# William Ronald Brooks



## Cisco (Jan 29, 2007)

My sister has the family tree bug...... and she is trying to find out what happened to our great grandfather on our father's side.
The word in the family is that he went on a long sea voyage and never came back and her research seems to back this up.

The GGF was William Roland Brooks , born in 1838 in Islington and described on his wedding certificate as 'mariner'.
He was still in the census in 1871 but by 1881 his daughter Cecile ( our grandmother) was in the Royal Merchant Seamans Orphan Asylum at Snaresbrook, Essex.

Now I have told her that he probably jumped ship in Brazil, I have also told her that the SN team will have an answer within 24 hours.....

Looking forward to some assistance with this....


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## Cisco (Jan 29, 2007)

I have lost considerable face with my sister over this..... 

She has now advised me that - although London born - GGF Brooks was living in Southampton and listed as 'steward' on the census before he was lost at sea.

So.... where do we go to find crew lists etc that may show what happened to him? Visits to Kew aren't an option...

Thanks in advance..


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello Cisco,

Sorry I didn't see this in time to avoid your loss of face. (LOL)

I don't know if this is him: http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/...&birthYear=1838&birthYearTolerance=0&keyWord=

Would cost you 20 credits to find out unless someone has a subscription and was willing to check for you.

If it is him and there is a ship's name or official number on the card get back and will advise where you may got to further your research.

Regards
Hugh


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## Cisco (Jan 29, 2007)

Many thanks Hugh, I would think that was him, I'll pass it on to my sister and hopefully she will stop giving me grief.....

I had never heard of the Royal Merchant Seamens Orphan Asylum before.... the place has quite a remarkable history http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearwood_College


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

If Hugh has the correct man and I don't think it is. As it would make him 102 in 1940! It would seem he was a Junior Engineer at least in 1930 when he signed on MULBERA 146298 5/5/30 in Middlesborgh
MADURA 146268 25/5/28
DUMANA 146327 20/7/34
His Dis A was R46560 and his card CR2 states deceased.
OK then we hit a snag. ON 5/4/40 he signed on a ship with the O/N 146204 Which was a ship named RIOL which was delated from the British register in 1927 was later sold to Germany and renamed HELIGOLAND and was abandoned after running aground in 1942. Probably a typo.
So clearly not your man. 
The big problem is there were no Central Merchant Navy personal records kept between 1857 and effectivly 1919. So tracing him would be difficult to say the least.

Regards
Roger


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Thanks for looking Roger,
It was a long shot - the only shot that was available and needed to be checked to rule in/out. I agree that we probably need a ship's name now to find a crew agreement - difficult one.
Regards
Hugh


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## Cisco (Jan 29, 2007)

Many thanks Roger and Hugh, I have passed your comments on to my sister. I believe Bearwood College has the names of all the orphans that entered when it was an orphan asylum.... maybe if she can find out from them the year grandmother signed on there she can go and do a search of Southampton ships lost in the preceding year or so. That should keep her off my back for a while.
Thanks again,
Frank


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