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Thread: Understanding a seamans identity document

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    Yes. I would like to know....I cannot find any options that allow a download from that site.

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    Default Understanding

    [QUOTE=Quizmaster Tony;76151]
    Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Cloherty View Post
    Very useful that Doc, especially as you can download a PDF version, it all helps.

    Forgive me being a little slow this morning Ivan but how do you download it as a PDF?
    Hi Tony

    If you go on the site, there is a little marker which says Load as PDF, its near the photo of our uniformed colleagues) which is what I did and it gives you a fuller version.

    As you well know if it had been difficult I would not have been able to do it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    Well b****r me I spent ages looking around the site for a link and there it was staring me in the face all the time. Well spotted Ivan and thanks.

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    Got it! Thank you...amazing how things that stare you in the face are not seen! Busy printing the 10 pages now.

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    Default Discharge A Number

    [QUOTE=Errol Chandler;76073]
    Can you enlighten me as to what: Dis. A No. 61123 indicates and if that number is a document that can be sourced somewhere?


    The Discharge A Number appears on his Continuous Discharge Book which he was issued with if he was making foreign voyages. It would contain details of all his foreign voyages plus a comment on his conduct. The books were introduced in 1900 and were an attempt to ensure that any seaman who signed on for a voyage could prove they were of good character. I suspect that there is digit missing fom the Dis A No quoted. I would date 61123 as around 1901 with a number nearer 600000 for 1911. It might be worth trawling through the Chandlers on the FMP site to see if you could find a possible match on a post 1921 CR2 card. If he was issued with a replacement discharge book post 1921 then there may be a CR1 card for him. One of the weaknesses of the FMP site is that you cannot search by number, only by surname.
    I hope this helps you.
    best wishes
    David Snook
    Last edited by Tony Morcom; 17th December 2011 at 12:58 PM. Reason: reducing length of Quote

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    Default Seaman's identity

    [QUOTE=David Snook;76247]The Discharge A Number appears on his Continuous Discharge Book



    Possibly not David as five figure Dis A numbers were in common use, my father's was R96096 issued in 1927 and I still have it along with my own
    Regards Ivan

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    Default Discharge Book numbering

    Hi Ivan
    Between 1900 and 1925 ish there were no prefix letters and you can get an approximate year of issue from the number.
    Discharge number you quote has to be post 1925ish because of the letter prefix R.
    One possible reason they changed is that by 1924 they were up to seven digits (say 1100000.)
    Its very easy to lose a digit with that number involved.
    best wishes
    David Snook

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    Hello Ivan,
    Prior to the introduction of the 'R' series of Discharge numbers probably very early 1920s, MN discharge numbers were purly numerical so David is correct.

    Welcome aboard, David.

    Regards
    Hugh
    "If Blood was the price
    We had to pay for our freedom
    Then the Merchant Ship Sailors
    Paid it in full”


    www.sscityofcairo.co.uk

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    Gentlemen, thank you all for your help. It is really very good of you to take an interest.
    Errol Chandler

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    Errol, Welcome aboard.

    Getting to this thread a bit late due to a hard drive failure on my computer - using a steam driven laptop for now.

    David has correctly identified that FMP - although a great addition - is not the most complete way of searching merchant seamen of that era. The Dis A. number is a seaman's pivotal reference and is very important for researching any seaman.

    It may be worth contacting Southampton City Archives, address and details on this link: Central index of Merchant Seamen - Southampton City Council
    They will do a complete search for £15. The key is his discharge number if you give it they can do a complete search.

    All Merchant Navy WW1 personal records have been destroyed; therefore, the only way to find out what ships he served on prior to 1918 would be to back-track through crew agreements and for that you need to know the name of a ship to start with. So I suggest you need to obtain the crew agreement for 135315 'LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE' and with a bit of luck his previous ship will be mentioned and you go from there.

    The 1918 crew agreements for 'LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE' are held at the Maritime History Archive, New Foundland, Canada - Maritime History Archive

    Regards
    Hugh
    "If Blood was the price
    We had to pay for our freedom
    Then the Merchant Ship Sailors
    Paid it in full”


    www.sscityofcairo.co.uk

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