Nature of Source
Introduction
Pension records of Royal Navy and Royal Marines are a valuable resource for researching the lives of ratings and officers who were wounded or retired. Pension applications often include details such as service dates, ships served on, injuries, family dependants and discharge or death.
Early Pension Schemes
Two key institutions provided financial support to naval personnel and their families. These institutions served both Royal Navy sailors and, in some cases, Royal Marines.
- Chatham Chest (c.1588-1814)
The first organised naval pension fund for injured seamen and their families was the Chatham Chest, established around 1588. Each sailor contributed sixpence (6d) per month from his wages, creating a mutual fund to pay pensions to men wounded or disabled in naval service. The fund merged operations with Greenwich Hospital in 1814 heralding a centralised pension administration.
- Royal Greenwich Hospital (1694-1869)
Founded in 1694, the Royal Greenwich Hospital initially provided residential care for aged or injured sailors as ‘in‑pensioners’ (residents). Later, it expanded to include ‘out‑pensions’ (those living independently at home). The Hospital administered pensions for seamen (ratings), Royal Marines and officers in limited cases only. The Hospital officially closed as a residence in 1869, but continued to administer pensions for many years afterwards.
Later Development of Pension Schemes
During the 19th century, Naval Pay Office operating under the direction of the Admiralty eventually assumed overall responsibility for pension arrangements. Although Greenwich Hospital remained active, it functioned primarily as an administrative body after 1869. Elements of the Greenwich Hospital system survived until reforms in 2006.
A major development came in 1853 with the introduction of continuous service engagements for ratings. Under this system, a man completing twenty years of service could qualify for a good pension, provided his conduct and service record met the required standard. Although the Continuous Service engagement books exist, few original pension papers for ratings have survived.
Officer Pensions
Unlike ratings, naval officers did not benefit from a structured formal pension scheme for most of the 19th century. Instead, they relied on half-pay when not in active service, rank-based retirement allowances, patronage or discretionary awards. Over time, these payments evolved into a formal pension system.
A small number of officers, and their dependants, may also be found in Greenwich Hospital pension records or in records relating to charitable funds established for the widows of sea officers such as the Charity for the Payment of Pensions to the Widows of Sea Officers.
Royal Bounty
The widows and dependants of officers, ratings and marines killed in action could receive payments under the Royal Bounty. This was a form of financial relief granted by the Crown and operated during the 18th and early 19th centuries. These payments, often equivalent to a year’s wages, were not part of the formal pension system but operated alongside it as a discretionary allowance. Over time, this provision was absorbed into more structured Admiralty pension scheme.
Medical and Institutional Records
Sailors suffering from physical or mental illness were treated at Hoxton House in London until 1818, after which many were transferred to the Royal Hospital Haslar near Gosport Hampshire, where treatment continued into the mid-19th century. These are primarily medical records, but can contain service details, pension details and other family information.
The records can be found at The National Archives in series ADM 102/415-20 for Hoxton House and in series ADM 102/356-73 for Haslar.
Post-1920 Service Records
Service records for all ranks who served after 1920 remain with the Ministry of Defence with each military service maintaining its own record office. To access these records consult the MOD Guide ‘How to apply for access to personal data held by the Ministry of Defence’. Please note, The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently in the process of transferring ten million personnel service records to The National Archives for permanent preservation.
Additional Resources
The following GenGuide sources could assist in researching Royal Navy Service Records:
Where Found
The National Archives
Ratings
- Series ADM 22/52-55, Chatham Chest
- Series ADM 6, ADM 22, ADM 73, PMG 70, PMG 71, Greenwich Hospital
- Series ADM 6, ADM 65, ADM 73, Greenwich in- pension records including entry books and admission papers 1704-1869
- Series ADM 6/267-320, Greenwich Hospital out-pension registers 1789-1859
- Series ADM 73/95-131, Greenwich Hospital out-pension pay books 1781-1809
- Series ADM 73/1-35, Greenwich Hospital Pensioners’ Admission Papers indexed by surname
- Series ADM 22/254-443, Greenwich Hospital out-pension pay books 1814-1846
- Series WO 22, Greenwich Hospital out-pension pay books; 1842-1883
- Series PMG 71/5-13, Pensions and gratuities to seamen and Marines 1879-1921
- Series PIN 71, Selection of disablement pensions 1854-1979
The name index covering series PIN 71 is available at the TNA Discovery catalogue. First select advanced search from the Discovery home page and enter the name being searched. In the ‘Search for or within references’ box type PIN 71 and then scroll down to ‘Held by’ and click ‘Search The National Archives’. Finally click the search button. Further filters appear on the search results screen.
A two percent selection of WWI Pensions Award Files covering all services extracted from PIN 26 is available at the TNA Discovery catalogue. First select advanced search from the Discovery home page and enter the name being searched. In the ‘Search for or within references’ box type PIN 26 and then scroll down to ‘Held by’ and click ‘Search The National Archives’. Finally click the search button. Further filters appear on the search results screen.
The National Archives
Royal Marine & Navy Officers
- Series ADM 201/22-23, Marine officer Greenwich Hospital pensions 1862-1908
- Series ADM 96/523, Marine officer Widow’s Pensions 1712-1831
- Series PMG 16, Marine officer Widow’s Pensions 1836-1920
- Series PMG 20, Marine officer Widow’s Pensions 1870-1919
- Series PMG 72, Marine officer Widow’s Pensions 1921-1926
- Series PMG 18, Allowances to Marine officer children 1837-1921
- Series ADM 22/254-261, Naval officer Greenwich Hospital out-pension register 1814
- Series ADM 22/47-48, Naval officer Greenwich Hospital out-pension register 1815-1842
- Series PMG 71, Naval officer Greenwich Hospital out-pension register 1846-1921
- Series ADM 7/809-822, Officer pension & salary registers 1694-1832, indexed in ADM 7/823
- Series ADM 45, Officers’ and Civilians’ Effects Papers, 1830-1860. The series includes details of claims for unpaid Royal Navy/Royal Marines pensions of deceased officers, not ratings, and civilian employees of the Royal Navy and Naval Dockyards
The name index covering series ADM 45 is available at the TNA Discovery catalogue. First select advanced search from the Discovery home page and enter the name being searched. In the ‘Search for or within references’ box type ADM 45 and then scroll down to ‘Held by’ and click ‘Search The National Archives’. Finally click the search button. Further filters appear on the search results screen.
For a comprehensive listing of The National Archives record series relating to naval pensions, see N. A. M. Rodger’s Naval Records for Genealogists.
Period Covered
1737 – 1921
Genealogical Value
- Name and date of death of seaman.
- Supporting documents such as birth and marriage certificates.
- Names of ships served on.
Further References
- Addis, C.P. The Men Who Fought with Nelson in HMS Victory at Trafalgar: Nelson Society, 1988
- Adkins, Roy & Lesley. Jack Tar: The Extraordinary Lives of Ordinary Seamen in Nelson’s Navy: Abacus, 2009
- Bevan, Amanda. Tracing Your Ancestors in the National Archives: The National Archives, 2006
- Blank, Dr. Stuart. Researching British Military History on the Internet: Alwyn Enterprises, 2007
- Brooks, Richard & Little, Matthew. Tracing Your Royal Marine Ancestors: Pen and Sword Books, 2008
- Burt, R.A. British Battleships of World War One: Seaforth, 2012
- Clarke, John D. Men of HMS Victory at Trafalgar Including the Muster Roll, Casualties, Rewards and Medals: Naval & Military Press 2002
- Cock, Randolph & Rodgers N.A.M. A Guide to the Naval Records in The National Archives of the UK: Institute of Historical Research, 2006
- Coleman, E.C. Rank and Rate: Insignia of Royal Naval Ratings, WRNS, Royal Marines, QARNNS and Auxiliaries: Crowood Press, 2012
- Divall, Ken. My Ancestor was a Royal Marine: Society of Genealogists, 2008
- Fenton, Roy & Briody, Nuala & Macdonald, Mike. Maritime Information : A Guide to Libraries and Sources of Information in the United Kingdom: Maritime Information Association, 2004
- Fowler, Simon. A Guide to Military History on the Internet: Pen & Sword, 2007
- Fowler, Simon. Tracing Your Naval Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen & Sword Books, 2011
- Gregson, Keith. Nelson’s Navy 1793-1815: Federation of Family History Societies, 2006
- Hurst, Norman (comp). Naval Chronicle, 1799-1818: Index to Births, Marriages and Deaths: N. Hurst, 1989
- Ingham, Mary. Tracing Your Service Women Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen and Sword Books 2012
- Lavery, Brian. Life in Nelson’s Navy: The History Press, 2011
- Lavery, Brian. Empire of the Seas: The Remarkable Story of How the Navy Forged the Modern World: Conway, 2012
- Lavery, Brian. Nelson’s Navy: The Ships, Men and Organisation, 1793-1815: Conway, 2013
- Mackenzie, Robert Holden. The Trafalgar Roll: The Ships and the Officers: Chatham, 2004
- Morris, Stuart. Dorset, The Royal Navy: Dovecote Press, 2011
- Pappalardo, Bruno. Tracing Your Naval Ancestors: PRO, 2003
- Pappalardo, Bruno. Royal Navy Lieutenants’ Passing Certificates 1691-1902: List & Index Society, 2001 (Available in The National Archives reading rooms)
- Pope, Dudley.Life In Nelson’s Navy: Chatham Publishing, 1997
- Prysor, Glyn. Citizen Sailors: The Royal Navy In the Second World War: Penguin Books, 2012
- Rodger, N.A.M. Naval Records for Genealogists: PRO, 1998
- Royal Marines Historical Society. A Register of Royal Marine Deaths, 1914-19: 1991
- Spencer, William. Family History in the Wars: The National Archives, 2007
- Storey, Neil. Military Photographs and How to Date Them: Countryside Books, 2009
- Tracing Your Family History. Royal Navy: Imperial War Museum, 2006
- Tracy, Nicholas. The Naval Chronicle: The Contemporary Record of the Royal Navy at War, vols 1-5: various publishers
- Usher, George. Dictionary of British Military History: A&C Black Publishers, 2006
- Waller, Ian. My Ancestor was in the Royal Navy: Society of Genealogists, 2014
- Watts, Christopher T. and Watts, Michael J. Tracing Births, Deaths and Marriages at Sea: Society of Genealogists, 2004
- Willis, Sam. In the Hour of Victory: The Royal Navy At War in the Age Nelson: Atlantic Books, 2014
- Wills, Simon. Tracing Your Seafaring Ancestors: A Guide to Maritime Photographs for Family Historians: Pen and Sword Books, 2016
- Wilson, Alastair. A Biographical Dictionary of The Twentieth Century Royal Navy: Volume 1 Admirals of the Fleet and Admirals: Seaforth, 2013
Websites
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/royal-naval-officers-service-records.htm (TNA guide to the Royal Naval Officers’ Service Records found in series ADM 196)
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/?research-category=military-and-maritime (The National Archives Research Guides: Military and Maritime. Learn how to trace the voyages made by a merchant seaman, find a Royal Marine’s medal record or track the wartime history of an Army regiment)
www.barnettmaritime.co.uk (British Maritime History: Background to researching mariners: Mercantile & Naval)
www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_nav_rankings.htm (Officer Ranks in the Royal Navy: The Naval Hierarchy Explained)
www.ukmfh.org.uk (UK Military Family History Online: Links to web sites with online data and information to aid in military family history research)
www.rmg.co.uk/research-collections/research-guides (National Maritime Museum Caird Library: Research Guides. The guides will help you research maritime records so you can discover more about your ancestors, family history or famous people. A number of guides deal with tracing and researching Royal Navy ancestors as well as ship records, administrative records and naval gunnery)
www.iwm.org.uk/research/tracing-your-family-history/tracing-your-royal-naval-history (Imperial War Museum Research Guide: Tracing your Royal Navy History)
Findmypast
How to find British Royal Navy records. The guide explains the main types of British Royal Navy records and how to search them effectively.
www.bl.uk/collection-guides/uk-national-government-publications (British Library Guide: Service lists for the Army, Navy and Air Force)
www.naval-history.net (Information on battles, actions, medals, convoys, warships, merchant ships and ship losses, including photos of lost soldiers)
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nelson (Online exhibition to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805)
www.navyrecords.org.uk (Navy Records Society: Publisher of original documents on the Royal Navy)
https://navaldockyards.org (Naval Dockyards Society. The society’s primary aim is to stimulate the production and exchange of information and research into naval dockyards and associated organisations)
Online Databases
Findmypast
British Royal Navy & Royal Marines Service and Pension Records, 1704-1939. Did your ancestor serve in the British Royal Navy or Royal Marines? Discover your ancestor’s service and pension records to learn important dates and the name(s) of your ancestor’s next of kin. These records span over 200 years from 1704 up to WWII.
The National Archives series included in this collection are as follows:
- ADM 6/223-320. Registers of candidates for admission to Greenwich Hospital and registers of applications to Greenwich Hospital for admission, out-pensions or other relief, 1737-1859.
- ADM 22/254-443. Pay books of naval out-pensions at Greenwich Hospital, 1814-1846.
- ADM 29/1-32, 34-131. Admiralty: Royal Navy, Royal Marines, coastguard and related services: Officers’ and Ratings’ Service Records (Series II) 1802-1919.
- ADM 73/1-69 and 95-131. Admiralty: Royal Greenwich Hospital: Pensioners and School Admission Papers, Out Pensions Pay Books and Miscellaneous Registers 1704-1869, including general registers of pensioners and their families.
- ADM 363. Royal Navy Seamen’s Services Continuous Record cards, 1929-1950.
- ADM 362. Royal Navy Registers of Seaman’s Services, 1925-1929.
- ADM 139. Royal Navy Continuous Service Engagement Books, 1853-1872
- WO 4/887-891. Greenwich Hospital pensions 1846-1854.
- WO 22/208. Mercantile Marine: Miscellaneous returns for England, Scotland, Wales and Jersey.
- WO 23/24. Register of Greenwich Hospital pensions 1868-1870.
Findmypast
Regimental & Service Records in Military, armed forces & conflict in United Kingdom. Datasets include:
- British Royal Navy Seamen 1899-1924. Discover your British Royal Navy Seamen ancestors. Learn details about the ships on which they served. You will also find a physical description of the sailor and their occupation before joining the navy as a ‘rating’. Each record is an image and transcript of a Royal Navy Seaman’s service record from The National Archives ADM 188 series and covers the Boer War (1899-1902) and World War 1 (1914-1918).
- British Royal Navy, Ships’ Musters. This collection of muster rolls is a resource for to find seafaring ancestors in the Royal Navy before service records began in 1853. The records come from The National Archives series ADM 36, ADM 37 and ADM 38 and cover the years 1739 to 1861.
- British Royal Navy Allotment Declarations, 1795-1852. Search records which allowed petty officers, seamen, non-commissioned officers, and marines to remit part of their wages for the maintenance of their mothers, wives, or families. The records are held in series ADM 27.
- British Royal Naval Reserve 1899-1930. The dataset consists of over 81,000 service cards of officers and ratings who served with the RNR extracted from TNA series ADM 337 and ADM 240.
To restrict and filter your search to a county or place or dataset click on ‘Browse Record Set’ on the Regimental & Service Records search page.
Findmypast
British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials. Search a collection of death and burial records from The National Archives and the General Register Office. Among the records, you will find members of the British armed forces who died while serving their country overseas, British civilians who died while travelling or working overseas, and individuals, including seamen, who died at sea. Included in the dataset are:
- Registrations of British armed forces (including serving members who were not British nationals) posted overseas.
- Registers and indexes of births, deaths, and marriages at sea from 1891 to 1972 maintained by the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. The registers include both British and foreign subjects, passengers and seamen.
The National Archives
Search over 700,000 Royal Navy service records for ratings who entered the service between 1853 and 1928. Some of the records cover periods of service up to at least 1950.
The original records are in four series at The National Archives:
- continuous service engagement books from 1853 to 1872, in series ADM 139
- registers of seamen’s services from 1873 to 1924, in series ADM 188
- registers of seamen’s services from 1925-1928, in series ADM 362
- continuous record (CR) cards from 1929-1950, in series ADM 363
- UK, Royal Navy Registers of Seamen’s Services, 1848-1939. These registers record the service of seamen in the Royal Navy. Records include birthdate, birthplace, vessels served on, and dates of service. The registers include seamen who began their service as early as 1848, with dates of service up through 1928. The original data can be found in TNA series ADM 188, ADM 362 and ADM 363.
- UK, Naval Officer and Rating Service Records, 1802-1919. British officers and ratings (non-commissioned seamen) in the Royal Navy were awarded pensions after 20 years’ service. This collection includes records that documented that service, including musters and pay registers, which were compiled by the Navy Pay Office.
- UK, Wills of Royal Navy and Royal Marines Personnel, 1786-1882. This collection includes wills written by sailors and marines before embarking on dangerous missions or during service, drawn from series ADM 48 held by The National Archives. The records includes the wills of warrant officers and some ratings but does not include commissioned officers.
- UK, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Service Records, 1903-1922. This collection includes service records for British Royal Naval volunteer reserves who served between 1903 and 1922.
- UK, Royal Navy Officer Patrol Service Cards, 1904-1970. This collection contains records for those who served in the Royal Navy Patrol Service and includes Royal Navy Continuous Record cards which were updated throughout the serviceman’s naval career.
- Web: UK, Royal Naval Reserve Service Records Index, 1860-1955. Ancestry search linked to The National Archives website extracted from series BT 164 and BT 377.
- Web: UK, Wills of Royal Naval Seamen Index, 1786-1882. Ancestry search linked to The National Archives website extracted from series ADM 48.
To view all data collections, click on ‘View all in Card Catalogue, on the Military Records home page or search for a dataset in the Card Catalogue.
Ancestry
UK, WWI Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923. This collection provides details of military and military-related personnel, who filed for a pension after World War One if injured or, if killed, details of their widow and/or other dependents or their next of kin, if they were unmarried and had no children. The records include Naval Ledgers consisting of married men only (no single men, and no officers included) of the Royal Navy who were killed in “warlike operations” during the First World War.
Royal Navy First World War
Lives At Sea. This unique free resource derived mainly from transcriptions of service records lets you search for information about Royal Navy officers and ratings who served during the First World War. You can also find out more about the crews on different ships and at different battles during the war. Much of the information is being extracted from the Royal Navy Officers’ and ratings’ service records held by the TNA in the series ADM 196 and ADM 188.
Forces War Records
UK, Royal Navy Register of Ratings, 1914-1918. This collection is taken from the National Archive’s logs of the seamen who enlisted into the Royal Navy before and during the First World War. Original documents held in seroes ADM 188 at The National Archives.
Naval History.Net
Casualty Lists of the Royal and Dominion Navies 1889-2009. Researched and compiled by Don Kindell.
The 1805 Club
Trafalgar Ancestors. A comprehensive list and details of the men who were in the British fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. Compiled by Bruno Pappalardo. The Ayshford Trafalgar Roll. Compiled by Pamela and Derek Ayshford.
Arctonauts
Allotment Lists. Transcribed lists of ships that were part of polar expeditions extracted from series ADM 27 held at The National Archives. The ships include HMS Erebus (1845) and HMS Terror (1845).
CD Roms
GenFair (Royal Navy at Sea & Ports Abroad, 1861, 1871, 1901 census returns. Census entries giving details on crew Name, Rank, Condition married or single, Age and Place of Birth both at sea and in domestic and foreign ports)
S & N Genealogy Supplies (Royal Navy Ships at Sea and in Ports Abroad in the 1871 Census and 1901 census)
www.ageofnelson.org/NavyList/CD.html (The Complete Navy List of the Napoleonic Wars, 1793-1815: Transcribed names and details of more than 11,000 commissioned officers who served in the Royal Navy from 1787 onwards, up to those who entered the service before 1817)
www.ageofnelson.org/TrafalgarRoll/index.html (The Ayshford Trafalgar Roll: Names and details of over 21,000 seamen and marines who fought at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805)
