Tracing Your Merchant Navy Ancestors

What was a merchant seamans life like in the past, what experiences would he have had, what were the ships like that he sailed in, and what risks did he run? Was he shipwrecked, rewarded for bravery, or punished? And how can you find out about an ancestor who was a member of the long British maritime tradition? Simon Wills concise and informative historical guide takes the reader and researcher through the fascinating story of Britains merchant service, and he shows you how to trace individual men and women and gain an insight into their lives.

Simon Wills is a history journalist and genealogist who writes regularly for magazines such as Family Tree and Discover your Ancestors. He advises and has appeared in the TV program Who Do You Think You Are? and contributes to the magazine of the same name. Simon gives history presentations and interviews at national and local events all around the UK for organizations such as The National Archives, Chalke Valley History Festival, National Trust, and the BBC. He is also a dedicated wildlife and nature photographer, and all the photographs in this book were taken by him.