# Lost Discharge Book



## Rob Pithers (Dec 1, 2012)

I'm sure this is a problem many members who've been away from the sea for a while will have. I can't find my Discharge Book anywhere, but would really like to find out when I was on which ships. I feel the records should be out there somewhere, but I'm struggling. Did my deck cadetship with P&O 1977 'till '81, but they apparently didn't pass any crew details to National Maritime Museum after 1977. I then went to Pelham Dale, Union Transport, Maple Marine and South Coast Aggregates. I've been in touch with Union Transport, they were excellent, and gave me all my details, including my DB number. None of the others still exist, except SCA (now Cemex) but they won't respond.
Any advice would be very gratefully received.
Thanks in advance,
Rob


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## oldman 80 (May 7, 2012)

Rob Pithers said:


> I'm sure this is a problem many members who've been away from the sea for a while will have. I can't find my Discharge Book anywhere, but would really like to find out when I was on which ships. I feel the records should be out there somewhere, but I'm struggling. Did my deck cadetship with P&O 1977 'till '81, but they apparently didn't pass any crew details to National Maritime Museum after 1977. I then went to Pelham Dale, Union Transport, Maple Marine and South Coast Aggregates. I've been in touch with Union Transport, they were excellent, and gave me all my details, including my DB number. None of the others still exist, except SCA (now Cemex) but they won't respond.
> Any advice would be very gratefully received.
> Thanks in advance,
> Rob


Don't take this as gospel, but I have a feeling that you are up against a brick wall, so to speak, if you cannot locate your discharge book/books.
About 10 or 11 years ago when I first bought a computer I visited a merchant navy website based in the UK. I cannot remember the address nor the name but the words Merchant Navy were a part of the address.
The message boards associated with that site were adorned with postings from people, like yourself, who were frantically trying to obtain lost records.
Many years ago it should have been possible to obtain that sort of information directly from the Registrar of Shipping and Seamen, Llandaff Rd., Cardiff. (I think that is the correct address - but it is from memory only - a 25 year vintage memory )
According to some of the responses to those queries, it was alledged that Thatchers Government had sold the whole lot of those records to Canadian Interests. (A bit of a shocker - I agree, and maybe not even true, but it came from several apparently different sources)
Whether it also meant that no copies of those records had been retained in the U.K. - I have no idea, but the wording of the various postings clearly implied that copies had not been kept.
That's what I recall from those days - it may reflect the true story - it may not. Not all message board postings contain the truth, but when the same thing, or nearly the same thing, comes from a variety of differing sources - then the chances are that there is some element of truth about it.
I wish you luck in your efforts.


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## ninabaker (May 4, 2012)

Not what you are asking of course, but some of my hand luggage was lost in transit when I was flying home from a ship and didnt reappear for several months. I lost my discharge book and cadets record book amongst other stuff and had to be reissued with new ones of both, so I have two discharge books and two record books, as the lost stuff eventually did show up.


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

I am afraid there were no seamen's records kept by the Registry of Shipping and Seamen between the years 1973 to 1999.

Regards
Hugh


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## donald h (Aug 24, 2005)

Does that mean that there WERE records at the time, Hugh,..but that they weren`t kept, (ie, disposed of)..or just that there were no records whatsoever?


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello Donald,

After 1973 the Registrar General was not required by legislation to keep these records so they didn't. They were kept again after 1999 at least up until 2002.

Regards
Hugh


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## donald h (Aug 24, 2005)

Thanks for clarifying that, Hugh.

regards, Donald


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## andysk (Jun 16, 2005)

oldman 80 said:


> ....... According to some of the responses to those queries, it was alledged that Thatchers Government had sold the whole lot of those records to Canadian Interests. (A bit of a shocker - I agree, and maybe not even true, but it came from several apparently different sources) .......


From memory, and other posts seen elsewhere they went to the Newfoundland Museums I believe.


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## Rob Pithers (Dec 1, 2012)

Hi Andy,
Unfortunately those records only go up to 1977, I need the following 11 years.
Thanks for your thoughts, 
Merry Xmas,
Rob


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## 2newfie (Dec 19, 2010)

A lot of records are held at Memorial University in St.Johns,Newfoundland


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