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Tansley family from Fenit Without
SueChambers
Hello - my Tansley family came to Australia in 1873 and am now trying to find a little more about them.
Thomas Tansley was born in Mersey Essex and joined the navy where he transferred to the coast guard in 1838 and was pensioned out in 1873. I can see the family on the 1901 Census living on Fenit Without Ballynahaglish Kerry and died in Tralee Kerry.
I have a copy of his UK Naval Officer and rating service record 75229 and a copy of his pension record.
I was hopeful of finding a little more about him on this site - would there been any information here.
I'm not sure which station they would have been living at.
My great grandmother, Thomas's daughter Maria Mitchell Tansley, was born in Donegal Ireland - on her Passenger List to Australia. However her marriage certificate and birth of her first child, states she was born in Gravesend, England. Just to confuse us. Trying to trace something official of her birth.

Also I found Samual Tansley a son or nephew of Thomas was also in the coast guard. I also have a copy of his record 70556
Would appreciate your help, Kind regards - Sue Chambers
PS my convict relates were from Longford Ireland.
 
crimea1854
Sue welcome to the Forum.

Firstly let me say that Thomas never served in the Royal Navy, although the Coastguard Service was transferred to the Admiralty in the 1850's and hence why Thomas has a service record. The vessels referred too are both Revenue Cruisers, which at the time were administered by the Revenue Service. Unfortunately the Navy Lists of the time notes who was the commanding officer, but not where they were stationed, which could explain the Gravesend mystery.

In the nomination books the entry above Thomas is a Charles Tansley who was appointed Gunner on Vigilant, having previously held the rate of Act. Carpenter, both of these are senior rates so it is possible that Charles is either the father or uncle of Thomas and why he was also serving in the Revenue Cruiser service.

The next occasion that I found Thomas was when he was transferred from the Crouch River CGS to Innishbofin in Ireland as Act Chief Boatman in Charge, this was on 11 Aug 1848 (ADM 175/100 pdf 88).

From here it is possible to trace his career. In 1853 he was moved to Cashen River (ADM 175/19 pdf 322) then to Barrow in 1859 (ADM 175/19 pdf 181) where he remained until at least 1873.

Using the earlier English CG records in ADM 175/6 it should be possible to trace back his career, but I've never had any luck in downloading this particular record from the National Archive website!

I also note that he was awarded a RN Long Service & Good Conduct Medal - wide suspender. These were always issued named, so it is possible that it has survived although it has not been recorded to date.

One final thought, I don't know if you have access to Find my Past, but it might be worth looking at the Merchant Seaman's records, because many CG's were issued with Tickets that can provide useful information.

Regards Martin

Merged on 15/07/2017 21:42:50:
I have been doing a little more digging and it would appear that both Sylph and Valiant in the 1840's were based in Rotherhithe and Gravesend so it is possible that these were also their bases earlier.

The other thing I found was an application for a Charles Tansley, parents Thomas and Francis, to attend the Greenwich Hospital School. His date of birth is 1847 and a latter naval record has him being born in Burnham, which is on the Crouch River. You cannot download this file from the National Archives, but a request for a quote to copy it could be worth your while, since many of these applications were accompanied with details of service.

http://discovery..../C14952571

Martin
Edited by crimea1854 on 15/07/2017 21:43
 
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