# WEBSTER William Alan (born 1895)



## Gloria Marley (Feb 26, 2013)

Searching for records of ships my father William Alan Webster (born 1895 at Stratford, Essex). During 1916 he was fourth Officer (employed by the Glen Line) on the Glengyle.I have not found what ships he was on between 1916 and 1922, but have been told by a family member that after the First World War work was scarce and he took the position of Quartermaster, thought to be on the Mauretania, but I have not been able to trace him on that ship.


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello,
He served on the London Registered vessel DURHAM, official number 118499, signing on as Fourth officer in October 1918.
As all the Merchant Navy central personal records for the period of the First World War have been destroyed, the only way to find out what ships he sailed on prior to October 1918 is to look at the crew agreement of DURHAM. This should tell you the name and official number of his previous ship. You can then look at the crew agreement of this vessel so backtracking until you find all of his ships.
Its my guess that as the DURHAM voyage he signed on for was bound for the Antipoides and return, his details will be in the ships logbook and crew agreement for 1919.
This can be obtained from 
http://www.mun.ca/mha/holdings/viewcombinedcrews.php?Official_No=118499 
Cost you $50 Canadian
The crew agreements previous to that should be in the National Archives.
His WW1 medal card can be downloaded here
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D7957019

He served on WESTMORELAND 140292 signing on 28/10/1922
and PORT SYDNEY 136660 15/6/1923
You would have to go to MUN for their Crew Agreements

Roger


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## Gulpers (Sep 8, 2005)

*Welcome*

Gloria,

On behalf of the SN Moderators, a warm welcome aboard from the Isle of Anglesey.
I guarantee you will thoroughly enjoy the SN experience and I hope that someone will be able to help with your query – in the meantime have a good look around. (Thumb)


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## Gloria Marley (Feb 26, 2013)

Roger,

Many thanks for your assistance in tracing some of the ships my father was on, this has been a great help.
Gloria


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## Gloria Marley (Feb 26, 2013)

Roger,
Re: the records of my father William Alan Webster (born 1895 Stratford) and your subsequent reply in which you have found some information that he signed on the vessel DURHAM, official number 118499. I have been looking through some of my old papers and find that I must have had some reference to the DURHAM some years ago and did, in fact, write to MUN asking them to do a search for me. I have a letter from them dated 3 Nov 1994 in which they say UNFORTUNATELY OUR SEARCH HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. WEBSTER DID NOT SERVE ABOARD THE DURHAM FOR THE VOYAGES DATED 19/8/1917-8/9/1918 and 19/10/1918-8/4/1919. I am somewhat puzzled as to why they did not find him in the records. Can you suggest what I could do next?
Gloria


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello again,
I have checked the O/N of DURHAM with five different sources. All concur her O/N was 118499
This means either the clerk who wrote up William Allan Websters CR10 made a mistake or MUN have overlooked something.
I would look at the crew agreements for WESTMORLAND 140292 for 1922 and 1923. These are stored in the National Archive at Kew in pieces BT99/3660 (1922) and BT99/3393 (1923) This should tell you his previous vessel either by name or O/N.
Further reserarch suggests he sailed on CARDIGANSHIRE 132045 in late 1923.

regard
Roger


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## Gloria Marley (Feb 26, 2013)

Hello again Roger,
Many thanks for further information. I have e-mailed MUN with a copy of their letter and research details on the DURHAM and hope they can come up with an explanation. I have also beenthrough my papers and have Official Log Book for GLENGYLE O/N 137487 21/5/1916 - 16/11/1916 (no info either side of these dates). The next one is DURHAM 10/1918-? (written to MUN telling them of the information you gave me). 
I have "Agreement & Account of Crew"PORT SYDNEY 12/5/1922-18/10/1922 (W.A.Webster 638126) (last ship BALDINA - I do not have ship's number). 

I have "Agreement & Account of Crew" WESTMORELAND O/N 140292 28/10/22 - 23/4/23 (last ship PORT SYDNEY).

I also have a very old, and blackened, photo copy of a scrap of paper with the following info: Dis. A. No. 638126 W.A. Webster, age 28 years, place London, QMaster. Ship No. 132045 - date of engagement 29 Jun 1923 Victoria Docks. No other information after this date.


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello again,
BALDINA O/N 142688
Her Crew agreements and some of her logbooks 1918 -1921 inclusive, are at MUN
Confirm he joined CARDIGANSHIRE 132045 29/6/1923 at Victoria Docks. I suspect this was his last voyage.

Roger


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## Gloria Marley (Feb 26, 2013)

Hello Roger,
Many thanks for your help. I have now received a reply from MUN as follows:
Thank you for your email correspondence of March 4 referring to a past enquiry you made to the Maritime History Archive regarding your father, William Alan Webster. In the first instance it was most amusing to receive a copy of your correspondence with my letter to you, written in 1994, attached. However my amusement soon waned when I realized that I must have made an error when conducting your research at that time. I have since retrieved the crew agreement of the DURHAM O.N. 118499, for the voyage dated Oct 1918-April 8 1919 and quickly determined that your information is indeed correct: W.A. Webster's name clearly appears in the do***ent. Since I wrote the letter I can only assume that it was my oversight. Tomorrow we will send you a scanned copy of the Durham's voyage along with a copy of the crew agreement for Webster's previous voyable on the GLENGYLE O.N. 137487 dated Nov 30 1916-June 6 1918. In the meantime please accept my apologies for having caused you to wait nearly 20 years to tie up this loose end in your family history.
David Bradley, Maritime History Archive. MUN.


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello Gloria, Glad to help.
You just cannot get the staff these days!
That is why I like to do my own research where possible but at least he was big enough to put is hands up.
I hope they are not charging you.
You are to be admired for your tenacity.


regards
Roger


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## Gloria Marley (Feb 26, 2013)

Roger,
Thanks for your comments, I have since received another e-mail from MUN, full or apologies for making me wait nearly 20 years for the information. Also they did not charge me again for the search. In fact they were kind enough to send me the do***ents relating to the previous ship my father was on which was the Glengyle 137487, free of charge. He joined this ship 30 Nov 1916 - 6 June 1918. It seems that perseverance pays off! I still have a gap to fill between 1919 and 1922 when he joined the Port Sydney 12 May 1922 and gave the previous ship at the BALDINA - I presume these records would be at the PRO at Kew? Many thanks again for your help which spurred me on to continue with my research.
Gloria.


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## Gloria Marley (Feb 26, 2013)

Re: my last message and comments on the BALDINA O/N 142688 , have just re-read your e-mail regarding this ship and note that MUN hold the records I want 1919-1921. Thanks for that information.


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## gloriamcmarley (12 mo ago)

Roger Griffiths said:


> Hello again,
> BALDINA O/N 142688
> Her Crew agreements and some of her logbooks 1918 -1921 inclusive, are at MUN
> Confirm he joined CARDIGANSHIRE 132045 29/6/1923 at Victoria Docks. I suspect this was his last voyage.
> ...


Hello Roger,
I have been trying to locate MUN as I would like to continue with my research for my Father William Alan Webster (born 1895 West Ham). You kindly sent me details as above and I would like to obtain crew list of the BALDINA 142688 so that I can locate his whereabout back to 1920 but


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello Gloria,
Is it really 9 years since you started this thread!
You should be able to obtain the relevant Crew Agreements from


Crew List Index Search Results


regards
Roger


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## gloriamcmarley (12 mo ago)

Roger Griffiths said:


> Hello Gloria,
> Is it really 9 years since you started this thread!
> You should be able to obtain the relevant Crew Agreements from
> 
> ...


Hello Roger,
Many thanks for your reply to my ongoing thread. Yes, it really is 9 years ago that I was in contact with you when you very kindly assured me that my father was on the DURHAM (4th Officer),
after the NUM had written to me on 3rd November 1994 informing me that their search was unsuccessful and that he did not serve aboard DURHAM for the voyage dated 19/10/1918-8/4/1919. That was nearly 20 years searching until your confirmed in 2013 that MUN had overlooked the entry. They were of course very apologetic when I wrote to them again and they found him and supplied the Agreement and Account of Crew. I am now trying to get hold of the Crew Agreement for the BALDINA 142688 which he was listed as having served on prior to THE PORT SYDNEY 136660, voyage terminated 18 Oct 1922 (listed as Quartermaster). I have been onto the MUN website and noted "The crew agreements & logbooks for the voyages terminating in the years 1857-1941 are indexed and can be searched here", I clicked onto this section and filled in my father's name, name and number of ship, but got a reply that it was not listed. On the 1921, 19th June, Census he was at home with his parents at The Mall House, Wanstead, W. Ham. Listed Occupation with Adelaide Steamship Co. Place of Work Adelaide, Australia - not fixed place. I would like to trace his whereabouts back to the year 1920. Can you tell me if I have misread the instructions? I feel as though I have hit a brick wall, having reached the ripe old age of 80 I think I am becoming tired and confused!
Regards,
Gloria


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Gloria dont get confused,
Its fairly simple to get hold of the Crew Agrements for BALDINA 142688 Go to 


Crew List Index Search


Enter the official number 142688
Click on SUBMIT QUERY button
This action should lead you to this page


Crew List Index Search Results


Click on *Ordering Crew Agreements *at the bottom of the page
This action should give you this page.


Ordering Copies of Crew Agreements (Crew Lists)


Write an e-mail to [email protected]. 
Tell the person you would like copies of the 1920 and 1921 Crew Agreements of BALDINA Official Number 142688
Ask for the pages containing the* Names of Crew*, other wise they will quote you the complete crew agreement including the pages which are irrelivent to you.
They should then send you a quote for copying. Should be Around $40 Canadian. 
You cannot see the Crew Agreement on line. It is the INDEX that is searchable. Not the actual Crew Agreements.
I trust this is of help

regards
Roger


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## gloriamcmarley (12 mo ago)

Roger Griffiths said:


> Gloria dont get confused,
> Its fairly simple to get hold of the Crew Agrements for BALDINA 142688 Go to
> 
> 
> ...


Roger,
I have just written to [email protected] following your instructions.
Hopefully I will be able to move on at long last. I will let you know how I get on if you are interested for your records.

Many thanks for your help.
Gloria


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## gloriamcmarley (12 mo ago)

gloriamcmarley said:


> Hello Roger,
> I have been trying to locate MUN as I would like to continue with my research for my Father William Alan Webster (born 1895 West Ham). You kindly sent me details as above and I would like to obtain crew list of the BALDINA 142688 so that I can locate his whereabout back to 1920 but


Hello Roger,
In reply to my previous contact with you, I have since been in touch with MUN and have received the relevant pages from the Crew Agreement for the Baldina. My father, William Alan Webster joined the Baldina on the voyage commencing 4 Sep 1919 at Liverpool. voyage terminated 11 Oct 1920 at Sharpeners. Many thanks for pointing me in the right direction, your help is very much appreciated.
Gloria Marley.


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

No problem Gloria. Glad to help.
For my own records. May I ask how much MHA charged for the research and copying?
Sharpeners? I take it you mean Sharpness?

regards
Roger


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## gloriamcmarley (12 mo ago)

Roger Griffiths said:


> No problem Gloria. Glad to help.
> For my own records. May I ask how much MHA charged for the research and copying?
> Sharpeners? I take it you mean Sharpness?
> 
> ...



Yes Roger, it was Sharpness.

The total cost was ca$72. which was £42 currency exchange. . 
$40 Do***ent retrieval fee
$32 for 13 scans

Regards,
Gloria


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

gloriamcmarley said:


> Yes Roger, it was Sharpness.
> 
> The total cost was ca$72. which was £42 currency exchange. .
> $40 Do***ent retrieval fee
> ...


Thanks Gloria.
Rgds
Roger


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