Masters and Mates Certificates

[Kit]

Can you tell me where on this certificate it says his place and date of birth?

Richard Jackson Bridges (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=2271&iid=31936_1831101883_0313-00003&fn=Richard+Jackson&ln=Bridges&st=d&ssrc=&pid=514960)

I think this is the same man but this one clearly say place and YOB.

Richard Jackson Bridges 2 (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=2271&iid=31936_1831109333_0166-00639&fn=Richard+Jackson&ln=Bridges&st=d&ssrc=&pid=651033)

[Shona]

The Certificates didn't have dates of birth.

The following is from the Royal Museums, Greenwich:

The Merchant Navy: Tracing people: Master-mariners, mates and engineers
This research guide outlines the surviving records of the careers of master-mariners, mates, engineers, skippers and mates of fishing boats, and cooks in the British merchant navy.

Master-Mariners
A master-mariner is a man judged to be qualified to be in charge of a vessel, and is frequently referred to in non-official sources as a captain. Master-mariners were issued with a certificate, many of which have survived, but it must be stressed that these records:

Are not complete
Only cover service between 1845 and 1927
Pre-1845
There was no system of examination or qualification to become a master-mariner, and therefore there are no separate records for masters before this date.

1845–1854
Examinations were introduced in 1845, but did not become compulsory for the foreign trade until 1850, and the home trade (i.e. those trading in UK coastal waters and with north European ports) until 1854. Records for this period are therefore partial.

1854–1927
All master-mariners operating during this period would have been required to hold a certificate, of which many have survived and are now in the care of the National Maritime Museum.

1928–date
Certificates from 1928 onwards have not survived, but there are some registers of certificates applied for and issued at the National Archives.

Content of the records
Certificates record the mariner’s name, the date of examinations were passed, and the mariner’s signature.

[Jackie H]

If you scroll back there are 2 other pages for him. I hadn't realised so I'm going to have to revisit some of my mariners :)

[Shona]

Yes - the applications to be examined did have place and date of birth. The actual certificate on its own did not.

[Jackie H]

Just had another look at one of mine and there are 17 pages for him in total

[Shona]

You should have the names of the vessels the mariner sailed on and dates of voyages.

[Kit]

Thanks Shona.

Jackie I hadn't scrolled back. The previous 2 pages give heaps of info. Thanks.

Sadly I don't think this is my missing Richard, unless the address he gave matches one of my family on a census.

[JBee]

Yes the info is great - I had OH's ggfather's records. I know from newspaper articles he drowned when his ship went down - also a previous ship had been sunk too - not a lucky mate lol.

Anyway the records gave a list of about 12 ships he'd been on previously until he got his 1st mate certificate - unfortunately not for the last 8 years of service though.

[Punchs Mum]

Many thanks for posting this information re the Masters and Mates Cert.

I too have scrolled back on my relatives certificate and found a total of 14 pages including a description of his build ie hair colouring, height etc, eye colour etc.

Thanks again....a great help!

Lesley.

[ElizabethHerts]

Could someone please post the link to search this collection - I can't find it!

[Lindsay]

Here you are:
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=2271

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Lindsay. I wasn't sure where to look.

[Lindsay]

I know what you mean - I struggle to find any collection which isn't saved to my quick links!