The following news release is from the ScotlandsPeople website:
A complete record of the deaths of Scottish seafarers from late Victorian times until 1974 is being made available online for the first time through ScotlandsPeople.
Among the 14,000 new records available through ScotlandsPeople are monthly returns of the Deaths of Seamen, which list Scots along with other crew members of all nationalities who were serving on British-registered vessels between 1897-1974.
The records were compiled by the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. Only the Scots can be searched for by name.
Other Marine Returns released online are the Returns of Deaths at Sea, 1902-1905. All the Marine Returns can be searched within the statutory registers by using the “Marine Returns” option under Minor Records.
Read more about the Minor Records available.
Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, Fiona Hyslop, said:
“Scotland is a maritime nation with fascinating stories and an important seafaring history and these new online registers will provide wider access to this heritage. I welcome the addition of this new resource that NRS is making available, which is part of the story of Scotland and will encourage people from across the world and at home to find out more about Scotland’s seafaring heritage”.
Tim Ellis, Registrar General and Keeper of the Records of Scotland, said:
“The Returns of Deaths of Seamen and Deaths at Sea open a window into the lives of Scots seafarers in the first half of the twentieth century. They reveal the dangers experienced by seamen and passengers alike, and provide useful information for anyone wishing to discover more about their ancestors. Our commitment at National Records of Scotland is to continue to extend digital access to the key records that researchers want.”
Find out more about William M Murdoch, First Officer on the fateful HMS Titanic, and the crew on The Lusitania. Also discover other fascinating entries uncovered in the Returns of Deaths at Sea.
