Irvine Harbour.

[clarkie]

I have been serching for my Wife's GG G/F, Daniel Stewart, for
sometime. I knew he was a Sailor, married on Arran, children born
Troon, Dundonald, now Harbourside area of Irvine.
I have just obtained his Seamans Registration Ticket information. This
gives me DOB/Place, Description of him, etc. All except Parents.
(I have yet to find his birth record).
On the form there are two other men born Irvine early 1800s, David
Milligan & John Smith. Also Alexander Campbell born late 1700s Tarbolton.
If this is helpful to anyone please let me know.
I now know Daniel first went to sea as an Apprentice in 1815.
Unfortunately this is before the records held at the National Archives
began.
Does anyone know where I might obtain his Indentures if indeed they
exist?

[Currie]

Hello Clarkie and welcome to TS,

As you are aware and according to the National Archives and not very helpful in your situation. “From 1823, larger ships were required to carry a quota of apprentices, and apprenticeship indentures had to be filed. An index to these apprentices was compiled from the indentures and is in series BT 150 covering 1824 to 1953. They are arranged into London and the Outports, then by dates. Entries within each volume are by first letter of apprentice´s surname. Not all the indentures have survived and only a selection for every fifth year have been preserved in series BT 151 from 1845 to 1950, and for fishing apprentices in BT 152 from 1895 to 1935.”

There’s more information as well as general apprenticeship information for earlier periods in the research guide “Apprenticeship Records as Sources for Genealogy” listed here
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cata ... sindex.asp You’ll see that existing records are very far from complete.

Search the LDS family History Library Catalogue for 0477629 for details of microfilm etc held by them http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library ... umns=*,0,0

Sometimes you can get a good idea of how things worked by looking at old books from the period in full view Google Books. There may be something in this 1813 Commercial Law guide as it relates to apprentice mariners.
http://books.google.com.au/books?id=YGA ... =&as_brr=1

Google books are generally much easier read if they are downloaded as PDF files. If you do download an interesting book but would rather retain say a 10MB chapter rather than the whole 100MB book you can use a free program such as this one – there may be others – to compile a new PDF. See PDFTK in the Office section of this list of portable applications (installable to USB etc drives) and links to normally installable versions. http://portableapps.com/apps

Works like a charm,
Hope this helps,
Alan

[clarkie]

Hi Alan,
Thanks for the info. but unfortunately over the last year I've been through most of those hoops without success.
Thanks anyway.