Seaman's ID Card

[BurscoughLad]

I have discovered my father's "seaman's number" and that he sailed on SS Regina - White Star Line - from Liverpool to Boston in December 1928
(courtesy of free Anc* access).
What I would like to know is whether I would be likely to get any further history of his sea faring just having the above info - and if "yes" from where??
I have no idea how long he went to sea; he was 16 at the time and registered as "a silver washer"!! It would be great to be able to fill in some of the gaps, as Dad was not much of a talker about his exploits.

I am currently in the process of attempting to put some flesh on the bones of his fire service duties on Liverpool / Bootle docks during WW2.

Any guidance would be much appreciated

[Hilary]

www.findmypast.co.uk has just launched a new set of Merchant Seamen Index cards

The records are index cards which the Registrar General of Shipping and Seaman used between the two world wars to produce a centralised index of merchant seamen serving on British merchant navy vessels. They cover the period 1918-1941.

You might find something there.

They also have crew lists on the site as well

You can search the indexes for free but would have to register to see the actual records. You can either buy credits or they do a 14 day free trial.

Their T & Cs prevent look ups

I've found my great uncle and a photo!!

[seeker]

Hi BurscoughLad
If you e-mail archives@liverpool.gov.uk or phone 0151 233 5817 (Sandhills) they hold the records for Merseyside Fire Service which covers the war years. To visit you will have to arrange an appointment first.
By the way "names of interest" is that Wainwright of Liverpool?
Regards
seeker 8041

[BurscoughLad]

Thank you Hilary and seeker for your info

Seeker, my wife is the "Wainwright" element.

The family roots could well move to Liverpool via the older Nathan W, back in the late 1700's / early 1800's

My father in law lived in Netherton Village all his life. His father was Henry and grand father was Nathan (born 10 Dec 1810 in Lydiate / Aughton area). Baptised at St Michael's Aughton 30 Dec 1810
He married Grace Balshaw in St Peter's, Liverpool in 1839.

They lived in Altcar in 1841.

Henry, born 1857, moved to Netherton Village on his marriage in October 1885

Nathan's father was also Nathan, but details are not clear as yet, but could be Liverpool.

Grace's father was a cowkeeper in Renshaw Street, Liverpool (from the 1839 marr cert.)

If you think there might be a link, please feel free to contact me via pm

Regards

[Hilary]

Nathan's baptism
Baptisms: 30 Dec 1810 St Michael, Aughton, Lancashire, England
Nathan Wainwright - Son of Nathan Wainwright & Ann
Born: 10 Dec 1810
Abode: Lydiate

There is also this burial
Burial: 21 Apr 1811 St Thomas, Melling, Lancashire, England
Nathan Wainwright - Son of Nathan Wainwright
Abode: Lydate
Occupation: Labourer
which is probably Nathan born in 1810?

As rortunately they had another Nathan who must be your wife's ancestor
Baptisms: 31 Jul 1814 St Michael, Aughton, Lancashire, England
Nathan Wainwright - Son of Nathan Wainwright & Ann
Abode: Lydiate
Occupation: Labourer


Nathan's parent's marriage
Marriage: 14 Jan 1805 St Cuthbert, Halsall, Lancashire, England
Nathan Wainwright - (X), Husbandman of this Parish
Ann Tatersale - (X), Spinster of this Parish
Witness: James Sumner; Thos Sumner
Lydiate was in the parish of Halsall

This Nathan's baptism probably Maghull also being in the parish of Halsall

Baptisms: 21 Jul 1782 St Andrew, Maghull, Lancashire, England
Nathan Whaneright - Son of Richd. Whaneright & Dorathy

Marriage: 26 Oct 1779 St Thomas, Melling, Lancashire, England
Richard Wainwright - (X), Husbandman of the Parish of Halsall
Dorothy Goulburn - (X), Spinster of the same Parish
Witness: Thomas Sutton; Nich. Stopard
Banns Read: 10 Oct 1779, 2nd: 17 Oct 1779, 3rd: 24 Oct 1779
Married by Banns by: Benjm.Whitehead Minister

[BurscoughLad]

Hilary,

What can I say???

I had completely missed the burial and second birth.

"There is none so blind as those who do not wish to see!!"

Thank you so much for that - and for the extra info.

I had the Ann Tatersale marriage at Halsall, but not the next generation back.

So thank you again.

And now it's back to the tree to correct the data!!

regards

[Hilary]

The address on the marriage certificate is that where Grace was living not the address of her father. In 1841 Nathan and Grace are living in altcar with her father Thomas a farmer

1841 census Altcar
Thomas Balshaw 60 farmer
Grace 50
James 15
Thomas 15
John 13
Mary 8
Catherine Balsahaw 20
Jonathan 6
Elizabeth 4
Nathan Wainwright 25
GRace 20
Ann 1

By 1851 they have their own place and
Nathan 30 ag lab bn Lydiate
Grace 34
Ann 11
thomas 9
Jane 2
all bn Altcar

I have a large amount of information on the Balsahaw family if you're interested. It'll take a bit of sorting out but Thomas, Grace's father died in 1856 and is buried in Altcar. His wife Grace died in 1841 and is also buried in Altcar.

[BurscoughLad]

It's now a few months since I put my original post on the board.

So I feel I owe you - my "advisers" - an update.

I visited the Maritime Museum and got some background detail; but unfortunately, the Lloyds registers they had were not the dates of my dad's voyages.
Tantalisingly, they had the quarters on either side on the dates!!

Following on from that, I contacted Simon Ryan of Merseyside Fire & Rescue.
He was so willing to help and I now have photos of some of the vehicles and trailers that were used during the blitz.
I hadn't appreciated that the firemen (AFS) weren't allocated to fire engines; they had pumps, which were mostly pulled by a couple of men!! It was reminiscent of Scouting in the early days when the tents were loaded on to a cart and then hauled to the camp site!!
It really is amazing that the whole of Liverpool didn't go up in smoke.

For the last couple of months, priorities have been elsewhere, so sorry about the delay

Thanks again to my "advisers"

[MaryA]

Thank you for your update, some good results and others not so much. I love the background on the fire service, I don't suppose many of us had much of an idea of how things were.