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merchant

  • Audio contentbs0026502

    Tracing merchant seamen, 1857-1918

    A frustrating aspect of researching merchant navy ancestors is the ‘black hole’ between 1857 and 1918 when there are no records for individual seamen. This podcast looks at what records there are for this period, how to access them and ...

  • Audio contentinf13-213-52-world-war-ii-poster---the-life-line-is-firm-thanks-to-the-merchant-navy

    Merchant Navy operational records

    Janet Dempsey examines the wealth of records which deal with the tragedy, terror, heroism and honour of the Merchant Navy in both World Wars.

  • Audio contentCOPY1-419(ii) Newhaven fishwives 1895

    Marriages at sea – fact or fiction?

    There is a rumour in the family that an ancestor was married at sea! How often have we heard this? Is it fact or fiction? Were marriages at sea permitted and, if so, where are records of them to be ...

  • Audio contenttnaprocopy1-149f214-transport-emigration-ships-dominion-line-weekly-sailings-to-north-america-18991

    Tracing births and deaths at sea

    Ships carrying our ancestors to faraway places often arrived with more, or less, passengers than they they set out with.  In this talk Dr Christopher Watts examines the vast range of records, both at The National Archives and elsewhere, that ...

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