Discharge book

[Alex Titley]

I seem to have mislaid my shipping out documents, does any one know if I can get copies and from where>

Regards
Alex

[Doc Vernon]

Hi Alex
Depending if you were still at Sea after 1972 then it is going to be very hard,as there were no records kept after that date!
If you left before then,then the answer is yes you can from the NA in Kew,there is a cost of course but that will all be told to you on your application!
If you send me your place and DOB per Private Message or Email through the site i will steer you to the link if your records still exist!
Cheers

PS Are you from Middleton!
or Birmingham?

[DeepSea]

1941 to 1972 Fifth Register of Merchant Seaman's Service

These records are held at The National Archives in classification BT 382. The Fifth Register of Seaman’s Service 1941 to 1972.

Records of individual Merchant Seamen's sea service details are held in alphabetical surname order. These details include the following information: Name of seaman, Date and place of birth, Discharge (Seaman’s) book number, Rank, Details of the ships on which he served. These include:

Name of ship and official number, date of engagement (Joining ship), Date of discharge (Leaving ship), whether ship was a foreign going of home trade vessel, and records in some cases National Insurance contributions. Details shown in these records are similar to those contained in an individual seaman's discharge book.

1913 to 1940 Fourth Register of Merchant Seaman's service.

These records are available at The National Archives and are held on Microfiche in the following classifications BT 348: Register of Seamen, Central Index, Numerical Series (CR 2), BT 349: Register of Seamen, Central Index, Alphabetical Series (CR 1) and BT 350: Register of Seamen, Special Index, Alphabetical Series (CR 10). These three classes were combined in one classification namely BT 364 Register of Seaman, Combined Numerical Index (CR1, CR 2 & CR 10) and were made up by extracting combinations of cards from the other three classes.

The original records for the above named classifications are now held at the following address:

Southampton Archives, Southampton City Council,
South Block,
Civic Centre,
Southampton,
S014 7LY.

This office is open Tuesdays to Fridays 9.30am to 4.30pm, with one late evening opening each month. There is no charge for a personal visit. Alternatively enquiries for information from the records may be made by post, e-mail or fax but there will be a charge for this.

Central index of Merchant Seamen - Southampton City Council