Catalogue description Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Royal Naval Reserve, Representative Records of Service

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Details of BT 164
Reference: BT 164
Title: Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Royal Naval Reserve, Representative Records of Service
Description:

This series contains a selection of the service records of the reservists, kept for the Admiralty by the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen and its predecessor.

These records provide personal details and a record of training and service and of the retainers paid. In the 1890s different books were used for ratings who were on their first or second etc engagement and a selection of these has been included.

Digital copies of Royal Naval Reserve service records 1860-1955 can be searched and downloaded.

Date: 1860-1946
Separated material:

The indexes in this BT 377 (1-6 and 8-28) cover the selected sample in BT 164 and those records that for this period were destroyed
Held by: The National Archives, Kew
Legal status: Public Record(s)
Language: English
Creator:

General Register and Record Office of Seamen, 1835-1872

Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, 1872-1992
Physical description: 23 boxes and volumes
Administrative / biographical background:

A reserve force of volunteer seamen was established under the Naval Reserve Act 1859. The Admiralty controlled the Reserve and was responsible for its training. Merchant Seamen and Fishermen were recruited through the Shipping Offices at ports in the United Kingdom while the central record was maintained at the Office of the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. Originally composed solely of ratings, the Reserve was expanded in 1862 by the admission of officers.

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