Hi Listers, I am wondering if any of you wonderful people, might be able to push me in the right direction, to find my Great Grandfather’s Marine records. My Great Grandfather, William John Horne, was born at 9 Munster Street, Regents Park, Middx on the 15 December 1833 to parents Swithin & Eliza Horne (nee Matthews). William was christened on 7 January 1834 at St Pancras Old Church, where his parents were married and his 12 sisters and brothers were christened. William was not with the family at the above address in the 1841 Census, reason, away at school? So far we have not been able to locate him. I have just learnt, from my cousin, that there was a training School for Midshipmen at the Royal Naval College at New Cross, London. This School began in 1845 and took cadets mainly from the sons of serving officers but also from others who could afford to pay. Swithin Horne was a Master Butcher and owned quite a few shops in the Regents Park area. William arrived in Australia in the 1850's. We do have the record of a William Horne who arrived at the Melbourne port in January 1853 on the ship "Wellington" as a Mariner, aged 19. The right age for him at that time. We know he did have an Uncle John Matthews and family living in Melbourne at that time. He married Louisa Anna Wilson on 2 May 1861 at Bibbenluke, near Bombala NSW Louisa having been born in Sydney in 1846. Is there anyone with access to the records for that Training School? The Royal Naval College at Greenwich was too late for him. Thank you, one & all for what information you are able to help me with. Maybe this information could help others in the same situation. Anne

Anne, there's a William Horne (no further details) arriving in NSW from Victoria in 1858 as a passenger Wm Horne Port of Departure: Melbourne Port of Arrival: Sydney, New South Wales Voyage Arrival Date: 4 Feb 1858 Vessel Name: Dunedin I can't find him on Ancestry's Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839–1923, which does indicate that he may have been crew on the Wellington and possibly jumped ship to join the gold rush. Anne South Australia

I meant to add, too, that at the age of 19, he's unlikely to have any mate's/master's certificates unless he went to sea at a very early age - as a cabin boy, perhaps (although that doesn't explain his absence on the 1841 census, I don't think they took them that young). My ancestors were all in their early-mid 20s when they got their first certificates. That shouldn't stop you from looking though! Anne Anne Chambers wrote: > Anne, there's a William Horne (no further details) arriving in NSW from Victoria in 1858 as a passenger > Wm Horne > Port of Departure: Melbourne > Port of Arrival: Sydney, New South Wales > Voyage Arrival Date: 4 Feb 1858 > Vessel Name: Dunedin > > I can't find him on Ancestry's Victoria, Australia, Assisted and Unassisted Passenger Lists, 1839–1923, which > does indicate that he may have been crew on the Wellington and possibly jumped ship to join the gold rush. > > Anne > South Australia