Matt Gibbs
8th July 2011, 21:58
Hello folks, and a good evening.
I am trying, and mostly banging my head, to understand and further my research into a mercantile marine sailor who began his apprentice career in 1913.
His name is Robert Rowland Harrison. He was born in 1896 in Newcastle. In the 1911 census he is listed as living with his parents at 78 Maughan Street Benwell, his father, tellingly, is a fitter working at an engineering trade. In 1912 Robert joined the fairly new Territorial Force as 804 Sapper Robert Harrison age 17 and 4 months. His trade is Fitter and Turner for Armstrong Whitworths.
However, in the file is a copy of a letter he wrote on 20th Sept 1913 resigning to his CO because he is going to sea to take up his apprenticeship in the Stag Line Ltd of North Shields.
I then have copies of what I believe is his Mercantile Marine Medal Card with a Dis A Number 890299 and a RS2 number 331458. What do these numbers mean? They confirm he was issued Mercantile Marine ribbon and British Medal Ribbon on 10 Feb 1920 to MMO Newcastle. What is MMO?
Then is states Mercantile Marine Medal issued 14 Jan[?] 1927, to Cramer St Gateshead, which I assume is his new address. Why the 7 year gap till the medal issue? Was he overseas working I wonder or is this normal?
The other paper copy says CR10 and has name info and a rating which looks like 2 then something like a 1 over a small letter M. There is no info for a B/T certificate. Then there is a photo on the back, with the same RS2 number on is, and next to this what looks like the word Wethersfield and 11.19. I assume this is November 1919, and the ships name.
I am having a devil of a time finding anything on the ship. The only mention I can find oddly is the SS Wethersfield, a British Merchant vessel being escorted by the USS Artemis from Gibraltar to Spain in September 1918, and assuming this is correct the ship must exist somewhere! The name of the ship on the card is quite badly scrawled though. There also might be a couple of other names maybe in pencil or a coloured ink which didn't show up on the paper, which is annoying. It might be just residual but it almost looks like it might have been rubbed out.
How long would an apprenticeship last? If it was say 5 yrs that would kind of fit 1913 to 1918 and account for him getting the CR10 record card after that. Assuming he didn't then drop out of a life on the sea straight away then how can I find out about his post WW1 service?
Regards
Matt Gibbs
PS forgot to add, I have his medals. He is down as R R Harrison Q.M. M.F.A. I assume this is Quartermaster and Mercantile Fleet Auxilliary?
I am trying, and mostly banging my head, to understand and further my research into a mercantile marine sailor who began his apprentice career in 1913.
His name is Robert Rowland Harrison. He was born in 1896 in Newcastle. In the 1911 census he is listed as living with his parents at 78 Maughan Street Benwell, his father, tellingly, is a fitter working at an engineering trade. In 1912 Robert joined the fairly new Territorial Force as 804 Sapper Robert Harrison age 17 and 4 months. His trade is Fitter and Turner for Armstrong Whitworths.
However, in the file is a copy of a letter he wrote on 20th Sept 1913 resigning to his CO because he is going to sea to take up his apprenticeship in the Stag Line Ltd of North Shields.
I then have copies of what I believe is his Mercantile Marine Medal Card with a Dis A Number 890299 and a RS2 number 331458. What do these numbers mean? They confirm he was issued Mercantile Marine ribbon and British Medal Ribbon on 10 Feb 1920 to MMO Newcastle. What is MMO?
Then is states Mercantile Marine Medal issued 14 Jan[?] 1927, to Cramer St Gateshead, which I assume is his new address. Why the 7 year gap till the medal issue? Was he overseas working I wonder or is this normal?
The other paper copy says CR10 and has name info and a rating which looks like 2 then something like a 1 over a small letter M. There is no info for a B/T certificate. Then there is a photo on the back, with the same RS2 number on is, and next to this what looks like the word Wethersfield and 11.19. I assume this is November 1919, and the ships name.
I am having a devil of a time finding anything on the ship. The only mention I can find oddly is the SS Wethersfield, a British Merchant vessel being escorted by the USS Artemis from Gibraltar to Spain in September 1918, and assuming this is correct the ship must exist somewhere! The name of the ship on the card is quite badly scrawled though. There also might be a couple of other names maybe in pencil or a coloured ink which didn't show up on the paper, which is annoying. It might be just residual but it almost looks like it might have been rubbed out.
How long would an apprenticeship last? If it was say 5 yrs that would kind of fit 1913 to 1918 and account for him getting the CR10 record card after that. Assuming he didn't then drop out of a life on the sea straight away then how can I find out about his post WW1 service?
Regards
Matt Gibbs
PS forgot to add, I have his medals. He is down as R R Harrison Q.M. M.F.A. I assume this is Quartermaster and Mercantile Fleet Auxilliary?