Hi Everyone, I have just received a Crew List for what I hope is my Gt. Grandfather. This tells me that William Holness was discharged from The Dolphin and signed on to the Taunton Packet and was discharged in Dec. of 1851. So this is definitely the William Holness,  1851 census born age 27 born Canterbury, an A/B sailor. This still does not tell me that this is my William Henry Holness who married at Whitstable Parish Church 12th June 1882. Neither does it tell me that the family at Wickhambroaux 1851 is his. There are no intervening census for him. But what it does have is his signature on this document. William signed his marriage certificate and also my grandfather’s birth certificate when he registered his birth at Canterbury 1882. Can anyone tell me where would the original Registers be held, as the only thing I have come up with so far is to compare the signatures? Are the marriage indexes held at the church, in which case I will write to the Vicar and ask if he can please compare the two. A long shot but with fingers crossed. That leaves the birth Registers. Does anyone know where these are kept. Also, does anyone know how an Able Bodied sailor became one. Did they have to work for a number of years, to become one, or serve as an apprentice? This is new ground for me. With thanks, from Sylvia in Aus.