Death At Sea?

[ASGROOMBRIDGE]

Good morning everyone,

I have just received a strange letter from a family member saying that my Grandfather Andrew McGowan born 9/4/1885 in Kirkmuirhill died at sea while in the Merchant Navy. The only clue I have is that he was in the Merchany Navy on his daughters death cert in December 1920 and is given as deceased on his eldest daughters marriage certificate 27/12/1941. Has anyone any idea where I can look for a death at sea, it could be anywhere in the world but my cousin stated he was in the Merchant service.

Seems I have yet another brick wall.

Audrey

[LesleyB]

Hi Audrey
I don't have much experience in this area, but this site has a lot of general information re. Merchant Navy Records and may be of help:

http://www.port.nmm.ac.uk/research/research.html#c

Best wishes
Lesley

[ASGROOMBRIDGE]

Many thanks Lesley will give it a go.

Audrey

[Tracey]

Hello Audrey

As far as i am aware www.1837online.com has marine death indices, have you looked there ? I gave up with this site as i find it hugely frustrating . Im sure i am covering old ground but there is no A McGowan on the Commonwealth site in the Merchant Services, and nothing (that i can see) on The National Archives site. I am having the same problem trying to find my gt grandfather - as a merchant seaman he could have died anywhere and i know it was after 1906 He wasnt married to my gt grandmother and scarpered sometime after 1905 i wished he had married and i would find him on S/P but no, i fear he stayed a cad all his life and left lots of legacies
Good luck

Tracey

[ASGROOMBRIDGE]

Hi Tracey,

Thank you for that I have tried everywhere to find the ellusive Andrew McGowan, begining to think a visit to a psysic might be in order. lol

I think he jumped ship myself.

Audrey

[Alcluith]

Audrey

There are records of Death at Sea in Mitchell Library but as they are not indexed and can have several volumes per year. You would need to go through them all from 1920 to 1941 to try to find him.
I spent a long day searching from 1900 to 1926 for my wife's great grandfather and found him in 1918. The librarian has wheeled out three sack-carts of books and was really pleased that I found him as there was about another two or three cartfuls before I reached 1926.

As these records covers all vessels from around the world maybe a central library near you would have them.

[LesleyB]

Hi Drew
Could you please tell me what sort of information is contained in the deaths at sea records at the Mitchell - are they similar/the same as the Marine Register deaths at NRH (example below) which don't give much away or are there likely to be names of parents, [-o< next of kin or last known addresses mentioned?

The reason being, I've hit an abrupt halt when trying to trace a seaman backwards from 1886-1881 hoping I could cross-ref him in the 1881 to prove he was or wasn't "my"man. However, there is only one crew list for 1885 for ship Kirkcudbright (his voyage prior to the one he died on) that has survived in the collections at National Maritime Museum, and its not the one I need! Arghh.

This is all I have -
022MR ent.212
no.1770 Ship: Sardhana
official number: 87421
date of arrival 28/3/1887 (at Liverpool)
date of death 18/3/1887
Alexander McNicol, male, 23, able seaman
Nationality or birthplace: Glasgow
Last place of abode: Glasgow
death cause:dropsy, member of crew.


So, if I could only get more info on the Alexander who died above...

Best wishes
Lesley

[Alcluith]

Hi Lesley,

sorry but the information given is a condensed version of Marine Register giving:
Name:Age:Rank: Nat. or Birth: last Place of Abode:Date,Place & Cause of Death: Where reported : Official Ref.
So you will probibly have all the information and maybe a little more.

[Alcluith]

Lesley

Don't know if this is of any help

1881 Census

Dwelling: No 492 Paisley Road
Census Place: Govan, Lanark, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203681 GRO Ref Volume 644-14 EnumDist 3 Page 1
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Archd. MC NICOL U 25 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Head
Occ: Commocial Clerk Unemployed
James MC NICOL U 24 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Brother
Occ: House Factors Clerk
Daniel MC NICOL U 19 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Brother
Occ: Builders Clerk
Alexr. MC NICOL U 17 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Brother
Occ: Ship Brokers Clerk
Janet MC NICOL U 48 F Bonhill, Dunbarton, Scotland
Rel: Aunt



Children of Daniel McNicol and Susan Davie who married 2 Dec 1852

1. JAMES MCNICOL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 18 FEB 1857 Anderston, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
2. ARCHIBALD MCNICOL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 06 JUN 1855 Anderston, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
3. SUSAN MCNICOL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Birth: 08 NOV 1853 Barony, Lanark, Scotland
4. WILLIAM FALCONER MCNICOL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 03 FEB 1866 Eastwood, Renfrew, Scotland
5. ALEXANDER MCNICOL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 03 FEB 1864 Anderston, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
6. MARGARET MCNICOL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Birth: 17 FEB 1859 Anderston, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
7. DANIEL MCNICOL - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Birth: 20 MAY 1861 Anderston, Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland

[ASGROOMBRIDGE]

Thank you Drew,

I did ask in Trowbridge but dont think they had any idea about what I needed. This man seems to have vanished of the face of the earth.

Thanks again
Audrey