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Royal Navy archives

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POSITIVE Pauline

POSITIVE Pauline Report 18 Jan 2004 22:16

Hi Does anybody know where I can find archives for the Royal Navy? My 2nd greatgrandfather, Matthew Wasley, shows on his daughter's wedding certificate as a seaman in the Royal Navy (deceased). He is proving to be a very elusive gentleman to trace, other than wedding cert. Not on any census that I can find, and died sometime before 1880. He would have joined the navy some time after 1857 when his daughter was born In Chacewater, Cornwall. I believe they may have moved to Plymouth as that is where his daughter married in 1880. Help please before I lose any more sleep!!! Pauline

Mary

Mary Report 18 Jan 2004 22:37

Pauline www(.)royal-navy(.)mod(.)uk http://catalogue(.)pro(.)gov(.)uk/Leaflets/ri2031(.)htm You can also do a google search and type in royal navy archives, there are a few sites you can check. Mary

Lee

Lee Report 19 Jan 2004 12:53

I went to the Public Records Office in Kew, London and gathered plenty of information about my relatives who were Victorian Sailors. They have service records of most ratings from around 1840 onwards (up to WW1 I think). If you know what ship he was on then you can look at a copy of that ships muster book so that you can see how much he was paid and how much he paid out for essentials while aboard.

POSITIVE Pauline

POSITIVE Pauline Report 19 Jan 2004 13:13

Thanks for those tips Mary & Lee. Will follow them up. Regards Pauline

Linda

Linda Report 23 Jan 2004 11:36

Do any of the websites that Mary mentioned do online searches, because I could not find an online search facility on them, or do I have to go to London.!!!!! Linda P