United Kingdom, Merchant Navy Seamen Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

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Whenever possible, Family Search makes images available for all users. However, ultimate rights to view images on our website are granted by the record Custodians. The United Kingdom, Merchant Navy Seamen Records, 1835-1941 collection is available to the Family History Library, FamilySearch Centers, and to members of the supporting organization, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The images can be viewed at a FamilySearch Center near you.

Record Description
The collection is comprised in three series of seamen’s tickets.


 * Series I began in 1835 and ended in 1836 (BT 120).
 * Series II included 1835. It was kept until 1844. It is divided into the actual tickets (BT 112) which is arranged in numerical order and the index to the tickets (BT 119). It continues from 1845 to 1854 with tickets (BT 113) and an alphabetical register (BT 114). Within this register M’, Mc, and Mac surnames may be filed under “M” or under the names. For example: MacDuff may be filed under “M” or under “D.”
 * Series III covers the time period 1853 to 1857 in an alphabetical arrangement without index (BT 116).

The collection is in good condition with little damage to the volumes. These records contain information on all of the merchant seamen between 1835 and 1857.

An act of Parliament required agreements and crew lists to be filed with the Register Office of Merchant Seamen to create a means of manning the Royal Navy in wartime.

Registration of merchant seamen was provided for in the 1835 Merchant Shipping Act. Seamen were engaged by the voyage at this period, and there was no permanent merchant service. The registers were made up from the new returns of agreements and crew lists for each voyage. In 1857 the use of seamen’s registers was discontinued.

This collection includes records for the years 1835 to 1857.

Citation for this Collection
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Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

A full bibliographic record is available in the Family History Library Catalog.


 * Alphabetical register of seamen, 1835-1844--class BT 119--index to BT 112. Great Britain. Board of Trade. Mercantile Marine Department
 * Register of seamen's tickets, 1845-1854 (BT 113) and alphabetical register of seamen's tickets, 1845-1854 (BT 114) Great Britain. Board of Trade. Mercantile Marine Department
 * Register of seamen, series II, 1835-1844--Class BT 112 Great Britain. Board of Trade. Mercantile Marine Department
 * Register of seamen--series III, 1853-1857--class BT 116 Great Britain. Board of Trade. Mercantile Marine Department
 * Registers of seamen series I (1835-1836)--class BT/120 Great Britain. Board of Trade. Mercantile Marine Department
 * Alphabetical register of masters, 1845-1854--class BT 115 Great Britain. Board of Trade. Mercantile Marine Department

Record Content
Series I, BT 120, 1835-1844, includes the following information: 


 * Ticket number
 * Name with surname first, followed by the given name
 * Age
 * Place of birth
 * Quality – whether a seaman, a master, a foreman, a carpenter, a mate (position on board the ship)
 * Ship belonging to (name of the ship and the port it docked at such as London, Liverpool, etc.)
 * How disposed of (in most cases nothing is mentioned. In some cases a desertion is noted with the date and the location)

Series II, BT 112 with index in BT 119, 1835-1844, includes the following information:


 * Number
 * Name, with surname first, then given name
 * Age
 * Place of birth
 * Multiple fields for entering multiple voyages, which include a code for the ship’s name, and destination of the voyage

BT 113, 1845-1854, includes the following information: 


 * Ticket number
 * Name with given name first followed by surname
 * Place of birth
 * County of birth
 * Date of birth
 * Capacity
 * Height
 * Hair color
 * Complexion
 * Eye color
 * Marks
 * First went to Sea as
 * Year (first went to sea)
 * Has served in the Royal Navy
 * Has been in Foreign Service
 * When unemployed, resides at
 * Issued at (place ticket was issued)
 * Date (ticket was issued)
 * Age in 1845
 * Age when ticketed
 * Can write
 * Multiple columns by year in order to record out voyages and return voyages. A ship number was used to indicate which ship the seaman sailed on.

BT 114, index to BT 113 includes the following information: 


 * Number of register ticket
 * Name, surname first followed by given name
 * Place of birth or residence

Series III, BT 116, 1853-1857 (no index) includes the following information:


 * Name (given name first, followed by surname)
 * Place of birth
 * Age
 * Multiple columns for each year
 * Under each year column there are two columns, one for outbound voyages and one for return home voyages. The date and ship are entered into the columns for each voyage taken.
 * Remarks

How to Use the Record
To begin your search in the Seamen Records, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Name of ancestor
 * Approximate year of birth
 * Place of birth

Begin your search by looking for your ancestor in the index. Name indexes make it possible to access a specific record quickly. Remember that these indexes may contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings and misinterpretations.

Compare the information in the record to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct person. You may need to compare the information of more than one person to make this determination.

Search the Collection
To search the collection by the index:

Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example:


 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find your ancestor’s birth record and parents' names.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records.
 * If your ancestor served on Royal Navy ships, search for other military service records.

Unable to Find your Ancestor?
When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct. If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, check for variant spellings of the surname or check for a different index.

Related Websites

 * National Archives
 * Detailed Finding Aid of Merchant Marine Records

Related Wiki Articles

 * England Merchant Marine
 * Scotland Merchant Marine

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
“Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, 1890; citing Delaware, State Marriage Records, no. 859, Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.