United Kingdom, British Royal Navy Ships’ Musters, 1739-1861
This collection was created from British Royal Navy ships' musters, which recorded each person present on the ship. The records are in the custody of The National Archives. Index courtesy of FindMyPast.
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United Kingdom, British Royal Navy Ships’ Musters
What is in This Collection?
This collection contains records from National Archives' record series ADM 36 Royal Navy Ships' Musters (Series I); ADM 37 Ships' Musters (Series II); and ADM 38 Ships' Musters (Series III). Record series ADM 36 and ADM 37 contain some musters of shore establishments such as dockyards, garrisons, and in one case a rendezvous (for recruitment and impressment).
ADM 36
This series covers the years 1688-1808. Bound within musters of particular ships are description books which record the previous service, birthplace, and a physical description of each crew member. The entire series (not published here) contains 17,471 volumes.
ADM 37
This series covers the years 1757-1842. The entire series (not published here) contains 10,131 volumes. There is a clear break occurring between the years 1828 and 1836 (the exact date varies from ship to ship).
ADM 38
This series covers 1793-1878. The entire series (not published here) contains 9,376 volumes. A number of musters were destroyed after WWI. The following abbreviations are used throughout this series:
- C: Muster, or Complete, Book
- D: Description Book
- M: Quarterly Muster Book
- O: Muster Open List
- V: Victualling List
Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.
What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
- Person's name
- Birth year
- Birth place
- Enlistment date
- Muster date
- Man's rating
- Ship's name
Collection Content
Sample Images
ADM 36/10744, Muster roll, HMS Bounty, December 1787
ADM 37/5638 Muster roll, HMS Confiance, September 1814
ADM 37/5638 Muster roll, HMS Confiance, September 1814
ADM 38/8650 Muster roll, HMS Orpheus, February 1863
Inventory Table
This table lists the items found in record series 36, 37, and 38.
| ADM Series | Items |
|---|---|
| 36 | Centurion (554-556), Canceaux (7102), Chaleur (7234), Halifax (7254-7255), Sir Edward Hawke (7256), Adventure (7550), Resolution (7672), Cruizer (7807), Discovery (8013), Resolution (8048-8049), Cherokee (8049), Asia (8080-8081), Preston (8094-8095), Halifax (8189), Halifax (8192), Magdalen (8478), Endeavour (8569), Jersey (8572-8574), Royal Oak (9522), Jersey (prison ship) (9578-9579), Santa Monica (9624), Princess Amelia (9987), Bounty (10744), Sirius (10978), Supply (10981), Gorgon (11120), Pandora (11136), Providence (11154), Assistant (11169), Chatham (11278), Discovery (11310), Reliance (13397-13399), Providence (13498), Supply (13563-13564), Buffalo (14230), Porpoise (15488-15489), Naval yard at Cape of Good Hope (15490), Buffalo (15524), Glatton (15599), Investigator (15885), Victory (15900), Calcutta (16071-16072), Halifax Dockyard (17229), Buffalo (17313-17314) |
| 37 | Pelican (4732), New Orleans flotilla, Lake Ontario flotilla (5002), Lake Erie Shore Establishment, Newash, Sauk, Huron, Tecumseth (5631), Lake Huron naval establishment, Surprise, Tecumseth (5632), Belzebub, Confiance (5638), Huron, Heila, Infernal, Mastiff, Newash, Sandrail (5640-5641), Netley, Sauk, Surprize, Tecumseth (5642-5643), Dromedary (6076-6077), Coromandel (6182-6183), Halifax Yard (8602-8603), Halifax Yard, Gibralter Yard (8604-8605), Bombay Yard, Halifax Yard, Heligoland Yard, Malta Yard, Barbadoes Yard (8607) |
| 38 | Isle aux Noix, Lower Canada (2294), Royal Marines, 3rd (Colonial) Battalion (at Ireland Isle), 1st-6th Companies, Staff Company, Supernumerary Company (at St. George's), Royal Marine Artillery, Captain Parke's Company, Royal Marine Artillery, Captain Parry's and Lieutenant Balchild's Companies (2295), Canada, Naval Depôts (2296), Lake Erie Naval ordinary (2297-2300), Lake Champlain naval ordinary (2301), Canadian Lakes (2302), Gibralter, Quebec, Isle aux Noix, Montreal and Niagara, Kingston, yards and miscellaneous (2303), Orpheus (8650) |
Collection Details
Location of Original Records
The National Archives
"United Kingdom, British Royal Navy Ships’ Musters, 1739-1861", Database. FamilySearch. https://familysearch.org : 18 October 2024.
