Discharge Book numbering from WW 2 to 1972 for British seamen

[David Snook]

I've done some research on Discharge Books and Discharge A numbers from WW2 to 1972 to try and get an idea of the turnover of British seamen over the period.
Typical numbers issued for various years are

1940 R 217400
1943 R 230000
1945 R 310000
1956 R 658000
1965 R 816000
1972 ??? Was R prefix still used at this time.

I would be grateful for feedback on whether these numbers look reasonable and also for some information on the numbers issued around 1972.
thanks
David Snook

[Neville Roberts]

Mine is R 639546 issued Dec 1955.

[Doc Vernon]

I think by 1972 the prefix was UK ,but not too sure!
Cheers

On futher checks i see that the earliestNumber with the R prefix was as follows!
I wonder why they picked that Number to start with! Posibly after they decided to change from no prefix ? No dont think so!

	Discharge A numbers R397 - R29114
	1913-1972
So it does look like from 1972 the UK Prefix started!	The National Archives, Kew

http://yourarchives.nationalarchives...ipping_Records

Will this help at all?

[Stuart Henderson]

Mine was R396040 and was issued London at end of 1947. Dont remember seeing many R4????? numbers though when I was P/CS and involved in sign on/offs and ships articles in the sixties always thought that strange..
Stuart

[Frederick Lacey]

My Discharge Book Number is R525985 issued December 1949.

Fred.

[Mick O'Brien]

Mine was UK 018117 issued June 1974.

mick

[Colin Hawken]

Mine was R 510709. 6th.June 1949. For what it's worth.

[David Snook]

Thanks to everyone who's contributed so far.

Stuart Henderson's point about not seeing R 4????? numbers seems to be backed up by Colin Hawken (R 510709) and Fred Lacey(R 525985)both from 1949 which were issued 2 years after R 396040. Any R 4????? numbers out there?

Mick O'Brien's number UK 018117 from 1974 tallies with Doc Vernon's thought that the change from the R prefix to the UK prefix took place in 1972.
Is there anyone with a number issued in the 1968-72 period ?

thanks again for the help
David Snook

[Doc Vernon]

I think i am corect in saying that our Tony Morcom's Number of

UK007165 was issued in mid 1973
Cheers

Mine also for what its worth (shown below in my Sig) was issued in 1958

This one was probably very near the last of the R Series
Discharge Book Number

R905409 1972

Here is another odd one

Discharge Book Number

1065970 issued 1924 i note there are 7 Digits here!

[Bob McGahey]

My Dis A R 419585 was issued in Leith in January 1949. Hope it helps Bob McGahey

Stuart Henderson's point about not seeing R 4????? numbers seems to be backed up by Colin Hawken (R 510709) and Fred Lacey(R 525985)both from 1949 which were issued 2 years after R 396040. Any R 4????? numbers out there?

Mick O'Brien's number UK 018117 from 1974 tallies with Doc Vernon's thought that the change from the R prefix to the UK prefix took place in 1972.
Is there anyone with a number issued in the 1968-72 period ?

thanks again for the help
David Snook[/QUOTE]