I have found my ancestor mentioned at Ancestry in the recently added UK Apprentices Indentured in the Merchant Navy, and I wonder if anyone can tell me please what the letters ‘M S or L stand for in the ‘Remarks’ column on the far right of the page. I see that several entries have the same remark, my man is Anthony COMETTI born 1855 in London, I now have three pieces of conflicting information about him: This one dated 21 April 1870, The 1871 census where he is listed as Antoney ditto under his stepfather’s surname of RILATT, age 16, a carpenter, born in London. Living at 69 Maldon Rd. St Pancras, piece 241, folio 63, page 14. (I have the marriage cert of his mother and stepfather to verify that this is correct.) In 1872 he appears on a passenger list as Anthony COMETT, age 21 carpenter, on the vessel ‘Lady Jocelyn’ bound for Canterbury New Zealand. The next listing is for Wm Terry ditto age 22, carpenter. I have checked earlier census and the free bmd index, but there are no matches for Anthony COMETT age 21, or Wm Terry COMETT age 22. The oral history from him is that he ran away from home as a boy, spent some years at sea, jumped ship in Wellington (no date given). The ship he left was lost with all hands after leaving Wellington, subsequently his family in the UK were told that he had perished at sea. Years later he met some old sailor friends in Wellington, who were amazed to see him as they too thought that he was dead. I have no knowledge of his years at sea, and would love to know more, particularly the name of the ship that was lost with all hands. The first mention of him in Wellington is dated 1884, any help would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks Carolyn in NZ.