The National Archives
Maritime BMDs
This is a varied collection of records from The National Archives, which contains vital information about your maritime ancestors' births, marriages and deaths. The records include 30 different record types from 10 different TNA record series.
Which records are included in this collection?
Wages and effects of deceased seamen – BT153
Registers of the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, which contain details of the wages and belongings of dead seamen that the master of the ship passed to the RGSS. The records cover the period 1852-1889.
Deaths of seamen – BT156
Lists of the deaths of seamen that the Registrar General of Shipping kept 1886-1890. These were compiled monthly, usually from crew lists and agreements.
The records provide name, age, rating, nationality or place of birth, last address, cause and place of death, name of ship, ship's official number and port of registry.
Deaths of seamen by cause – BT157
Registers of seaman's deaths that the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen kept 1882-1888. These manuscript lists classified the entries by cause of death and were compiled twice a year.
The records provide name, age, rating, nationality or place of birth, last address, cause and place of death, name and number of ship, port of registry and details of last voyage. They may also contain information in 'remarks' column.
BMDs of passengers and seamen at sea – BT334
Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen's registers and indexes of births, marriages and deaths of passengers and seamen at sea. The records cover the period 1854-1972.
WWI Naval casualties – ADM242
These records contain a card index of naval officers killed 1914-1920, including some officers of the Royal Marines and Naval Reserve, and of the Canadian and Australian navies. Within this set of records you can also search a war graves roll 1914-1919.
Dead seamen's wages – ADM 80/4-12
A register of the wages of dead men who served in the Royal Navy, as well as Merchant Navy seamen travelling to and from the West Indies. The records provide the names of the ships on which the men served (presumably since last being paid) and their rating. The records cover the period 1787-1809.
Royal Marines, Chatham Division – ADM 183/114-120
Registers of births, baptisms, marriages and deaths for Royal Marines who served in the Chatham Division. The records include:
- Registers of marriages 1865-1884
- Registers of births and marriages 1830-1855
- Registers of marriages and births and deaths of children 1940-1913
- Registers of baptisms of children 1867
Royal Marines, Plymouth Division – ADM 184/43-54
Registers of marriages, births and deaths of children for Royal Marines serving in the Plymouth Division. The records cover the period 1862-1920.
Births and deaths of emigrants at sea – CO386/170-172
The Colonial Office's register of births and deaths of emigrants at sea 1847-1869.
Births and deaths at sea registered in Falmouth – CUST67/74
Customs and Excise's register of births and deaths at sea, first reported at Falmouth 1892-1918.
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