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Research Guides Royal Navy: Ratings' RecordsMilitary Records Information 31 ADM 188/235, Register of Seamen's Service Contents 1. Men entering 1667-1853 1. Men entering 1667-1853The main sources for tracing naval seamen before 1853 are:
1.1 Ships' Muster and Pay Books 1667-1878If you have the name of a ship and a date, it is possible to trace a seaman's service both backwards and forwards using the ships' musters in ADM 36 , ADM 37 , ADM 38 , ADM 39 , ADM 41 , ADM 115 and ADM 119 . A muster should provide a man's age and place of birth from 1764, although this has not always been entered. The information is often vague or inaccurate but it may give clues which can be followed up in parish registers. From about 1800 description books (which give age, height, complexion, scars and tattoos) may be included with musters. Where a muster is missing you can use the ships' pay books in ADM 31 , ADM 32 , ADM 33 , ADM 34 , ADM 35 and ADM 117 to confirm that a man served on a particular ship. Until the introduction of continuous service in 1853 men often moved between naval and merchant ships, which makes tracing them very difficult. You can search for particular musters and pay books using the Catalogue. To search for a particular ship: type in the ship's name in the key word box, do not use HMS etc; enter the years you are interested in; and restrict the search to 'ADM' in the last box. 1.2 Trafalgar Ancestors databaseThe Trafalgar Ancestors database (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/trafalgarancestors/) lists all those who fought in Nelson's fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. The database can be searched by surname, and also by first name, age on 21 October 1805, birthplace, ship's name, rating and rank. 1.3 Certificates of Service from 1802-1894 ADM 29/13, Rating's Certificate of Service Ratings (and warrant officers) who applied for a naval pension, a medal or gratuity, had to give a brief record of ships and dates, and the total times in pay. Certificates of Service were compiled by the Navy Pay Office from the Ships' Pay Books (see above). These certificates of service are in ADM 29/1-96 on microfilm. The dates given in the certificates of service books are the dates of issue of the certificates. The services listed are therefore before those dates, but they do not necessarily cover all the service to date. If the man was still serving, and later certificates were issued, this is noted in the entry books.You can currently search for a reference to an individual in ADM 29/1-73 using the the Catalogue. Type in the name of the person and restrict the search to ADM 29 in the last box. Each volume may have the title "Time Book", "Certificates of Service" or "Records of Service". There were two sets:
If a Continuous Service (CS) or Official Number (ON) is given in ADM 29 documents, look this up in the Continuous Service Engagement Books ( ADM 139 ) described in Section 2, Men Entering 1853-1872, and Section 3 Men Entering 1873 - 1923 (ADM 188 ). 1.4 Applications by Ratings (and Warrant Officers)Applications for entry into Greenwich Hospital as an in-pensioner can be found in ADM 73 . These records cover 1790-1865 and are arranged by initial letter of surname. Applications can contain service records and admission papers. 2. Men entering 1853-1872From 1853 seamen entering the Navy were given a continuous service (CS) number. These were entered in Continuous Service Engagement Books, now in ADM 139 . ADM 139 is available to download from DocumentsOnline, searching by surname; forename; Continuous Service number; date of birth; and place of birth. Access is free onsite at The National Archives. These list (for each man entering the navy on a continuous service engagement) the date and place of birth, physical characteristics on entry and a summary of service to date. Arrangement is by CS number: there are alphabetical indexes giving the CS number for each name in ADM 139/1019-1026 , available on microfilm. ADM 139/1027 is an official number index of men serving before 1873. When using the indexes, take care to note whether the service number is suffixed with an "A" or a "B", or has no suffix at all, since this will determine which register you need to order. The suffix is sometimes given at the top of the index page as "Series A" or "Series B". Some of these men obviously went on to serve after 1873, and will have further entries in the first few volumes of the new series ADM 188 (see below). There will be some certificates of service for these men in ADM 29 if they applied for pensions etc. 3. Men entering, 1873-1923For men who served before 1894, it may be worth checking the certificates of service in ADM 29 if they applied for pensions etc. The place to find service records for any rating who joined the Royal Navy between 1873 and 1923 is in the Registers of Seamens' Services in ADM 188 . These records can now be accessed at DocumentsOnline, access is free onsite at The National Archives. It is important to note that these records will not record service details after 1928, see sections 4-6 below. For each man they give the date of birth, ship or shore establishment and a concise account of service, including successive appointments. (The one exception to this rule is that the records of service for ratings who served with armoured cars in Russia, 1915-1917, are in ADM 116/1717 .) There are contemporary name indexes to the service numbers in the seriesof ADM 188 on microfilm in the The National Archives. There are several series of indexes, which are in manuscript and are not arranged in strict alphabetical order. These records are available to download from DocumentsOnline, searching by surname; forename; official number; date of birth; and place of birth. Access is free onsite at The National Archives. A tip for searching for those who served in the First World War is to use the medal rolls in ADM 171/94-119 . These are in alphabetical order and are typed, and give you the service number. In some cases, you will find a note on the register entry, giving a cross-reference to the "new register". This will be to one of the Continuation Books, in ADM 188/83-90 , which continue entries appearing in earlier registers. If the serviceman entered before 1873 the rating may also have a CS number and their earlier record of service will be in ADM 139 . If the rating served in one of the auxiliary services please see the following research guides for further information: Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and Women's Services, First World War. 3.1. Service Numbers issued between 1894 and 1907Between 1894 and 1908 the Royal Navy made 2 major changes to the way service numbers were allocated. Before 1894, as a man joined the service into whatever branch, so he was allocated a number in sequence. In January 1894 it was decided that batches of numbers, representing particular branches should be used so that anyone looking at a particular number would be able to know from which branch of the service the individual came from. The following sequences were used:
As this particular number sequence started in January 1894, so it would be possible for six men all joining the Royal Navy at the same time (but into different branches of the service) to have wildly varying service numbers. 3.2. Service numbers issued between 1908 and 1923In January 1908, the Royal Navy changed the service number system again. Instead of having just numerical batches of service numbers for a given branch of the service, this time a new number sequence for each trade was started , with each branch being given an alphabetical prefix, as follows:
Much as the numerical sequence mentioned above, so men joining different branches on the same day, would be given different service numbers. 3.3. Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS)Formed in July, 1914, men who entered the RNAS between July 1914 and March 1918 were given service numbers prefixed with the Letter "F". If an individual was already serving in the RN and transferred into the RNAS, so he would keep his original service number and just change his rating. Records of men who served in the RNAS can also be found in ADM 188 in DocumentsOnline. On 1 April 1918 the RNAS was amalgamated with the Royal Flying Corps to form the Royal Air Force, please see the research guide RAF, RFC & RNAS: First World War, 1914-1918: Service Records for information on RNAS personnel who joined the RAF. 3.4. Short ServiceIn 1903 a new short service system came into being, whereby individuals could join the RN for either 5 or 7 years, with the difference up to 12 (7 or 5 years) serving in the Royal Fleet Reserve. Service numbers starting with SS 1, served as Seamen. Service numbers starting with SS 100001, served as Stokers. 3.5. Y Service NumbersService Numbers commencing with a Y were given to men who enrolled under the deferred scheme: the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. If your man has only a Y number this indicates that he volunteered for service but was not actually called up, and his service record will not be found in ADM 188 . However, it is possible to find entries with both a Y number and another service number. Where this occurs the man was called up for service, and the service record should be traceable in ADM 188 using the service number without the Y. 4. Men entering after 1923Records of seamen who entered the Navy after 1923 are not held by The National Archives. For those seamen who entered the Navy after 1923 contact: RN Disclosure Cell, 5. Operational RecordsDetails about RN operations can also be found in Royal Navy Operational Records, 1660 - 1914, Royal Navy Operational Record First World War, 1914-1918, and Royal Navy Operational Records 1939-1945. 6. The National Archives' Library BibliographyThe following recommended publications are available in the The National Archives' Library. Where indicated a publication is also available to buy at The National Archives' Bookshop .
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