Genealogy Chat

See below. Thanks.

I have a family member who has “private” “serjeant” and “pensioner” Royal Marines as his occupation on the baptisms of his children between 1819 and 1833. I have been told The National Archives hold the service records for that time, but when I do a search with his name, nothing comes up. I’ve tried several combinations. Does anyone know if every member of the Royal Marines at that time would have a service record? I’ve emailed The National Archives and they have told me they can’t do anything without more info on him. I only have his birth year taken from his age on the burial record and no place of birth. Any ideas? Thanks.

If his name doesn't come up on the search on the NA database, then he's probably not indexed, so you'd have to trawl (or pay vast sums of money) for someone to trawl through the original documents.

Are they available (at a price) to trawl on the internet?

There are only two ways to search and it depends on the dates of service. Officers and other ranks enlisted PRE 1925 is via Kew Officers and other ranks POST 1925 via the Historical Records Office Gosport,Hampshire So for your timeframe it's via Kew i'm afraid. Glen

Hi Elizabeth Very few details are on-line. As Ancestry are putting WW1 records online, they will doubtless turn their attention next to earlier service records, but that's for the future. Use this link to read up on the research guides : http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/researchguidesindex.asp?j=1 and search on marines (there are four different guides!) If you can sort out exactly which records need to be looked at, I can have a look for you, though I'd better stress that I've never used the records myself.

Elizabeth I've used ADM records at Kew to find my Royal Marine but I knew which division he was in. There were 4 - Portsmouth, Plymouth, Chatham & Woolwich and if you don't know which division you might be setting someone an impossible task. Having said that the early dates could mean not so many records and maybe not so many divisions. You also need to know the rough date of discharge also to find the record. Good luck. Jan

Can you download ww1 records anywhere at the moment please? Dea x

Just thought. If he was a pensioner by 1819, there is always a possibility that he was at Trafalgar. You can search the database for this on: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/trafalgarancestors/

Not for the WO 363 records, no, Dea. No idea how long it's going to take from Ancestry's annoucement to a searcheable index. Probably less than a year if the index doesn't have too many fields.

Thnaks Phoenix Dea x Sorry - fingers got in a twist - just gone all black here - Tottential rain - storm coming - couldn't see the keys. X Never namaged to make 'touch-typist' standard (Tee hee). Xxx

Thank you all. He was in Plymouth, so I'll try emailing Kew again. I'm in Australia so time difference prevents me answering quickly sometimes.