# Advice appreciated (Blue Funnel Line + family history)



## Molilli (Aug 29, 2021)

Hello everyone.
I am looking for advice about finding out about my grandad, Sylvester Lilliott, who worked on Blue Funnel Line. He was born in 1907. He was a musician, and the family think he worked as a steward. I have done some searches on Ancestry, etc but not been able to find anything linked to his shipping career. He had a tattoo that said 'Santos', so I imagine he would have visited this port.
Could anyone please tell me a good starting point for finding out about his time on the ships?
Thank you
Mo Lilliott


----------



## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello and welcome,
I suggest, first of all, look at the records in the Fourth Register of Merchant Seamen 1918-1941. Available from Find my Past.








Merchant Navy seamen registers 1918-1941 - The National Archives


How do I view these records? Search and download () these records on: More about these records You can search and download merchant seamen records 1918-1941. These are digitised records from a variety of record series held at The National Archives: the Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Register...




www.nationalarchives.gov.uk




I have searched the records at the National Archives before 1918 and after 1941 with no result.
The only thing I came up with is a 1915 crew agreement concerning E A Lilliott, age 42, Stewardess on the Liverpool registered ship ORDUNA. A relation ?

regards
Roger


----------



## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

He has a CR1 and CR2 card which suggests he served as follows with no doubt some omissions.
143663 – YORKSHIRE – 25.1.1929.
143663 - YORKSHIRE – 9.5.1929.
149625 – CHESHIRE – 26.7.1929.
143663 – YORKSHIRE – 12.12.30.

Also he is noted on the 1939 Register as Victualling Dept IOM SS Company - VICTORIA 4.3.1939 
VICTORIA was built in 1907 her official number was 123811.
Regards
Hugh


----------



## Molilli (Aug 29, 2021)

Roger Griffiths said:


> Hello and welcome,
> I suggest, first of all, look at the records in the Fourth Register of Merchant Seamen 1918-1941. Available from Find my Past.
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you, Roger. I will do this.


----------



## Molilli (Aug 29, 2021)

Roger Griffiths said:


> Hello and welcome,
> I suggest, first of all, look at the records in the Fourth Register of Merchant Seamen 1918-1941. Available from Find my Past.
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you for doing that search for me. I am not sure who E A Lilliott is but I do intend to find out! I appreciate your help.


----------



## Molilli (Aug 29, 2021)

Hugh MacLean said:


> He has a CR1 and CR2 card which suggests he served as follows with no doubt some omissions.
> 143663 – YORKSHIRE – 25.1.1929.
> 143663 - YORKSHIRE – 9.5.1929.
> 149625 – CHESHIRE – 26.7.1929.
> ...


Thanks for this, Hugh. I had seen the notes on the 1939 register ship but I did not have the other details you have given me here.
Thank you for helping.


----------



## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Just to add that he also served on LEICESTERSHIRE official number 127995 on 8.3.1929. All of the ships noted were Bibby Line.
Also for research purposes E.A. Lilliott's Dis.A number was R67884.

Regards
Hugh


----------



## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Useful information Hugh. 
Mo.
It may pay you to obtain information contained within the Logbook and Crew Agreement of YORKSHIRE covering the date 25/01/1929. This should tell you his Discharge A number which is unique to him and will help as a research aid. Also the Crew agreement will tell you his prevoius ship (if any) together with his rank. The C/A may also tell you his NOK and his address. All info which may help complete the jigsaw.
Obtainable from




__





Crew List Index Search Results






mha.mun.ca





regards
Roger


----------



## Molilli (Aug 29, 2021)

Hugh MacLean said:


> Just to add that he also served on LEICESTERSHIRE official number 127995 on 8.3.1929. All of the ships noted were Bibby Line.
> Also for research purposes E.A. Lilliott's Dis.A number was R67884.
> 
> Regards
> Hugh


Thanks again


----------



## Molilli (Aug 29, 2021)

Roger Griffiths said:


> Useful information Hugh.
> Mo.
> It may pay you to obtain information contained within the Logbook and Crew Agreement of YORKSHIRE covering the date 25/01/1929. This should tell you his Discharge A number which is unique to him and will help as a research aid. Also the Crew agreement will tell you his prevoius ship (if any) together with his rank. The C/A may also tell you his NOK and his address. All info which may help complete the jigsaw.
> Obtainable from
> ...


That's great, thank you


----------



## mancinaus (Jun 6, 2013)

Molilli said:


> Hello everyone.
> I am looking for advice about finding out about my grandad, Sylvester Lilliott, who worked on Blue Funnel Line. He was born in 1907. He was a musician, and the family think he worked as a steward. I have done some searches on Ancestry, etc but not been able to find anything linked to his shipping career. He had a tattoo that said 'Santos', so I imagine he would have visited this port.
> Could anyone please tell me a good starting point for finding out about his time on the ships?
> Thank you
> Mo Lilliott


Hi there mo Mygrand father was in the merchant navy & I am assuming that your grand dad was as well,He would of had a continuance of service book (technically a passport )which covers his career.when I researched my grand dads history I joined a site called 'war forces records"which has a lot of records of merchant seamen so it might pay you to give them a try. good luck


----------



## Molilli (Aug 29, 2021)

Thank you very much for this tip. I have found out a lot more already due to everyone's help, here and I will follow this up.


----------



## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

mancinaus said:


> Hi there mo Mygrand father was in the merchant navy & I am assuming that your grand dad was as well,He would of had a continuance of service book (technically a passport )which covers his career.when I researched my grand dads history I joined a site called 'war forces records"which has a lot of records of merchant seamen so it might pay you to give them a try. good luck


The book is called a Continuous Certificate of Discharge, more commonly his discharge book. The book was a personal issue so if the family don't have it then you can't get it from Forces War Records (FWR) or anyone else. I am sorry to disagree with you about FWR they do not have a lot of records re merchant seamen that you cannot get elsewhere. I would save your money if I were you.
Regards
Hugh


----------



## Molilli (Aug 29, 2021)

Ok Hugh, thank you.


----------



## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Mo,
I agree with Hugh. Don't waste your money.
Incidently. As far as I can make out all the Bibby Line vessels mentioned were in 1929/30 involved in the UK - Rangoon trade. Santos is a port in Brazil. So I would assume his tattoo was the result of a later/earlier voyage.
It seems to me that the key to this one is The Logbook and Crew Agreement of YORKSHIRE.
The Bibby Line Archives are in Liverpool.
RECORDS OF BIBBY LINE | The National Archives May be worthwhile taking a peep.

regards
Roger


----------



## Molilli (Aug 29, 2021)

Thanks, Roger. I appreciate that.


----------

