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Archiver > Mariners > 2001-04 > 0986215480


From: BAINES Stephen <>
Subject: RE: [Mar] Mariners families
Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2001 13:44:40 +0100



Not a dumb question at all.

Sailors were signed on for a voyage or for a season, and there was no
guarantee that they would end up in the same port that they started from.
Whitby sailors may often find themselves taken on at Whitby and paid off in
London. They would then have to stay in London until they could find a ship
back.

They may even have been impressed into the Navy, and not been able to return
to Whitby for several years - though in the meantime become quite familiar
with the ports of London, Portsmouth etc. If they met a suitable (or maybe
an unsuitable one would have had more attractions!) young woman there, and
if there was nothing particular to encourage them to return home, they may
well stay.

Whitby was a large ship-owning and ship-building town, but itself had few
exports. So most Whitby ships were involved in trades between other ports -
notably London and Newcastle/Shields/Sunderland in the coal trade - or in
the Baltic trade for timber and tar, strating and finishing in either Hull
or London.

So Whitby ships -and sailors- would often be in London. Mariners may
deliberately choose to stay in London (better job prospects, escaping from
debts - or even from a family).

In the 19th century Whitby ship-owners and merchants often left Whitby with
its limited trading opportunities and difficult land access, and set up
business in London, registering their ships there.


Stephen
Colchester UK



> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Tony & Jenni [mailto:]
> > Sent: 31 March 2001 04:06
> > Subject: [Mar] Mariners families
> >
> >
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > I am new to researching my Mariner rellies and this question
> > may seem dum to you all but,
> > Do the families of the Mariners move around depending on
> > where the Mariner is based or do they generally stay in one place?
> >
> > My research is in Whitby but I have now found a variant of
> > the name at a later date in Gravesend.
> >
> > I hope my question is not to silly to get a response.
> >
> >
>
>
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