Hi all, I've just had a Eureka moment! After years of searching, I think I've finally found my 3 x gt. Grandfather, James PRIOR, and his merchant navy records, compiled in 1835. His name shows as: 938 Prior, James 24 Dover 7 So. Shields I think it means he was aged 24 in 1835, so born c. 1811 (there is a matching baptism in Dover in 1812), and he drowned aged 27 in the River Tyne in South Shields in August 1839. The ships show as: Dec. '35 75/60 Amphitrite June '36 75/60 Amphitrite Dec. '36 75/1009 Recovery Dec. '35 75/43 Amphitrite June '36 75/187 Curlew Dec. '36 75/187 Curlew June '36 75/875 Mercury 92.79 <?> Trade? 75.1052 <?> Robert <?> Dec. '38 75.1156 & Sons? 75.187 Curlew There are no further entries. Can anyone please help with what the numbers mean, and any details on the vessels shown in the time frame 1835 to 1838 would be great. Many thanks indeed for any help. Kind regards, Yvonne Purdy