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 Thomas David Rendle
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| robynnorton |
Posted on 13/11/2007 09:56
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 New Member  Posts: 8 Joined: 03/11/2007 |
Hi, Just wondering if anyone has been able to help me regarding my previous posting which was seeking information on my great grand father Thomas David Rendle, coastguard. If no information is available I would appreciate knowing. Many thanks and kind regards, Robyn |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 13/11/2007 18:40
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 Administrator  Posts: 906 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Robyn Can I suggest that you check the National Archives website, which has an online search facility for seamans records. I did a quick search and found three possibles, although you provided no approximate date of or place of birth. You should be aware that these records only cover service from 1872 held in the Archives ADM 188 series. You also made mention of medals awarded to Thomas Rendle, these could provide a whole range of clues, particularly if one is a named campaign medal. If you can post details I may be able to offer more advice. Regards Martin |
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| robynnorton |
Posted on 14/11/2007 09:42
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New Member Posts: 8 Joined: 03/11/2007 |
Thanks so much, I have spent many hours searching the National Archives and because I dont know the date of birth of my great grand father or place its very difficult to get anything definite. I also find it very difficult to get around that site. The medals I have listed below and hope they provide you with some assistance: 1. Medal has Egypt and sphinx on one side, Queen Victoria on other and the bar has "Suakin 1885"; it is engraved on edge with "T Rendle Boy 1 Cl HMS Condor. 2. Medal is Kydive(?) star - Egypt 1884-6 3. Medal has on the bar "Witu 1980" and is engraved T Rendle A.B. HMS Cossack. 4. Medal is "For Long Service and Good Conduct" and engraved Thos Rendle BTN HMS Coast Guard. My grandfather, known as Thomas David Henry Rendle (son of Thomas David Rendle) was born on 23/10/1898 in Moville, county Donegal. I have several service records, but not having GGFather's date of birth makes it difficult because I dont know if they are his records or not. Anyhow, I have spent many many hours at night sitting in front of computer - I'm not likely to be able to get to the UK any time soon and I'm trying to find out as much as I can for my mother - I should have started this years ago. Anyhow, thanks again and any info would be more than appreciated. Regards, Robyn Edited by robynnorton on 15/11/2007 01:17 |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 14/11/2007 19:18
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Administrator Posts: 906 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Robyn What a cracking group of medals!!! You have the Egypt medal 1882-89, the Khedive's Star, East & West Africa Medal and a RN LSGC Medal - a fantastic group. Now one piece of information these do hold is that the first was awarded to Thomas Rendle when rated as a Boy 1st Class, which puts him under 18 when the medal was awarded. Once a boy reached his 18th birthday he was almost always advanced to an Ordinary Seaman. Since the Suakin clasp is dated 1885, this puts his date of birth around 1868-69. The dates of birth on records are notoriously inaccurate it might be worth expending £3.50 each on a couple of the Thomas's listed on the NA website, and seeing if you can match the names of the ships on the service records to the medals. In the meantime I will make some further enquires to see if I cannot come up with more information. Regards Martin |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 15/11/2007 13:47
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Administrator Posts: 906 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Robyn I posed your problem to fellow medal collectors on the British Medal Forum, on the basis that their collective knowledge is vast, and if they were unable to throw any light on your search no one could! As expected they did come up trumps - not providing instant answers, but providing avenues for further research. Rather than me set out the responses I attach a link to the thread so you can read for yourself the info provided. The reply from Topsy is of perhaps most use, in that it gives his Service Number, which could easily be looked up at the National Archives - although he does caution that some of the 120000 numbers are missing. http://www.britis...hp?t=22384 Regards Martin |
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| robynnorton |
Posted on 16/11/2007 21:54
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New Member Posts: 8 Joined: 03/11/2007 |
Hi Martin, Wow you guys are legends. Thank you thank you. I too thought the boy born in 1867 and appeared in the census at the Mount Edgecumbe training ship may be my great grand father, but I will have to do some more searching. I thought I might get his marriage certificate - which I know occurred in 1893 - which I'm hoping will have an age and that might date him too. And I will definitely follow up on the numer supplied by "topsy" - by the way whats the "PRO"?? Martin, would you please pass on my extreme gratitude to the guys at the Medal Forum. I've managed to print everything out and can send to my mother - she will be so thrilled. I will keep you posted if I come up with anything more. I really hope I can track him down but I too found him to drop of the census after 1881. Anyhow this is much more useful than sitting in front of the telly. Kind regards and thank you again, Robyn |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 16/11/2007 22:57
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Administrator Posts: 906 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Robyn I will certainly pass on your thanks. Re the 'PRO', this is the Public Records Office, what is now called the National Archives at Kew. I do hope to be going to Kew next week to research some recent additions to my medal collection, if I have the time I will try and look up the Service Record found by Topsy - watch this space! Regards Martin |
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| robynnorton |
Posted on 20/11/2007 11:04
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New Member Posts: 8 Joined: 03/11/2007 |
Martin, I have been digesting all this info and done further research. I downloaded the coast guard book for county Down and there was Thomas and his family stationed at Gunns Island in the 1901 census. It stated that he was 34, so in doing the maths it looks like our man born in 1867 is the same person. This means that indeed he was on the Mt Edgecombe Training Ship on the 1881 census at age 14. It would be really good if I could find out if he was on board as a "naughty" boy or it was financed by his parents. He then must have joined the Navy and headed of to the middle east on board the HMS Condor where he was awarded medal with Suakin 1885 bar followed by the Khedive star. I have so many blanks to fill in. Re the LSGC medal, do you have any idea when that may have been awarded to him and can you tell me what "BTN" means in the engraving? What really puzzles me is that he appears on the 1901 census at Gunns Island and his wife remarried in 1902. I'd love to know what happened in that year, did he die? did they divorce? Like you said, it does seem sad that a boy started out life on a Training ship, but what is even sadder is that my grandfather (his son) spent 5 years of his life from about 4 to 9 at the Brixham Seamens Boys Home which makes me think his father did die and since his mother remarried there may not have been a place for him at their new home. Some of these things I'll never know but its interesting trying to find out. I do hope to hear from you with any further suggested avenues I could go down. The internet seems to be my only choice and I dont know if everything is available online. Thank you again so much for all your help. Regards, Robyn |
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| Tony |
Posted on 20/11/2007 12:16
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 Administrator Posts: 136 Joined: 28/04/2007 |
Robyn My opinion would be that "btn" is an abbreviation for Boatman. Tony |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 21/11/2007 19:18
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Administrator Posts: 906 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Robyn Further to my post of the 16th, I have today (Wednesday 21st) been to the National Archives and consulted Thomas Rendle's Service Record - if you want to read the whole story follow the link again to the British Medal Forum above. He had quite a lengthy naval career serving on about 25 ships, if you PM me with your snail mail address I will put a copy in the post for you. But now for the real nitty gritty: he was born on 7th June 1867, in Plymouth, Devon and Died from 'Heart Disease', while serving in Ireland, on the 16th April 1901. On the 7th June 1885, on his 18th birthday when advanced to the rate of Ordinary Seaman, he was described as being 5'-0 1/2'' tall, light hair, grey eyes and of ruddy complexion. Ten years later he is 5'-4'' tall, with light brown hair, grey eyes and of fresh complexion. He was awarded his LSGC Medal on the 17th September 1900. Regards Martin Edited by crimea1854 on 22/11/2007 05:42 |
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| robynnorton |
Posted on 29/11/2007 04:08
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New Member Posts: 8 Joined: 03/11/2007 |
Hi Martin, Today I received the service record for Thomas. Thank you so much. You know early on I downloaded the service records for 2 Thomas's thinking one of them was the man but I now know they werent and strangely enough when I went onto the NA online documents there is the correct service record which wasnt there when I originally looked. It must have been your visit to Kew that did it. I cant believe how many Thomas Rendles I come up with. In the service record, do you know what is meant my the money comment in the Remarks column? And do you think he may have been buried on Gunns Island. I looked at the photo - its a pretty desolate looking place. Anyhow I'm now going to pursue other members of the family. If you have any other suggestions where I could look. By the way, I've just submitted the photo of Thomas which I got from my mother. Its pretty faded but hope its worthwhile. Thank you once again. Regards, Robyn |
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| crimea1854 |
Posted on 29/11/2007 19:32
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Administrator Posts: 906 Joined: 09/07/2007 |
Hi Robyn Glad the information arrived safely. On your question re payment in the remarks column, I can only guess that because the initials GCB appear to be against the amount that it in some way relates to a payment associated with the Good Conduct Badges. In 1879 for every GCB a man had been awarded he was paid an additional 1d/day. Now whether this was paid annually or as part of the normal pay I really do not know. Coupled with this, if a man re-enlisted after completing 10 years service, he was paid an additional 2d/day, which is something Thomas did do - sorry I cannot be more precise. I do not know if you are aware, but the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich have a library of old photographs that can be searched online. A check of the catalogue shows that they do hold photographs of HMS Condor (1876) and Cossack (1886); these can be ordered online for a fee. Unfortunately there is only a catalogue entry and no thumbnail image to see what you are buying, so its a little hit and miss as to what you actually get, although there is a code system from which you can work out where the photograph was taken! If your interested the link to the search facility in the collection is below. http://www.nmm.ac...tos#search Regards Martin |
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| Noreen |
Posted on 27/11/2009 19:15
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 New Member Posts: 4 Joined: 04/06/2009 |
 Hi Robyn(my daughters name also!)I saw your family tree posted at ancestry, and see you cpuld use a little help... Do you have this info? Civil Birth Record Name: Thomas David Henry Rendle Date of Baptism / Birth: 23/10/1898 Address: Moville Parish / District: MOVILLE Gender: Male County Co. Donegal Denomination: Civil Record Father: Thomas David Rendle Mother: Beatrice Mary Stapleton Occupation: Coastguard Sponsor 1 / Informant 1: Beatrice Mary Rendle Sponsor 2 / every piece of that info will help others connect with you and you should post it on your family tree, it will also help you in your searches... Good Luck, If you need more help, you can PM me i have been ancestor hunting for 20+ years, and THIS forum is probably my favourite place to be! Fabulous people here! Best Regards, Noreen Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
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