15 year old Naval Rating

Post by **seeker** » 17 Dec 2010 20:26

Hello Again

In the 1861 census my Wife's G.G. Grandfather is listed as a 15 year old Boy 2nd Class. How can I find more info. on him, like what vessel he was on at the time of the census? Could I use the RG number to assist? Are there Military Archives I can turn to? Any help and advice would be very much appreciated.
Regards to all on the Forum
seeker No.8041

Post by **dickiesam** » 17 Dec 2010 23:25

Hi,
If that young lad was actually enumerated at his home on census night, it will be almost impossible to find out what vessel he was serving on in 1861.

However, you should you post some info on this lad, like his name, age and place in the 1861, and because it appears you may have the census page reference, please post that as well.

Lots of smart folk on this forum will try to help.

Dickiesam

Post by **jan44** » 18 Dec 2010 00:02

Hi Seeker,

As Dickiesam has already said, can you give us name etc.

My gg grandad was on board a ship in Malta on the 1861, it also named the ship as "The Liffey".

Jan

Post by **seeker** » 18 Dec 2010 14:54

Hi dickiesam and jan44
This looks like a census form filled out on board ship in 1861.
His name is Ralph Allen aged 15 & 9/12th (on the form) The R.G. is 9/4438 .Page 13. The heading is "List of the Officers,Crew and Marines, as well as Passengers and Visitors on Board on the night of Sunday April 7th 1861. Total of M & F 20. For most of his working life he were a Rope Maker, so we can see were he got his skill from.
Thank You for any help.
seeker No. 8041

Post by **simone** » 18 Dec 2010 18:23

Hi

The ship is 'Harrier'

You can see this on the record for Ralph, if you go down to where it says district on his record before you click on the image. (the typed bit where it tells you all his details)

Also, when you go to the image, go to the bit at the top of it that says
'Distrct Harrier' on the green banner near to where it says 'Return to record'. Click on 'District Harrier' You should then get a box pop up, wait for it to load, then scroll down to 'district harrier' and click 'description of enumeration district'.. You will then see details, longitude,latitude, capatain etc as at midnight 7/4/1861.

hope that's clear

Simone x

Post by **seeker** » 18 Dec 2010 19:44

Hello simone,
Thank You for that. Wow! the ship is the Harrier, well I better jump to it and check it out

once again thanks.
seeker no.8041

Post by **Katie** » 18 Dec 2010 19:49

There is a Royal Naval Record online at The National Archives for Ralph Allen born West Derby 18th July 1845

Name Allen, Ralph
Place of Birth: West Derby, Lancashire
Continuous Service Number: 9703A
Date of Volunteering: 24 May 1860
Date of birth 18 July 1845 ADM 139/498
See details

You can order the document through the link below at a cost of £3.50. This will be a record of his service and will also list ships that he was on until his discharge.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/docu ... ine/search

Post by **seeker** » 18 Dec 2010 20:18

Hi Katie
Thank You for that link. This looks like my man.
seeker No.8041

Post by **seeker** » 19 Dec 2010 13:32

To simone
I'am sorry I am a bit confused

to which record do you refer, FMP or Ancestry or another? On FMP (the one I use ) it does not seem to name the vessel. I'am new to all this, so please bear with me.
Thank You
Regards
seeker 8041

Post by **MaryA** » 19 Dec 2010 16:38

Simone's description sounds as if she was looking at Ancestry.

Post by **simone** » 19 Dec 2010 18:45

Oops, sorry,

yes Mary is right.. it is Ancestry

Simone x

Post by **simone** » 19 Dec 2010 19:15

This is weird, when I look at the record I get the page with longitude latitude etc on it. Howvever a little while agao when I viewed it I got another page saying that the ship was moored by single anchor, Yangtze River, China.. can't get that page back now

strange

Post by **seeker** » 19 Dec 2010 20:38

Hi Simone & Mary A
Thanks for replies. I have been digging around and it looks like the Harrier was commissoned 30th Oct 1860. She was a sloop of 747 tonnes with 17 guns and based on the Australia station (and New Zealand) in 1864 and at some point its very likely that she was in China. My man volunteered 24th May 1860, and so it looks like they come to-gether.

Thank You for all your good work.
Regards
seeker 8041

Post by **simone** » 19 Dec 2010 20:44

Mystery solved about the missing page... that page was actually for the ship Hamer

clicked on wrong one, but perhaps a number of ships there anyway

hope you're good at map co-ordinates re longitude & latitude

that'll solve it once and for all anyway

I'll send the right image to you Kevin

Simone x

Post by **dickiesam** » 19 Dec 2010 20:54

Hi,
The 1861 census reference RG09 / 4438 / 32 / 13 shows young Ralph. If you then go to RG09 / 4438 / 27 / 0i and RG09 / 4438 / 27 / 0ii, those two pages will give you the details of his ship. On the first page the Master, Sir Malcom McGregor, writes they were at sea at midnight on census night and gives their latitude and longitude coordinates.

Dickiesam

Post by **seeker** » 19 Dec 2010 21:03

To Simone
PM with attachment received. Another brick wall knocked down, You people on the forum should be in the demolition business!

Thanks all
seeker 8041

Post by **dickiesam** » 19 Dec 2010 21:26

This site has a tool for finding the point indicated by the coordinates. Just follow the instructions in the bottom right about using + and - symbols and write the coords as decimals, ie +39.2 and -30.28.

http://itouchmap.com/latlong.html

Interesting, it puts the Harrier a hundred miles or more off the SE coast of Africa, possibly on her maiden voyage, having rounded the Cape of Good Hope on her way from the South Atlantic to the Indian Ocean.

Dickiesam

Post by **seeker** » 20 Dec 2010 13:15

Thanks Dickiesam
Thats 2 good sites the Forum has given me. One for Military archives and one for long. & lat. Smashing!

I can draw a double line under this now. I have enough info. to go on with.
Regards to all.
seeker No.8041

Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum