days for £1 is still on for a short while.

Find My Past and Ancestry are available free in all Liverpool libraries on the PCs via their "Digital Library".


Blue

Just a comment on the timing. I think it most unlikely that the Virginian would have been an armed merchant vessel in 1912, but would have been taken into service by the Admiralty on or about the start of the war. The merchant seamen would have come under naval control for that war service, but I do not know enough about this to confirm their status: M.N., RNR etc.

D

The SS Virgina was definitely a passenger liner in 1912. It was not until 1914 that she was chartered as a troopship by the Canadian Pacific Line from the Allan Line and later that year modified into an armed merchantman.

Relationship to Titanic disaster / inquiries.
April 15, 1912
Eastbound, Halifax to Liverpool. At 12:40 a.m., picked up distress call from Titanic by way of Cape Race (MCE). Immediately tuned in to Titanic and passed on details of the disaster to other ships. Although she was 178 miles to the north, was erroneously reported to have Titanic in tow.

He's on the RN WW1 medal roll on Ancestry so must have served in the RN for part of the war. He probably will have a RN service record which would be on the National Archive site but I had a quick look and couldn't see it. My great uncle was MM and then moved into the RN for war service. He has MM medals and RN medals for WW1 as your man may have.

Thanks Hilary,
Great news re nick being R.N. during part of W.W.1. It explains a couple of things.

Also thanks to all for posts since my last "thank you"

Regards, Bill

Hi again Hilary,
I understand that W.W.1. medals were issued automaticaly for "Other Ranks" and I presume that term is Army. Do you know if M.N. and R.N. medals were also issued automaticaly?
Thanks, Bill