researching Kenneth McLeod - ship Moreton Bay 1930s

[Caroline Brymora]

Hello everyone.

I live in Australia and am helping my father's cousin to track down information about her grandfather. I haven't done research for a British seaman before as most of our history is in Australia. Was ever so glad to find this forum!

We don't know a lot about him, but his name was Kenneth McLeod (possibly Kenneth MacLeod). We believe that he was from Vatisker/Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, DOB 13 Oct 1903.

We have found a little information on the national archives site, cards are A11108 and B7042 - I'm not sure why he would have two cards, they both show that he enrolled in June 1923 and among the ships, they show that he was on the "Moreton Bay" from August 1929 until January 1932.

I have attached those records (hopefully it works).

I'm trying to confirm whether the Moreton Bay was in Sydney around May 1931 - have started to search through shipping notices in the Australian newspapers online.

I thought I'd ask here whether there are any records, lists or sites with details of the movements of the Moreton Bay in the early 1930s that might help me.

Also curious about whether there is a repository that may include any other records of his employment? Or any other ideas to try to find information about this man?

Thank you so much for any guidance or ideas.

Cheers
Caroline
Australia

[j.sabourn]

During my time at sea 1952/3 to 2002 I have sailed with 5 mcCleods or McClouds as I sometimes misspelt. In fact it got to a time where I thought everyone from Stornaway was called McCleod. At one time in the 1980s there were 3 brothers all skippers on Safety boats in the North Sea all called Murdo McCleod , they were known as 1 2 and 3.
The story went their father was too tired to give them different names for him to remember so just said call them Murdo. The other two I sailed with were also called Murdo but no relation to the other 3 . One was a master deep sea and the other one was mate with me on the Supply vessels, he incidentally was drowned in Dundee Harbour .
I came to the conclusion there must have been a lot of incense in Stornaway , just joking of course as sailed one time with a whole deck crew of them without a Murdo McCleod among them , were very good seamen , a bit wild in their cups at times however . Cheers JS

PS I spent the last 11 years of my working life out here in the offshore oil industry working all over this big and beautiful country but cannot remember having the good fortune to run into another Murdo McCleod. JS

[Doc Vernon]

Hello Caroline
Firstly the Ship Moreton Bay movements for the Period you mention would i am sure would be held at the Guildhall Library in London, so you need to Email them and ask for the Voyage Record Cards for the Period in question. For a small amount of info, they will send you this for free. I have used them many times!
Hope that helps that.

guildhall.library@cityoflondon.gov.uk <guildhall.library@cityoflondon.gov.uk>;

Maritime collections - City of London

If i am correct it looks as though your Man in Question is ex Royal Navy not Merchant, so records for him may well be a bit difficult, as you have quite a lot of info already, i am sure that should suffice! However Hugh our other researcher will see this in time, and i am sure will fill in the Gpas where possible!
Cheers

Have just again looked into this and now see that he seems to have ben in the Merchant Navy as well.
So there should be more info on him at the National Archives????Or Southampton ???

TNA_MSEA_BT349_17_80_178006.jpg

[j.sabourn]

Bill Morrison .... Bill you may have known Murdo McLeod from SML . The ship was laid up in Dundee and I was down in the Bristol Channel on another ship sold to the Navy which had been converted to an armed vessel for patrol round the Falklands. Believe the laid up ship in Dundee did not have proper boarding and leaving facilities in other words no proper gangway , although I don’t really know as was not there when she was laid up for a short period. This would have been about the 81/82 period . Murdo was a big friendly man can’t remember if he was married or not. JS

[Doc Vernon]

Just as an off chance Caroline and i mean off chance, the Maritime Library in Southampton hold many records (Originals ) of Merchant Seaman , if he may also have been in the Merchant Service , possibly Emailing them as well and asking the Question of any Records on him.
Cheers

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

Added I have also just downloaded the Ship Movements for the Ship Moreton Bay, but all those kind of Records relate to the Was Years only. So the Record i have is only for 29- 3 - 1940 to about 14 - 7 -1944

[Caroline Brymora]

You guys are amazing, these are some great leads.

Doc, the story was that he was a Merchant Seaman, but I was also thinking it looks like Navy instead. It helps to have your more experienced view on this and your suggestions are greatly appreciated.

j.sabourn very interesting! The name Murdo appears repeatedly so no doubt dad's cousin is connected to at least one of the ones you met - if not all of them

[Doc Vernon]

You guys are amazing, these are some great leads.

Doc, the story was that he was a Merchant Seaman, but I was also thinking it looks like Navy instead. It helps to have your more experienced view on this and your suggestions are greatly appreciated.

j.sabourn very interesting! The name Murdo appears repeatedly so no doubt dad's cousin is connected to at least one of the ones you met - if not all of them

With his Years of Service Caroline almost sure that his CR10 will be held at Southampton Maritime Archives!
Best of Luck.


I wonder if this Kennneth McLeod was any relation , also in Merchant Navy possibly the Father??

Reference:	BT 351/1/94778
Description:	Medal Card of McLeod, Kenneth Place of Birth: Stornaway Date of Birth: 1882
Date:	[1914-1925]
Held by:	The National Archives, Kew
Legal status:	Public Record(s)
Language:	English
Creator:	Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, 1872-1992

Caroline i was again looking into this and see that possibly the Records you already have may be what there is on him? Not saying there is no other but seems that way now to me! Hugh will possibly be able to Enlighten us on all this. I have also now found the Records you posted. Cheers

[Hugh]

Hello and welcome Caroline,

We have found a little information on the national archives site, cards are A11108 and B7042 - I'm not sure why he would have two cards

Kenneth McLeod was in the Royal Naval Reserve (R.N.R.) - date of enrollment 26.6.1923 - many islanders were members of the service and also merchant seamen. Why does he have two cards? When enrolling in the R.N.R. you do so for five years so he joins in 1923 and is allocated A11108 and five years later he enrolls for a second term and is given a new number B7042.

I thought I'd ask here whether there are any records, lists or sites with details of the movements of the Moreton Bay in the early 1930s that might help me.

Doc Vernon has given a CR1 card in his #3, I can confirm that this card belongs to the same man. Indeed he has another card CR2 which also list foreign voyages -disclaimer, those cards do have mistakes and omissions.
I have attached his CR2 below.

With his Years of Service Caroline almost sure that his CR10 will be held at Southampton Maritime Archives!

He doesn't have a CR10, Vernon. He was too young in 1918. I have also checked BT 350.

Hope that helps.
Regards
Hugh

[happy daze john in oz]

Doing some research myself on a number of issues I have found the state capital library is a very good source of information regarding ship movement both MN and RN.

[Doc Vernon]

Hugh has already posted this Caroline but i am just adding the Ships for you in case you would like them.
Cheers

145970 Ausonia
140517 Belgenland/Belgic
146177 Hardwick Grange
110136 Brodvale/Tomoana
142297 Ionic Star Rubiera
131759 Pakeha
151802 Esperance Bay/Hobsons Bay
140148 Arawa/ Esperance Bay
135700 Mahana
130169 Manchester
139112 Northumberland
104628 Obra





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