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Archiver > Mariners > 1999-08 > 0935016881


From: "Debbie Beavis" <>
Subject: [Mariners] 20C Merchant Seamen
Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1999 23:54:41 +0100


TRACING 20c MERCHANT SEAMEN IN BRITISH RECORDS

Debbie Beavis

There are NO service records of ordinary merchant seamen who served
between1857 and 1913.

Fourth Register of Seamen 1913-1941 (Central Index Register)

If a man served between 1913 and 1940 his details were recorded in the
CIR, also known as the Fourth Register of Seamen. Surviving records have
been transferred to the Public Record Office from the Registry of
Shipping and Seamen. The records are filed in a card index, now viewed
on microfiche. There are several series of cards within this series
(CR1, CR2, CR10), each compiled slightly differently and comprising
slightly different information.
You should be able to find discharge number, vessels noted (normally by
o.n. only), a physical description, sometimes a photograph.

Index cards in CR1 CR2 for 1913-1920 have been destroyed, but there is a
separate index covering part of that period (CR10).

BT348 Register of Seamen Central Index Numerical Series (CR2) 1921-1941.

Cards filed in numerical order by discharge number, dates of signing and
lists of ships which may be shown by official number only.

BT349 Register of Seamen Central Index Alphabetical Series (CR1)
1921-1941.

Cards arranged alphabetically by surname. You should find name, place,
date of birth, capacity, brief description and sometimes a photograph.

BT350 Register of Seamen, Special Index, Alphabetical Series (CR10)
1918-1921

These are similar to CR1, and have a photograph of the seaman.

Later records comprising the fifth register (from 1941) are yet to be
transferred to the Public Record Office.

Once you have identified the name of ships on which a man served, you
may be able to locate crew lists and agreements to enable you to compile
information about a man's service during the latter part of the years
for which service records do not exist. The records of Agreements and
Crew Lists are the subject of a separate posting. This is a brief
overview of what records may be available. There is a series of on-line
leaflets at the PRO's website http://www.pro.gov.uk which give
additional information about what you may find.

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