Discharge Book numbering from WW 2 to 1972 for British seamen

[Jim R Christie]

As has no doubt been mentioned previously, marine offices were issued batches of books with pre printed numbers to be issued as required to new entrants to the MN.
Naturally the busier offices got through their stocks quicker than the quieter ones, hence two men issued a book on the same day at different offices could have wildly different numbers, indeed a man issued a book a year after someone else could easily have a lower number if it was issued at one of the less busy offices.
These days that doesn't happen as there's a central database kept in Cardiff, so regardless of whether a book is issued at an MCA marine office or sent from Cardiff it's issued with the next available number.
Dates with regard the changeover from R numbers to UK were somewhat variable. UK numbers were issued from (I think) 1971, however R numbers were still being issued some time afterwards as offices used up stocks of books.
As an example; about 15 years ago I was signing off a Motorman and did a double take when I clocked on the articles that his discharge book had an R number, this being a bloke who at the time would have only been about 40. I checked his book and sure enough he had an R number. I queried this with him and he explained that when he first went to sea in the mid 80s he had his discharge book issued at his local office which was Hartlepool. That office must have still had a stock of the older books - and obviously didn't issue many - hence he was issued with a number in the R9XXXXX series, even though most other offices started issuing UK numbers nearly 15 years earlier.

[Peter Button]

My discharge book, R823820, was issued on 12 December 1972. I hope this helps.
Peter Button

[Trevor Bodiam]

R811047 issued in Dover in 1964.

[Robert Poag]

Robert Poag here my discharge book no. R668722 was issued in Larne in March 1958.

[Michael Black]

#244, Jim a good explanation of the way books were issued. Another example is the post following yours by Peter Button his number being R823820 issued in1972 while mine is R873600 issued at Blyth in 1969.
Regards Michael

[Doc Vernon]

#244, Jim a good explanation of the way books were issued. Another example is the post following yours by Peter Button his number being R823820 issued in1972 while mine is R873600 issued at Blyth in 1969.
Regards Michael

I think the First Post says it all Michael? #1
Cheers

1940 R 217400
1943 R 230000
1945 R 310000
1956 R 658000
1965 R 816000

[Des Taff Jenkins]

June 1949 R510868
Des

[Michael Bates]

Mine was R835171 issued in September 1966.Funny how i remember that as i havent seen it since August 1971 when i jumped ship,thats is incorrect it would have been May or June of that year when signing on,Oh!glorious days i would have liked to have done a few more years but if could choose they would have been the early 60s and not the early 70s,in other words i would have liked a prequel to my see going career and not a sequel.

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Michael.
Why didn't you go on the NZ coast, would have given you NZ and a life at sea. What ship did you jump from? We left NZ for Aus in 1972 after 15 years there.
Des

[Terry Sullivan]

Mine was 340406.
Terry Sullivan