Hi Jill But is it the same form as a normal death certificate? Or is it a certificate of death Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) On 13/03/2013 20:39, Jill Forster wrote: > Hello Listers > > There may be some circumstances where Certificates of Death were > issued even though > there is no body found. My husband's ancestor Ralph Forster was a > Master Mariner > acting as Mate on the maiden voyage of the Stamfordham a Steamer > built on the Tyne. > The ship, among many, was lost of the coast of America in a huge > storm. No bodies > were recovered but we found a Death Registration in the Deaths at Sea > Registers and > have a certificate. > > Jill in Sydney >

HI Nivard The death certificate that I have for my Gt. Grandfather John smith is headed with these words. "Certified Copy of an entry in the Marine Register" "Pursuant to the provisions of the Merchant shipping Act, 1894-1970 and the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953." ""Return of Deaths at Sea reported to the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen under the provision of "Merchant Shipping Act, 1894" and 1970 During the month of November 1882"" Then there are columns giving the details of the death at sea these are headed :- Name of ship, her official number, date of death, place of death, (which in my case is blank), name and surname of deceased, Sex, Age, Rank Profession or occupation, Nationality, Last Place of abode, Cause of death, Passenger or member of crew. "Certified to be a true copy of an entry in the marine Register of Deaths. Given at the General Register Office, under the seal of the said Office, this ----" (the date the copy was made for me by the GRO in 2002) So the certificate is rather different from the usual death certificate of people who die on dry land. Regards Jenny DeAngelis <<But is it the same form as a normal death certificate? Or is it a certificate of death Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK)>>

Thanks for that Jenny Its a subject that interests me and raises its head every now and then But just when I think I have it taped something else pops up All the Acts I have read speak of deaths at sea, not where a person goes overboard or is otherwise lost Other references to deaths in absentia speak specifically that if there was no body recovered there would not be a death certificate which is what my ex registrar contact states as does the GRO themselves as I asked them some time ago I suspect its a matter of terminology I will check some more and see if I can resolve the issue Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) On 13/03/2013 22:00, Jenny De Angelis wrote: > HI Nivard > > The death certificate that I have for my Gt. Grandfather John smith is > headed with these words. > > "Certified Copy of an entry in the Marine Register" > "Pursuant to the provisions of the Merchant shipping Act, 1894-1970 and the > Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953." > ""Return of Deaths at Sea reported to the Registrar General of Shipping and > Seamen under the provision of "Merchant Shipping Act, 1894" and 1970 During > the month of November 1882""

Hello Nivard I have two - for father and son who died at sea 18 years apart. For one there was a body and for the other the body was never found. Both Certs. were "Certified Copy of an Entry in the Marine Register" Pursuant to the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Acts etc. The first one which was for Dec 1877 just gives Name of Ship, Official Number (of ship) and under Date of Death & Place of Death it just has Ship Missing Since 28.12.77. It then gives name of the Deceased, Ralph Forster, Male, and under Cause of Death it has Supposed Drowned and under Passenger or Member of Crew it has Crew. The second one where the body was on the ship as a result of an accident is on the same form but the detailed headings on the form have been expanded by 1895. It gives Name and Surname of the Deceased, Age, Rank or Profession, Last Place of Abode, Cause of Death (and there are five lines of detail given in this case), Time, Place, Name of Ship, Official Number, Port of Registry and Trade (of Ship). I also have a normal Death Certificate for him which was filled out by the Coroner after the Inquest so he got two! After searching for years on the GRO Registers (before computers) I found them both in the Marine Register of Deaths. Cheers Jill >Hi Jill > >But is it the same form as a normal death certificate? > >Or is it a certificate of death > >Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) > >On 13/03/2013 20:39, Jill Forster wrote: >>Hello Listers >> >>There may be some circumstances where Certificates of Death were >>issued even though >>there is no body found. My husband's ancestor Ralph Forster was a >>Master Mariner >>acting as Mate on the maiden voyage of the Stamfordham a Steamer >>built on the Tyne. >>The ship, among many, was lost of the coast of America in a huge >>storm. No bodies >>were recovered but we found a Death Registration in the Deaths at Sea >>Registers and >>have a certificate. >> >>Jill in Sydney