# The National Archive, closure of Merchant Navy records



## amanda davies (Apr 3, 2008)

I have been reading on another forum (MM) that TNA have closed access to the merchant navy files from 1941 onwards due to the information being used for criminal activity. which if correct is going to effectively halt any research through this resource for some considerable time and if and when they are reopened are likley to have essential info ,such as Dis A numbers deleted!

does anyone here have any other info on the subject?

it would appear that no other files are effected... yet! but Im sure that much of what TNA hold generally could be mis used in the same way and ripples of this action could be extreamly far reaching

seamans pouches are the key to unlocking our past. 

please someone tell me I'm wrong.


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## Paul_Lee (May 2, 2008)

I think that Southampton City Archives have copies of Merchant Sailors records, so they may be able to help with "problematic" files...


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## amanda davies (Apr 3, 2008)

thanks paul, yes they do hold a big percentage of the seamans pouches and very good they are too, but they dont offer the DE service that TNA do and for those of us not based in the UK this is significant. If everyone who currently accesses their records through TNA suddenly switch to Southampton city archive, I think they could be seriously swampped

Im currently looking at obtaining the crew lists for the stork. Prior to 1939 the records are now in Newfoundland, again very helpful but much slower and considerably more expensive than TNA and unless their system has changed in the last few months they dont have a secure system of payment by credit card on the net.

TNA still hold the crewlists for ships 1939 onwards and these contain the Dis A numbers of all the crew, nex of kin, place of birth, home address etc which is exactly the info thats being mis used

Trying to remove this info, apart from rendering them almost useless would take more man hours than would possibly be practical...... lets hope that a solution is found, quickly and one that is workable.


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## Paul_Lee (May 2, 2008)

The Newfoundland archives do accept credit cards (if you are happy sending out your details via email - which I did, splitting my credit card numbers up and sending them out in individual emails). Thanks to their hard work, I got scanned copies of the do***ents I wanted back via email in a few days. Tanya Macdonald is a true star!


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

I think it is important to understand just what records are held at Southampton City Archives and at the National Archives, Kew. 

Southampton City Archives hold the The Central Index Register of Merchant Seamen *1918-1941* (The Fourth Register of Seamen's Service - the original cards). The National Archives hold copies on microfiche. Southampton will not be able to help you with post 1941 files.

The National Archives hold the (Fifth Register of Seamen's Service) starting from 1941 and ran until 1972. Seamen's pouches are held at the National Archives in piece details BT372.. 

Regards


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## mike13 (Nov 22, 2006)

You have to get a quote from Record Copying at T.N.A


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## Richard C (Oct 24, 2007)

Further to the discussion---having just been to the national archives as of yesterday.thursday 29th May.
There is now a form which you have to fill in giving your name and reader ticket no and a seat no which you are allocated on arrival.Then the request to see info from BT 372/ ...... giving full name of seaman,date of birth,place of birth,discharge no.
Under the data protection act you can have an unedited version only if
1: its`s your own record and you can prove your identity(passport etc)
2:the seaman was born over 100 years ago
3:you can prove the seaman is deceased
otherwise they will copy F.O.C an edited version within 45 mins,subject to demand
Basically it seems you have to visit personally otherwise it will cost an arm and a leg,thats if they will do it at all if you aren`t there---it seems to be a new system and no-one is quite sure.
Which is a shame because it`s only 1month ago that I visited and had the run
of 3 boxes of pouches at a time---it was a shock to find that it had all changed.
I must admit I got not a little shirty with them which did my case no good at
all
This applies to both BT372 and BT382


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## amanda davies (Apr 3, 2008)

and for those of us not residing in the UK, the phrase " stuck up a Gum tree" springs to mind!..... there were others, but not printable i'm afraid!


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## billyboy (Jul 6, 2005)

Amanda...Theres a paddle shop at the top of that creek now...LOL


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