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Archiver > NORFOLK > 2002-06 > 1023629858


From: "Robert Millward" <>
Subject: RE: records for mariners - Yarmouth/NICHOLS
Date: Sun, 9 Jun 2002 14:39:43 +0100
In-Reply-To: <3.0.1.32.20020609090011.011844f0@pop.webone.com.au>


Hi Carolyn,
Certificates of competency for Masters [captains] started in 1845 and there
are lists in the Lloyds collection and at the PRO.
The mercantile navy lists start in 1857 and are similar to the LLOYDS lists
which date from 1764. Some of the mercantile navy lists have a section in
the back with Captains, though this would be a longer search than the lists.
You can us ethe mercantile navy lists or LLoyds list to find details of the
ship, the managing owner/ captain is normally given.
Alternatively, there were annual lists of ships taken along with the
"plantation lists" for empire registered vessels. This may be a means of
finding the ships number for the Wild Duck. If you then look in the crew
lists and agreements at the PRO, National maritime museum or Maritime
history archive at Nova scotia, you may find there is a captains certificate
number which can then enable you to see if NMM Greenwich have the original
captains papers.
There may be several ships with the same name, so you may have to decide
which one you need.

There is a very good book on the subject by Kelvin Smith, Christopher T
Watts and Michael J Watts called Records of Merchant Shipping and Seamen.

In some of the work on the quinquennial lists I have come across several
references to Nichols in Yarmouth. Some have one L others have 2.

Looking at the 1933 Kellys, there are fish curers, fish merchants and
Greengrocers in yarmouth and local area. I believe at one time, there was a
large fish restaurant in the market square owned by Nichols [gone now in
favour of the market gates shopping centre].

In Hunts 1850 Directory, an Edward Nichols is listed as a master mariner,
though no fish mongers etc listed.

In 1896 Kellys directory there were a couple of George Nichols listed as
Smack owners- dont know if these are related.

Regards

Bob


-----Original Message-----
From: Carolyn Chalmers [mailto:]
Sent: 09 June 2002 00:00
To:
Subject: RE: records for mariners - Yarmouth/NICHOLS


Hi Bob

I was wondering if you knew of any records I could check to see where my
great grandfather gained his qualifications to be a sea captain. Robert
George or George Robert Nichols born circa 1826 in Yarmouth, emigrated to
Australia about 1848. He was married in Melbourne in 1851. I have found him
as the captain of the Wild Duck in 1851 and 1852, but nothing after that.

If you can assist me it would be appreciated.

Robert George or George Robert has proved to be very elusive to track down.

At 19:27 8/06/2002 +0100, you wrote:
>Hi Jan,
>Looking at your details more closely, I doubt that the details contained
>within the oldnorfolk data on ships would include a ship that travelled to
>australia. Most of the ships in Yarmouth were fishing and coasting trade in
>the north sea. You would have to know which ship they deserted from in
order
>to find the ships log, deserters are listed on the log book and where they
>deserted.
>

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Jan Dempster [mailto:]
>Sent: 31 May 2002 14:50
>To:
>Subject: Re: records for mariners - Yarmouth
>
>
>Hi Bob and Rob,
>
>Thanks for your replies and for all the work you have done to make so much
>information available on the Old Norfolk website.
>
>I am aware from census records of the following:

>----- Original Message -----
>From: Robert Millward <>
>To: <>
>Sent: Friday, May 31, 2002 10:25 PM
>Subject: RE: records for mariners - Yarmouth
>
>
>> Jan,
>> The instant response to this is the census for 1861 and 1871 will give
>those
>> ships with people on them on the night of the census, that were in
>> Yarmouth. If you have a specific name, then you have some hope if he was
a
>> mate or captain as there are lists, but not all are included. Other than
>> that there are the crew lists and agreements, but you have to know which
>> ship, otherwise searches can be impossibly long.
>> If you just want ships registered in Yarmouth, then try the mercantile
>navy
>> lists for the years you want to look at. Best collection is the lloyds
>> collection at the guildhall library in london, but local libraries have
>> copies or can get copies of some years
>> Rob The Hermit and I have tried to put together the 1905 quinquennial
list
>> of ships for yarmouth. I am currently working on the 1910 list. There is
a
>> web site somewhere with the 1881 ships in port list extracted from the
>> census which may be closer to what you want- try an Altavista or google
>> search for "1881 list of ships" or similar and see what turns up.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Bob
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Jan Dempster [mailto:]
>> Sent: 31 May 2002 11:05
>> To:
>> Subject: records for mariners - Yarmouth
>>
>>
>> Does anyone know where I can find out what ships used the port at
Yarmouth
>> in the 1860s and 70s? I am trying to find out what ships my great
>> grandfather Walter Smith (born 1851) and his brothers worked on in those
>> years, and thought finding out what ships called at Yarmouth would be a
>> starting point.
>>
>> thanks,
>> Jan
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>



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