Hello Asking for Advice Re Ancestry Tracing

[Lindy Fairley]

Thank you for accepting me on the Forum. I have a very general question that I hope members may be able to help with.
I have been trying to trace what became of my Great Grandfather who was a Marine Engineer in the early years of the 1900s. I have records pertaining to his early training in 1891/92 in Liverpool but none give an ID no. A crew arrivals list in New York 1895 which I am reasonably confident are him.
I also have him possibly on several Crew lists from Sydney NSW during 1913, the name and birth year are correct but only state Scotland as place of birth, while earlier ones state Paisley where he was from hence more confidence in those.

I have a picture of him on the Deck of SS Volturno dated 1910 in Rotterdam. Having researched that Vessel, which is recorded in great detail on various sites I am confident he was neither a survivor or a casuality when the ship went down in 1913. There was a change of ownership in 1910 Russian/Canadian which perhaps prompted the crew photograph and he was leaving the ship at that time, but that is purely speculation.

I have been unable to find him on Merchant Navy Records in UK so suspect he spent his working life non UK.
My Grandmother told me he remarried after his wife died again in 1910 to an Indian lady and I have a possible crew list out of Calcutta but again not definitive.

I've explored death records for India and NSW but with a fairly common name and no middle name to help have not had much luck.

My question is does anyone have any suggestions as to where I can look next, are there particular sites for Merchant Navy outwith UK?

George Millar born 28/4/1868 in Paisley, Scotland.

Thank You

[Hugh]

Hello and welcome Lindy

Unfortunately there are no personal records held for seamen during this period. All you really have at your disposal is crew listings so this will be a difficult search for you. The Fourth Register came into being in 1914 but most of the cards for the 1st World War have not survived. So, effectively, the new register begins in 1918.

1857 – 1912

Following the closure of the Third Seamen's Register in 1857, no central register of seamen was kept for 56 years and therefore no records such as those preceding exist. The Board of Trade felt that Crew Agreements and Lists provided an adequate means of recording information about the seamen without the need to create a separate register. Researchers will therefore have to rely on the agreements and other types of sundry records, where they exist for this period, in order to carry out their research.

Regards
Hugh

[Lindy Fairley]

Thank you Hugh I suspected as much. Three sides of my family were all Fishermen and I've managed to find records for a fair few during WW1 when their boats were put into service, commendations and the like, but nothing on this elusive gentleman. NSW would appear to have records but all on microfiche nothing online. Thank you for taking the time.

[Allen James Jones]

Hi Lindy. If there are no records of George in the UK then I would suggest that your next stop should be the National Archives in Australia, India and NZ. Also possible that being Scots he may have ended up in either the US or Canada. I have researched some of my wifes relatives through the immigration files in New Zealand which are fairly comprehensive. There is a lot you can do on line so fire up dig in and go for it. Best of luck, Allen.

[Lindy Fairley]

Thank you Allen. It is a long slog which I have been at for quite some time. I've tracked down his entire family many of whom did land up on foreign shores, always with the hope he would spring up in connection with them but no joy. Thanks for the encouragement I have been through a lot of immigration files so far but far more still to do ��

[Doc Vernon]

Not sure on dates etc but came across this could this possibly be the person in question! As said i am not at all sure!
Cheers

View digital copy (naa.gov.au)

[Lindy Fairley]

Yeah this is one I've seen before, dates don't work I'm afraid my George would have been 45 in 1914. I've also been looking at births post 1910 in these locations as it is entirely likely he had more children with his 2nd wife particularly if she were younger. There is also the possibility of him being recorded as Miller rather than Millar. I'll think about that one tomorrow to quote Scarlett O'Hara �� Thanks for looking though.

[Marian Gray]

Hello Lindy, Do you have George's daughter Jessie's marriage cert? 28th of Feb 1923. I can see where she was raised before marriage and wondering if it states whether George is deceased or not on that cert. Also have you tried the entry book records when she arrived there 1910? as it may hold a reference as to his whereabouts. As you know doubt will be aware sometimes the devil is in the details.

Also the Indian wife you refer to was she Indo Canadian, Indian or Native American born?

[Marian Gray]

Lindy, not sure if this will be helpful as I did try (naa.gov.au) same as Vernon with the details from Ancestry: These two individuals at least have the correct spelling of surname from the other 65 available.

Queensland, Australia, Immigration Indexes, 1848-1972

Visit websiteWeb: Queensland, Australia, Immigration Indexes, 1848-1972

Name: George Millar [no dob given unfortunately]
Arrival Date: 19 Dec 1913
Arrival Place: Queensland, Australia
Ship: Perthshire
Title: Register of Immigrants Brisbane 1885 to 1917
Page number: 105
Item ID: 18611
Ref: IMM/136
Microfilm: Z3987
Original URL: https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/regi...e-1885-to-1917
This record is not from Ancestry and will open in a new window.

Name: George Millar
Arrival Date: 10 Dec 1915
Arrival Place: Queensland, Australia
Ship: Limerick
Title: Register of Immigrants Brisbane 1885 to 1917
Page number: 106
Item ID: 18612
Ref: IMM/137
Microfilm: Z3987
Original URL: https://data.qld.gov.au/dataset/regi...e-1885-to-1917

[Lindy Fairley]

Hi Marian
Yes this is my Grandmother and I have the original certificate. George is described as Marine Engineer but nothing else so I am assuming he was still alive as my Grandma would have known his whereabouts at that point and if he had passed would also have know. Although this was in the local Poorhouse/Asylum both her and her Brother were living there since their Mother's death as her Brother, their Uncle was Assistant Governor so not inmates as such therefore no formal docs.
His 2nd wife was Asian Indian and at some point he wanted the children to join them in India but they were settled and very happy where they were and decided not to go.
It's the old common regret that I wish I had paid more attention to my Grandma's stories when I had the chance. I have set aside any Millar immigration records I've found like these, that seem likely, to hopefully pick up later and compare if I ever get anything more definitive to go on. Thank you so much always appreciate a new set of eyes.