# Duncan Taylor b. 1835



## primrose (Mar 28, 2014)

Hi, I need some help please. 
I have a some maritime information about my great grandfather Duncan Taylor born on the 15 Oct 1835 Saltcoats, Ayrshire , Scotland. Parents Archibald Taylor and Catherine Sinclair

My problem is how can I be sure this information is for the same man just based on the name, year born and place of birth. Were can I look to find more info to prove all the information I have belongs to him? I am concerned about the No 2 the royal navy does not fit in with the others. 

First I have an apprenticeship info - UK, Apprentices Indentured in Merchant Navy, 1824-1910

Name: Duncan Taylor
Age: 15
Birth Year: abt 1835
Registration or Indenture Date: 23 May 1850
Port of Registry: Irvine
Vessel: Industry

No.2 - Duncan Taylor, age 25, birth 1836 born Saltcoats -Able Seaman, Royal Navy England. vessel Commodore 2

No3- Duncan Taylor age 40 birth 1835 Saltcoats -master and mates certificate- issue date 22 Jun 1875 Ardrossan -Certificate Number:	99824 - First mate merchant navy

No4 - First Mate of the ship 'Roseneath" merchant navy

Thanks


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello,
I would agree with you that Number 2 may be erroneous but not beyond the realms. Not least because I cannot find a Royal Navy ship or Shore Establishment with this name! Maybe other's can enlighten us.
On the positive side. His certificates of service and competency.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C408294 
and
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6161275
Try ancestry first they may have copies.

Also try Lloyd's Captains Register at London Metropolitan Archives.

What dates was he on board ROSENEATH?

regards
Roger


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## primrose (Mar 28, 2014)

Hi Roger , that for responding to my post. Duncan Taylor died with the "Roseneath" when it went down on the 2 Feb 1889 near Port Patrick. This wife and young son were with him, they also drowned. Plus 3or 4 other crew.

GLASGOW HERALD
4 FEBRUARY 1889

SEVERE STORM AND SHIPWRECK
STRANDING OF GLASGOW VESSEL – SIX LIVES LOST


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello again,
You should be able to obtain the last Crew Agreement of ROSEHEATH official number 20194 from 
https://www.mun.ca/mha/holdings/viewcombinedcrews.php?Official_No=20194
Amongest other things it should tell you his place of birth and previous vessel.

You may have this.
Found him on a 1881 Crew Agreement of CITY OF HANKOW Pages 2 and 3 confirmed by certificate number.
And CITY OF MADRID page 4 and 5 Also confirmed by Certificate Number
https://www.mun.ca/mha/1881/crewfin...ean2=AND&VesselName=&boolean4=AND&OfficialNo=

I cannot find a person with this name on the vessel FREDERICK and The person on CITY OF CORINTH is a 17 year old apprentice.

Before CITY OF HANKOW his vessel was EBLANA of Liverpool. Problem is there were two Liverpool ships with that name in 1880. 31616 and 50479


regards 
Roger


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Roger Griffiths said:


> I cannot find a person with this name on the vessel FREDERICK and The person on CITY OF CORINTH is a 17 year old apprentice.
> Roger


Hi Roger,
He is shown as the master of CITY OF CORINTH pages 1 and 2 

There is a Duncan Taylor age 45 from Leith and a Carpenter on the ENG2 for FREDERICK (account of changes to the crew of a foreign-going vessel) on page 7 so I don't think that is the same man.

I also have Duncan Taylor ticket number 466581 as an apprentice in BT 113/234 and also in BT 116/90. Primrose may or may not have these.
Regards
Hugh


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Morning Hugh,
Should have gone to Specsavers!

regards
Roger


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## primrose (Mar 28, 2014)

Hi Guy's thanks so much for all the help and info. The other Duncan Taylor became the captain of the City of Corinth he is the other Duncan's cousin. I have him on my tree as well. So thanks for that too. Duncan captain of the City of Corinth became ill and died aboard his ship on the way to Calcutta. This was in 1883. I am just thinking could this be for this Duncan Taylor b. 1833, captain City of Corinth-No.2 - Duncan Taylor, age 25, birth 1836 born Saltcoats -Able Seaman, Royal Navy England. vessel Commodore 2.? I was going through my info and it looks like I have him with this ship, but no proof. Also the same man I have him with the ship "Sebastopol" this is in 1863 ?


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## primrose (Mar 28, 2014)

Guys I have just found a England census for Duncan Taylor aboard the "Commedore"
for the year 1861 . It has him born in Satcoats, Ayrshire


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello again,
As suspected COMMODORE (not COMM*E*DORE) was a merchant vessel rather than Royal Navy. The terms used to describe some members of crew such as Master and Mate were merchant service parlance. RN would have used the term Captain, First Officer etc. 
The number of crew listed (14) also makes it unlikely to be a RN vessel.
Now, There were 27 merchant ship with the name COMMODORE around in 1861

https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/vi...MODORE&steamsail=Sail&year=1861+&submit=enter

So which one is the vessel in question.
I would go with the Glasgow registered ship. Official Number 26493.
Her Master on the Census is Hugh Baird. Lloyds Register 1860/1861 gives her Master as E Baird, I would suggest this is the same man.

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=JkESAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=editions:0Ftz6zT302-
gFzEJxA5c6C#v=onepage&q&f=false

To prove my theory and to confirm your ancestor was on board, you need to obtain the 1861 Crew Agreement covering the date 7/4/1861.

You should be able to get hold of it by using this form.

https://www.rmg.co.uk/national-mari...w-lists-agreements-official-logs-request-form

There were several Merchant vessels around in 1863 named SEBASTOPOL
https://www.crewlist.org.uk/data/vi...STOPOL&steamsail=Sail&year=1863+&submit=enter I would go with the Glasgow vessel.

regards 
Roger


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Nice work Roger. I can confirm the master of the ship was Hugh Baird in 1861.
Regards
Hugh


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## primrose (Mar 28, 2014)

Thanks Roger so much I have learned a lot. Thanks Hugh for confirming the info. I am excited now and must share this new info with a second cousin who descends from the same line.


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## Scotch Boiler (Sep 18, 2011)

Duncan Taylor is not an unusual name, but I sailed with a Captain Duncan McQuillan Taylor in the Lyle Shipping Coy in the mid sixties. I think that his home was in the Dunoon area. He would have been aged in the mid sixties himself. I only mention it as there may or may not be a connection.


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## primrose (Mar 28, 2014)

Hi Gordon, maybe- maybe not, most of my Taylor's were from Saltcoats Stevenston, Ardrossan and one or two who moved to Glasgow. I have found it difficult to find my Duncan Taylor's as you say there were a lot with that name. And so many that were sailor as well. I have three Duncan's so far that are sailors and one that was a marine engineer.


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## vic pitcher (Oct 20, 2004)

primrose said:


> Hi Gordon, maybe- maybe not, most of my Taylor's were from Saltcoats Stevenston, Ardrossan and one or two who moved to Glasgow. I have found it difficult to find my Duncan Taylor's as you say there were a lot with that name. And so many that were sailor as well. I have three Duncan's so far that are sailors and one that was a marine engineer.


There was a well known Master with Common Brothers, Duncan G Taylor (known to all as"T2" Taylor)


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## Scotch Boiler (Sep 18, 2011)

vic pitcher said:


> There was a well known Master with Common Brothers, Duncan G Taylor (known to all as"T2" Taylor)


Getting off topic but I sailed with a 4th engineer who had been on Caltex T2 tankers and he would go on for hours about anything T2. After 70 years I particularly remember him droning on about "coffin feed pumps" on T2 tankers.


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## primrose (Mar 28, 2014)

Oh my goodness! Gordon you must of got so sick and tried of hearing the same thing over and over again. Seeing the tankers out at see near Durban, I is it not a boring job, there does not seam to be much to do on them, or am I wrong?


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## Scotch Boiler (Sep 18, 2011)

primrose said:


> Oh my goodness! Gordon you must of got so sick and tried of hearing the same thing over and over again. Seeing the tankers out at see near Durban, I is it not a boring job, there does not seam to be much to do on them, or am I wrong?


I never spent much time on tankers myself. But my shipmate was always talking about Caltex T2 tankers. I was on cargo ships and spent some time in Durban in the early sixties. Very enjoyable times along Point Rd and up in to the city and along the beachfront.


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