By registering with our site you will have full instant access to:
268,000 posts on every subject imaginable contributed by 1000's of members worldwide.
25000 photos and videos mainly relating to the British Merchant Navy.
Members experienced in research to help you find out about friends and relatives who served.
The camaraderie of 1000's of ex Merchant Seamen who use the site for recreation & nostalgia.
Here we are all equal whether ex Deck Boy or Commodore of the Fleet.
A wealth of experience and expertise from all departments spanning 70+ years.
It is simple to register and membership is absolutely free.
N.B. If you are going to be requesting help from one of the forums with finding historical details of a relative
please include as much information as possible to help members assist you. We certainly need full names,
date and place of birth / death where possible plus any other details you have such as discharge book numbers etc.
Please post all questions onto the appropriate forum

-
8th March 2018, 04:13 AM
#21
Re: Query on Ranks
Thanks very much for the replies. That makes the difference in the terms a bit clearer. Reading the experiences was interesting.
Does anyone know of a likely source of where I could find out a bit more about his time at sea? I would presume being a Shipsmaster there must be some sort of record available, eg if he died at sea and suchlike.
Last edited by Alan Cam; 8th March 2018 at 04:19 AM.
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
8th March 2018, 04:44 AM
#22
Re: Query on Ranks
Post as much detail on him as you can,Full name Place and possible DOB Ship etc??
This way there is a possibility that we can assist in some way!
Cheers
Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website
R697530
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
20th May 2018, 10:34 AM
#23
Re: Query on Ranks

Originally Posted by
Doc Vernon
Post as much detail on him as you can,Full name Place and possible DOB Ship etc??
This way there is a possibility that we can assist in some way!
Cheers
When I mentioned that i knew nothing about him, I really did mean it but this is all I have.
Name - Alexander Bell
Date of birth - unknown
Date of death - between 1895 & 1915.
To add to the above i suspect he probably worked out of Clydeside although I can't rule out Tyneside or Belfast.
As I said, thinnest of thin lines.
-
30th May 2018, 09:10 PM
#24
Re: Query on Ranks
I do know that he was married to a Barbara Watson although where or when the marriage took place I can't say. I know that Barbara was born in 1865 and shows as living in Glasgow with her parents on the 1881 census. They had one child that I know of; a daughter called Elizabeth. Again, I don't have a date or place of birth although I'd be looking at 1896-1898 give or take.
In 1915 when Alexander was confirmed as dead Barbara was living in Greenock, Renfrewshire (a major maritime area). This was where Elizabeth also got married.
Would marriages be able to take place on merchant vessels at the time and therefore not show up on the normal registers? Perhaps explaining why I can't find a record of marriage?
Last edited by Doc Vernon; 15th February 2022 at 01:56 AM.
-
31st May 2018, 04:27 AM
#25
Re: Query on Ranks

Originally Posted by
Alan Cam
When I mentioned that i knew nothing about him, I really did mean it but this is all I have.
Name - Alexander Bell
Date of birth - unknown
Date of death - between 1895 & 1915.
To add to the above i suspect he probably worked out of Clydeside although I can't rule out Tyneside or Belfast.
As I said, thinnest of thin lines.
Don't know if this may be him,but just another try
Deaths at Sea
First name(s) |
Alexander |
Last name |
Bell |
Birth year |
- |
Death year |
1899 |
Death date |
May 1899 |
Place |
- |
Country |
Great Britain |
Reported date |
1899 |
Type |
At Sea |
Departure port |
- |
War |
- |
Source |
Deaths At Sea 1891 – 1972 |
Archive reference |
BT 334 |
Box |
0020 |
Archive |
The National Archives |
Record set |
British Armed Forces And Overseas Deaths And Burials |
Category |
Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records |
Subcategory |
Civil Deaths & Burials |
Collections from |
Great Britain, UK None |
Last edited by Doc Vernon; 31st May 2018 at 04:30 AM.
Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website
R697530
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
31st May 2018, 04:58 AM
#26
Re: Query on Ranks
These are from old The Lloyd'
s "
Captains Registers"
but I cannot access the full Records
https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/resea...ains-registers
BELL, Alexander b.Banffshire 1825 S35187 Arbroath vol.2 1856-1873; vol.16 1874-1875,1878-1879; vol.29 1880-1882
BELL, Alexander b.Arbroath 1848 C95663 Dundee 1877 vol.16 1877-1879; vol.29 1880-1887; vol.44 1888,1890-1895; vol.59
BELL, Alexander b.Kinaldie 1854 01265 Dundee 1880 vol.29
Last edited by Doc Vernon; 31st May 2018 at 05:02 AM.
Senior Site Moderator-Member and Friend of this Website
R697530
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
14th February 2022, 01:12 PM
#27
Re: Query on Ranks
On the original theme of ranks, and had occasion to look at a ship, and crew list in the 70s, and saw the deck boy was promoted to scullion, have never heard of that rank before, can anyone enlighten me as to what role a scullion played,?, kt
R689823
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
14th February 2022, 01:46 PM
#28
Re: Query on Ranks
If going from deck boy to galley boy can be considered a promotion, then the only thing I can think to justify it maybe 10/- a month.
JS
Last edited by j.sabourn; 14th February 2022 at 01:49 PM.
R575129
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
14th February 2022, 01:51 PM
#29
Re: Query on Ranks

Originally Posted by
Keith Tindell
On the original theme of ranks, and had occasion to look at a ship, and crew list in the 70s, and saw the deck boy was promoted to scullion, have never heard of that rank before, can anyone enlighten me as to what role a scullion played,?, kt
skullduggery no doubt....cappy
-
Post Thanks / Like
-
14th February 2022, 02:06 PM
#30
Re: Query on Ranks
Always knew you were overpaid Cappy. And an electric tatty peeler as well. You must have thought all your Xmas’s had come at the one time. Cheers JS
R575129
-
Post Thanks / Like
Tags for this Thread
Posting Permissions
- You may not post new threads
- You may not post replies
- You may not post attachments
- You may not edit your posts
-
Forum Rules