Easier Searching of Merchant Seaman Records at TNA

Thanks to the work of volunteers, series BT 124, registers of certificates for masters and mates, are now searchable on The National Archives (UK) Discovery catalogue. Records provide certificate numbers, birth details, certification dates, and voyage information.

A detailed blog post at https://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/tracing-merchant-seaman-in-the-19th-century/  explains the process of digitizing and indexing the records used in the transcription using the website fromthepage.com.

It also covers the complementary nature of records held by The National Archives and the National Maritime Museum, providing examples of how these records can be used together to trace a seaman’s career. It mentions the inclusion of former Royal Navy personnel in these merchant navy records and provides several examples. Two examples include mention of Canadian locations. Records mentioning many other Canadian locations, such as birthplace, are in the collection.

We can now search these records in various ways, including by name, birth details, or certification information. While BT 124 covers certificates of service for masters and mates in foreign trade from 1850 to 1888, additional registers are not yet digitized or searchable by name on Discovery. Something to look forward to!

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