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Hi,
I have been researching my great grandfathers John Matthews Navy records and have been able to piece together his Navy career using the following documents ADM 157/2894 C703096, ADM 139/861/6032 and ADM 188/21/49896 from the national archive.
These show he is born 27 October 1840 in Bedfordshire and he enlisted on the 20 December 1860 transferred between different parts of the Navy in 1868 and his service numbers were 6032B up to 1872 and 49896 from 1872 onwards during which time he served on the following ships.
Princess Royal (18th Sep 1864 – 12 Aug 1867)
Winchester – (2nd May 1868 – 31 May 1870)
Winchester – (1st Jun 1870 – 31st Aug 1870)
Clyde – (1st Sep 1870 – 27 Jan 1872)
Egmont – (28th Jan 1872 – 31st Dec 1872)
Egmont – (1st Jan 1873 – 14 Aug 1874)
Duke of Wellington – (15 Aug 1874 – 7 Oct 1874)
Trincomalee – (8 Oct 1874 – 15 Oct 1777)
Duke of Wellington – (16 Oct 1877 – 29 Oct 1877)
St Vincent – (30 Oct 1877 – 25 Jan 1878)
Duke of Wellington – (26 Jan 1878 – 18 May 1878)
Boadicea – (19 May 1878 – 25 Aug 1878)
Duke of Wellington – (26 Aug 1878 – 5 Sep 1878)
Excellent – (6 Sep 1878 – 7 Jun 1879)
The last continuation of service record I have been able to find is for the ship Boadicea which states John is going to continue serving to complete time for pension that document is date 21 May 1878.
This is where I need help piecing together the last part of John’s Navy career as he doesn’t get to serve his time to pension. Something happens while serving on Excellent which results in him being discharged the last entry in the “If Discharged” column says “shored as undesirable”.
I have so far been unable to find the discharge papers or any information about his pension the last entry on his original file is dated 17 November 1879 suggesting sometime between 7 June and 17 November he was formally discharged from the Navy.
Any help or advice in locating these documents would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Andy
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