A Long Shot!

[Shirley Harrison]

Hello everyone,

I joined this Forum in the vain hope that someone out there can help me. This on behalf of my cousin she knows her father was in the Merchant Navy, he must have served during WW2. As a child I remember him bringing me a black doll. So he served abroad.
My Uncle passed a few year's ago & because my cousin is doing the Family Tree she would love to know where he served.

He was Frederick Charles Skinner born 17 Feb 1925, Nechells Birmingham. The address he may have been living at was 27 Johnson Street Nechells Birmingham. With John & Leah Cox. This address no longer exists.

I've used all the usual web-sites, including National Archives to no avail.

As I said a very long, long shot.

Over to you with my thanks
Shirley

[Keith at Tregenna]

Will have a look tonight.

Keith.

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Shirley
As you mention its a long shot.
I have looked at my usual places that i normally get a lot of info, but as yet like you no name has come up.

There is the possibility that he was in the Merchant Navy up to 1972 and after, in this case there would be no records held, as it stopped in 72.

I feel this may be the case here , but of course not certain. ??

Only you or your Cousin would know that ?

If he was not in the Service up to that time, then the only other way to find out is to ask the Southampton Archives (Maritime Section) that may hold his Original Records!??

Central index of Merchant Seamen (southampton.gov.uk)

I will keep looking and if anything comes to hand will let you know
Cheers

[Keith at Tregenna]

Ditto.

K.

[DeepSea]

The simple answer would be to check the following

1941 to 1972 - Fifth Register of Merchant Seaman's Service

These records are held at the National Archive 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, Certificate of Competency (Grade with number)
 Civil Rationing details
 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
 In some cases National Insurance contributions
 Details shown in these records are similar to those contained in an individual seaman's discharge book.

If they have survived they will be held in file BT 382/1642 covering the surnames "Skertchly D E to Skinner G" They are held in block by surname of up to 60 individuals so would require a visit to Kew to obtain for free or pay for a private researcher.