Hi Mike, The Memorial University of Newfoundland, that Penny mentioned bought the records that the Nat. Archives in the UK were going to destroy, includes Crew lists which can be searched for on line, at the "Maritime History Archive" part of this university complex. The only problem with searching for these crew lists is that you need to know the official registration number of a vessel before you can use the online search. The University of Newfoundland offer a research service but it will be a paid service of course. Below is the link to their website. >From what the site says, you will still need the name at least of a vessel on which you believe Henry sailed and some sort of time frame as they will search 2 years of crew lists for a given ship name and time frame during 1 paid hour, or two vessels for 1 hour. http://www.mun.ca/mha/ But again, if Henry W. West was sailing on foreign registered ships then the records for those foreign vessels may not be held at Newfoundland. If you haven't already done so, have a look at the mariners website where you will find information on researching Mariners, both Merchant and RN, not only from the UK but other countries too. There is a mailing list linked to this site which deals only with ships and the men who sailed them, it does not deal with passengers. http://www.mariners-l.co.uk/ Regards Jenny DeAngelis <<Henry William West born Harwich about 1868 does not appear on the National Archives register of Seamen (Royal Navy). Therefore is it highly probably that he was in the Merchant Navy. The Merchant Navy records were given? sold? to the University of Newfoundland because the NA were threatening to destroy them. I have RN seamen in my extended family, who may have joined the Merchant Service after RN service, so I have the same problem as you have.>>