What is a Continuous Service Certificate Us Navy
Nature of Source
Records relating to ratings who entered the navy for a fixed period of an initial ten year period. For each engagement served, a Continuous Service Number was issued, also known as 'CS numbers'.
For the 18th century and much of the 19th century, ratings only signed up for a commission on a particular ship and was only employed for the duration of the commission. Therefore, naval rating's records are rarely indexed by name with no individual service records kept on a sailor. It is therefore imperative that the name of the ship is known to conduct research on a rating. After Continuous Service was introduced in 1853, centralised records were kept on individual ratings which established a professional structure to the Navy.
The following sources could be used to establish the name of the ship served on:
Seamen's Wills in series ADM 48; wills proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury which was used as the probate court for sailors who died abroad or at sea (see Royal Navy/Royal Marines – Casualty Records for more details)
Certificates of Service (see Royal Navy/Royal Marines – Certificates of Service – Ratings & Officers)
The Trafalgar Ancestors project aims to list all those who served in the Battle of Trafalgar and will provide amongst other things the name of the ship served on; parish marriage registers might record the name of the ship served on
Pension records especially ADM 73/1-35, Greenwich Hospital Pensioners' Admission Papers which are indexed by surname (see Royal Navy/Royal Marines – Pensions to the Wounded, Retired, Widows & Orphans – Ratings & Officers.
It is possible that a rating could be issued with more than one CS number. Ratings who joined before 1873 but continued in service beyond this date might also appear in the Registers of Seamen's Services.
Royal Navy ex-servicemen suffering mental illness were treated at Hoxton House in London until 1818 and thereafter at the Royal Hospital Haslar near Gosport, Hampshire until 1854. The records can be found at The National Archives in series ADM 102/415-20 for Hoxton House and in series ADM 102/356-73 for Haslar.
See also
Royal Navy – Registers of Seamen's Services (Service Records), Ratings
Royal Navy/Royal Marines – Muster & Pay Books (Service Records) – Ratings & Officers Royal Navy/Royal Marines – Certificates of Service – Ratings & Officers
Where Found
The National Archives (ADM 139, Royal Navy Continuous Service Engagement Books. Alphabetical indexes are available in series ADM 139/1019-1027)
Digital copies of these records can be searched and downloaded (see below). The indexes to ADM 139 and ADM 188 are also available to download as part of the DigitalMicrofilm project.
Fleet Air Arm Museum (The museum hold material relating to the Royal Naval Air Service and the Fleet Air Arm from official and private sources including service records, squadron line books, aircraft accident records, air stations, operations, ships and equipment. The museum also has custody of Royal Navy & Royal Marines Service Documents)
Royal Naval Museum (The museum houses a collection of naval related books, manuscripts and images, including the collections from the Admiralty Library formerly housed in London. The museum library offers a number of resources for those researching family histories with a number of Information Sheets available online including a guide to naval rankings. The Online Catalogue provides access to the Manuscript, Oral History, Photographic and WRNS collections)
Period Covered
1853 – 1872
Genealogical Value
- Name of rating.
- Date and place of birth of rating.
- Names of ships served on.
- Summary of service, including details of discharge and death and period of service.
Further References
- Addis, C.P. The Men Who Fought with Nelson in HMS Victory at Trafalgar: Nelson Society, 1988
- Adkins, Roy & Lesley. Jack Tar: The Extraordinary Lives of Ordinary Seamen in Nelson's Navy: Abacus, 2009
- Bevan, Amanda. Tracing Your Ancestors in the National Archives: The National Archives, 2006
- Blank, Dr. Stuart. Researching British Military History on the Internet: Alwyn Enterprises, 2007
- Burt, R.A. British Battleships of World War One: Seaforth, 2012
- Clarke, John D. Men of HMS Victory at Trafalgar Including the Muster Roll, Casualties, Rewards and Medals: Naval & Military Press 2002
- Cock, Randolph & Rodgers N.A.M. A Guide to the Naval Records in The National Archives of the UK: Institute of Historical Research, 2006
- Coleman, E.C. Rank and Rate: Insignia of Royal Naval Ratings, WRNS, Royal Marines, QARNNS and Auxiliaries: Crowood Press, 2012
- Fenton, Roy & Briody, Nuala & Macdonald, Mike. Maritime Information : A Guide to Libraries and Sources of Information in the United Kingdom: Maritime Information Association, 2004
- Fowler, Simon. A Guide to Military History on the Internet: Pen & Sword, 2007
- Fowler, Simon. Tracing Your Naval Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen & Sword Books, 2011
- Gregson, Keith. Nelson's Navy 1793-1815: Federation of Family History Societies, 2006
- Hurst, Norman (comp). Naval Chronicle, 1799-1818: Index to Births, Marriages and Deaths: N. Hurst, 1989
- Ingham, Mary. Tracing Your Service Women Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen and Sword Books 2012
- Lavery, Brian. Life in Nelson's Navy: The History Press, 2011
- Lavery, Brian. Empire of the Seas: The Remarkable Story of How the Navy Forged the Modern World: Conway, 2012
- Lavery, Brian. Nelson's Navy: The Ships, Men and Organisation, 1793-1815: Conway, 2013
- Mackenzie, Robert Holden. The Trafalgar Roll: The Ships and the Officers: Chatham, 2004
- Pappalardo, Bruno. Tracing Your Naval Ancestors: PRO, 2003
- Pope, Dudley.Life In Nelson's Navy: Chatham Publishing, 1997
- Prysor, Glyn. Citizen Sailors: The Royal Navy In the Second World War: Penguin Books, 2012
- Rodger, N.A.M. Naval Records for Genealogists: PRO, 1998
- Royal Marines Historical Society. A Register of Royal Marine Deaths, 1914-19: 1991
- Spencer, William. Family History in the Wars: The National Archives, 2007
- Storey, Neil. Military Photographs and How to Date Them: Countryside Books, 2009
- Tracing Your Family History. Royal Navy: Imperial War Museum, 2006
- Tracy, Nicholas. The Naval Chronicle: The Contemporary Record of the Royal Navy at War, vols 1-5: various publishers
- Usher, George. Dictionary of British Military History: A&C Black Publishers, 2006
- Waller, Ian. My Ancestor was in the Royal Navy: Society of Genealogists, 2014
- Watts, Christopher T. and Watts, Michael J. Tracing Births, Deaths and Marriages at Sea: Society of Genealogists, 2004
- Willis, Sam. In the Hour of Victory: The Royal Navy At War in the Age Nelson: Atlantic Books, 2014
- Wills, Simon. Tracing Your Seafaring Ancestors: A Guide to Maritime Photographs for Family Historians: Pen and Sword Books, 2016
- Wilson, Alastair. A Biographical Dictionary of The Twentieth Century Royal Navy: Volume 1 Admirals of the Fleet and Admirals: Seaforth, 2013
Websites
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/?research-category=military-and-maritime (The National Archives Research Guides: Military and Maritime. Learn how to trace the voyages made by a merchant seaman, find a Royal Marine's medal record or track the wartime history of an Army regiment)
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/default.htm (TNA Guide: Looking for a person, Navy)
www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_nav_rankings.htm (Officer Ranks in the Royal Navy: The Naval Hierarchy Explained)
www.roll-of-honour.com/RoyalNavy/WarshipsLostWW1.html (Roll of Honour: World War 1 British Warship Losses. This list covers the warships lost between 4th August 1914 to 11th November 1918, issued as a House of Commons paper, as published in 1919 by His Majesty's Stationery Office)
www.ukmfh.org.uk (UK Military Family History Online: Links to web sites with online data and information to aid in military family history research)
www.genuki.org.uk/big/MilitaryRecords (GENUKI Guide: UK and Ireland: Military Records)
www.genuki.org.uk/big/BritMilRecs (GENUKI: British Military Records by Jay Hall)
www.rmg.co.uk/research-collections/research-guides (National Maritime Museum Caird Library: Research Guides. The guides will help you research maritime records so you can discover more about your ancestors, family history or famous people. A number of guides deal with tracing and researching Royal Navy ancestors as well as ship records, administrative records and naval gunnery)
www.iwm.org.uk/research/tracing-your-family-history/tracing-your-royal-naval-history (Imperial War Museum Research Guide: Tracing your Royal Navy History)
www.bl.uk/collection-guides/uk-national-government-publications (British Library Guide: Service lists for the Army, Navy and Air Force)
www.naval-history.net (Information on battles, actions, medals, convoys, warships, merchant ships and ship losses, including photos of lost soldiers)
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nelson (Online exhibition to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805)
www.navyrecords.org.uk (Navy Records Society: Publisher of original documents on the Royal Navy)
https://navaldockyards.org (Naval Dockyards Society. The society's primary aim is to stimulate the production and exchange of information and research into naval dockyards and associated organisations)
Online Databases
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/royal-navy-ratings-service-records-1853-1928 (The National Archives: Royal Navy Ratings Service Records, 1853-1928. Search over 700,000 Royal Navy service records for ratings who entered the service between 1853 and 1928. Some of the records cover periods of service up to at least 1950. The database consists of Continuous Service Engagement Books from 1853 to 1872, in series ADM 139 andRegisters Of Seamen's Services from 1873 to 1923, in series ADM 188;Wills of Royal Naval Seamen: A collection of around 20,000 wills made by seamen of the Royal Navy 1786-1882)
www.ancestry.co.uk (UK, Royal Navy Officer Patrol Service Cards, 1904-1970. This collection contains records for those who served in the Royal Navy Patrol Service and includes Royal Navy Continuous Record cards which were updated throughout the serviceman's naval career)
www.findmypast.co.uk (British Royal Naval Reserve 1899-1930. The dataset consists of over 81,000 service cards of officers and ratings who served with the RNR extracted from TNA series ADM 337 and ADM 240)
www.findmypast.co.uk (British Royal Navy & Royal Marines Service and Pension Records, 1704-1919. The dataset consists of an assortment of documents kept by the Greenwich Hospital and the Royal Hospital Chelsea to record the details of Greenwich Pensioners)
www.ancestry.co.uk (Web: UK, Wills of Royal Naval Seamen Index, 1786-1882. Ancestry search linked to The National Archives website)
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/digital-microfilm.htm (Indexes from ADM 139: Royal Navy Continuous Service Engagement Books. TNA Digital Microfilm allows free downloads of records which were previously available only on microfilm in the reading room)
www.ancerstry.co.uk (UK, Naval Officer and Rating Service Records, 1802-1919. British officers and ratings [non-commissioned seamen] in the Royal Navy were awarded pensions after 20 years' service. This collection includes records that documented that service, including musters and pay registers, which were compiled by the Navy Pay Office)
www.findmypast.co.uk (British Royal Navy Allotment Declarations, 1795-1852. Over 485,000 records held in TNA series ADM 27 showing details of seamen applications for allotments)
www.forces-war-records.co.uk (Forces War Records: Search over two million British Armed Forces personnel records from 30 completely exclusive collections covering WWII, WWI, Boer War, Victorian Conflicts, Crimean War, Early 19th Century Wars, Napoleonic. Also search hundreds of other sources such as Medal Rolls, Casualties Lists and Memorials. Name searches are automatically cross referenced to the Historic Documents Library that holds over two thousand publications)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Armed forces deaths 1796-1994 and GRO Naval war deaths WWI and WWII)
www.naval-history.net (Casualty Lists of the Royal And Dominion Navies 1889-2009, researched and compiled by Don Kindell)
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/trafalgarancestors (Trafalgar Ancestors: Names and details of those that served in the Battle of Trafalgar compiled by Bruno Pappalardo)
www.ageofnelson.org/NavyList/index.html (The Complete Navy List of the Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815: Transcribed names and details of more than 11,000 commissioned officers who served in the Royal Navy from 1787 onwards, up to those who entered the service before 1817)
www.ageofnelson.org/TrafalgarRoll/index.html (The Ayshford Trafalgar Roll: Names and details of over 21,000 seamen and marines who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805)
www.1812privateers.org/ADM26/ADM26.html (Transcripts of the ADM 26 registers which allowed ratings/sailors and not officers to remit part of their pay to a third party, usually a relative, 1795-1851)
CD Roms
GenFair (Royal Navy at Sea & Ports Abroad, 1861, 1871, 1901 census returns. Census entries giving details on crew Name, Rank, Condition married or single, Age and Place of Birth both at sea and in domestic and foreign ports)
S & N Genealogy Supplies (Royal Navy Ships at Sea and in Ports Abroad in the 1871 Census and 1901 census)
www.ageofnelson.org/NavyList/CD.html (The Complete Navy List of the Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815: Transcribed names and details of more than 11,000 commissioned officers who served in the Royal Navy from 1787 onwards, up to those who entered the service before 1817)
www.ageofnelson.org/TrafalgarRoll/index.html (The Ayshford Trafalgar Roll: Names and details of over 21,000 seamen and marines who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805)
Source: https://www.genguide.co.uk/source/royal-navy-continuous-service-engagement-books-service-records-ratings-military/
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