Hi All I am hoping someone out there can help me to find further information about my gt gt grandfather Washington Cunningham who was a mariner - and possibly even a Master Mariner by the time he died. He was probably born around 1835 but birthplace is unknown. According to marriage certificate, his father was George Cunningham, a ship's carpenter. Between 1856 and 1862 Washington appears to have been a 'mariner' based in Liverpool (ref info taken from marriage certificate (1856) + baptism records of 3 daughters (1857/1860/1862). However, I cannot find the family on the 1861 England census. The family must have moved across to N. Ireland because in 1864 a 4th daughter (my gt grandmother - Catherine Rebecca) is born in Strangford, N.Ireland. In 1871, a son is born in Ballyculter, Strangford, N.Ireland and Washington's occupation is given as 'sailor'. By 1896 he is deceased - his name (deceased) appears on his daughter Catherine Rebecca's 1896 marriage certificate and his occupation is given as Master Mariner. If anyone could give me new information or point me in the right direction, I'd be extremely grateful. I visited the records office at Kew but was unable to find Washington Cunningham's name on any maritime index. Many thanks Karen