Hello I am researching Captain Charles Alfred Kellett who was commander of the Chinese junk the "Keying". He sailed her, with a mostly Chinese crew, but with British officers from Hong Kong to London via Boston and New York. He departed Hong Kong 5 December 1846 and arrived in Gravesend, London 28 March 1848. I have a wealth of material regarding this voyage and of the Keying itself. Apart from being often mixed up with the exploits of Sir Henry Kellett of the Royal Navy (no relation), the only details I can find about the man are those directly related to the Keying's voyage to London. There are NO RECORDS for him in the usual places. These are the places he is NOT found: 1 TNA: PRO BT 127/9 - Index to Registers of Certificates of Competency and Service, Masters and Mates, Home and Foreign Trade (1845-94) 2 TNA: PRO BT 127/10 - Index to Registers of Certificates of Competency and Service, Masters and Mates, Home and Foreign Trade (1845-94) 3 TNA: PRO BT 115/6 - Register of Seamens Tickets (Original Register) - Alphabetical List of Masters (1845-54) 4 TNA: PRO BT 143/1 - Certificates of Competency and Service, Misc. (1845-1850) 5 Guildhall Library: Index to Lloyds Captains Register, surnames beginning K 6 Charles Hardy: A Register of Ships employed in the Service of the Honourable the United East India Company - from the year 1760 to the Conclusion of the Commercial Charter with an Appendix and Supplement, containing a Variety of Particular and Useful Information, interesting to those who were concerned with the East India Service (London: Parbury, Allen & Co., 1835) 7 Index to the Names of Captains and Officers 1790-1819 8 Index to the Names of Captains and Officers 1813-33 9 Anthony Farrington: A Biographical Index of East India Company Maritime Service Officers 1600-1834 (London: The British Library, 1999) Kellett is said to have been born in 1820 in Plymouth (from son's birth certificate) - no record. Kellett is said to have been married in 1840 in Liverpool (from son's birth certificate) - no record. It has been suggested that he could have been married on board ship. I have no death record for him, though one family story has him dying around 1865, but this could be just a myth. He was obviously wellknown in maritime circles of the time as it was reported in the "Illustrated London News" of 1 April 1848 that "... On the occasion of her departure [from HongKong], she received on board his Excellency Sir John Davis, the Governor; Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, and all the officers of the fleet, the Commander-in-Chief, and most of the principal residents; and she sailed from the harbour under a salute from the vessels of war, which was effectively returned by the Keying's guns." Having seen where Kellett is NOT to be found, can anyone suggest where I could continue my search for this man. It is said that Kellett sailed the China-Australia route at some time. Where would the records for Officers of these ships be held? As you can see I have reached a brick wall and do not know where to turn next. Can you help please? Regards Susan Simmons New Zealand -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.9.0/368 - Release Date: 16/06/2006
At 04:23 PM 2006-06-19 +1200, Susan Simmons wrote: >Hello >I am researching Captain Charles Alfred Kellett who was commander of the >Chinese junk the "Keying". He sailed her, with a mostly Chinese crew, but >with British officers from Hong Kong to London via Boston and New York. He >departed Hong Kong 5 December 1846 and arrived in Gravesend, London 28 March >1848. > > I have a wealth of material regarding this voyage and of the Keying itself. <snip> Hello Susan, Although you have a lot of infomation about the voyage itself, I searched TheShipsList website for the name Kellett and found a mention of her New York arrival in the July 1847 New Brunswick newspaper http://www.theshipslist.com/1847/shipsnb1847jl.html (near the bottom of the page) I was reading through and noticed Marj's "get rest" note <smile> sometimes we get so involved with too many things that stuff gets overlooked. From the British census, Kellett seems to be mostly a Lancashire or Yorkshire name, however in 1851 I see a transcription of a "Chasa Kellett" age 32, born in Plymouth. He is a Ship Owner living in Kent. Name: Chasa Kellett Age: 32 Estimated birth year: abt 1819 Relation: Head Gender: Male Where born: Plymouth, Devon, England Civil parish: Lewisham County/Island: Kent Country: England Source information: HO107/1591 Registration district: Lewisham Sub-registration district: Sydenham ED, institution, or vessel: 3 Folio: 548 Jane Kellet abt 1819 Ulverston, Lancashire, England Wife Charlotte Hall abt 1834 Sydenham, Kent, England "Maid of all work" Sorry I can't help with the rest of your query Sue -- TheShipsList Website http://www.theshipslist.com/