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Hi, can anyone tell me please where birth records are kept for someone that is born at sea. I would like to get a copy of my mother's birth certificate but believe that as she was born at sea her birth certificate cannot be obtained from the usual source.

Kind regards

Kathryn

Some information here:
http://www.theshipslist.com/Forms/BMD.htm

Kathryn,

You say you believe she was born at sea? Can i ask what makes you believe this, and what other avenues have you tried?


Tracey x

Hi, I've been informed that Mum was born at sea off the coast of South Africa. Her parents were on their way back from either New Zealand or Australia to England. I had been searching for her birth sometime ago and could not find it anywhere. I now she was born on 15 June 1924 but as above, at sea. I was told that as he was born at sea she was born under the sound of Bow Bells therefore being classed as a cockney.

Kathryn x

Hmmmm,

You would need to be actually born 'under the bells' being born in the middle of the Atlantic doesn't really qualify you for that.

All births at sea were reported upon arrival at port (possibly Southampton). The birth will be recorded in the ships manifests.

What was your mothers name? ....and her parents names?


Tracey x

Mum's name was Margaret Rabette, her parents were Edward Gerrard Rabette (born 1901 and died 1989) and her mother Marie Helene Rabette nee Day born 1905, not sure what year she died, I think in the 60's though.

Kathryn x

Kathryn,

This is the outward journey.

Name: Edward Gerrard RABETTE
Date of departure: 11 March 1924
Port of departure: London
Passenger destination port: Sydney, Australia
Passenger destination: Sydney, Australia

Date of Birth: 1902 (calculated from age)
Age: 22
Marital status: Married
Sex: Male
Occupation: Clerk

Travelling with

Mrs Maria RABETTE



Tracey x

There is no birth listed on the GRO Overseas index.


Tracey x

This is the return journey - he is with wife and 1m old child ...

Mr E Rabetto
Birth Date: abt 1902
Age: 22
Port of Departure: Sydney, Australia
Arrival Date: 14 Jul 1924
Port of Arrival: London, England
Ports of Voyage: Cape Town
[Durban]
[Melbourne]
[Sydney]
[Adelaide]
Ship Name: Beltana
Search Ship Database: View the 'Beltana' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: Peninsular & Orient Steam Navigation Company
Official Number: 131853

Hiya, is that strange, that no birth listed on the GRO overseas index? Where does one go from here, any ideas please?

Kathryn xx

I wonder if your mother was actually born in Australia?


Tracey x

Details:

Mr E Rabette, aged 22, clerk.
Mrs M Rabette, aged 19.
Infant Rabette, aged 1m

Addr: 21 Grittleton Road, Paddington W9.

Can't see the date they left Australia - perhaps she was born in Australia?

Jill

Hi all, thank you for all the information, it may well be she was born in Australia, I had been told she was born at sea off the coast of South Africa, but I was also told that as she was born at sea she was a cockney being born under the sound of bow bells. If anyone can come up with anything else about this it would be much appreciated although what you have come up with so far is amazing.

Kind regards

Kathryn xxxx

You mother was listed on the ships manifest as a passenger, this means she was not born at sea but already existed before the journey began.

The family were heading for 21 Crittleton Road, Paddington, W9

Tracey x

This is all very very bizarre....

Why would a clerk travel to Australia with a pregnant wife in March and return in July??

I wonder if they planned to have the child in Aus? Did they get there and not like it?

It's very strange, what work did your Grandfather do?

You will also need to contact the BMD people over there for your mothers possible birth, they have a 100 yr restriction which means we cannot gain the birth data for another 13 yrs online :(


Tracey x

I too would guess that she was born in Australia.
One would imagine that they waited to travel from Sydney just a few weeks after her birth. We can only guess where they lived, but a Sydney area birth look-up would be my first choice.


Gwyn

The wind might have been blowing in the right direction.... bearing in mind it'll have to have gotten to Sydney!

Hi all, apparently my grandparents inherited some land or property in Australia hence them being there. I was adopted at birth so am trying to piece my family's life together. I do know a lot but it's my mother's birth etc I am intrigued with and the surrounding events. This is all very bizarre as you say, I should imagine in those days it took a long time to travel by ship to Australia. All your views and ideas are much appreciated. Any help adds to the jigsaw.

Am going food shopping in about half an hour (boring) but I will certainly check for any replies before I go and also when I get back.

Kind regards


Kathryn xxxx

Grandparents on which side? The Day's or the Rabette's?


T x

Just out of interest, I looked at the length of journey time for the outbound journey (which was 54 days, so nearly 8 weeks).

So assuming that the return journey took the same length of time, if your mother was 1 month old at the time of the ship docking in London, then she would have to have been born while at sea.........so her story of being born on the ship near the Cape of Africa sounds about right to me.

The births at sea register isn't online for that time period, you would need to go/contact Kew for that.

Mary