Ships' Musters Series I and II ADM 36 and ADM 37 Part One.

unpaginated, iv + 480pp, large format (30cm x 21.5cm), laminated boards. AJS: The List and Index Society publishes copies of lists and indexes from the Public Record Office, London, and other British Public Archives in the condition in which they are available to users of the archive at the date of publication. Issued to subscribers only (Volume Ref 248). Publisher: The classes ADM 36 and ADM 37 contain muster books of ships of the Royal Navy in two series. Series I covers the period 1688 to 1808 and is held in ADM 36. ADM 37 contains Series II muster books and covers the period 1792 to 1842. There is no distinction between the musters in ADM 36 and those in the earlier part of ADM 37, but there is a clear break within ADM 37, occuring between the years 1828 and 1836 (the exact date varies from ship to ship). The musters then assume a new and slightly more elaborate form, which is largely explained in the books themselves. The books can contain two types of musters: Monthly Musters, in general covering two months, and General Musters or Open Lists covering longer periods, most commonly twelve months. The two types may be bound in the same or in separate volumes, and the frequent preservation of both for the one ship means that in many cases the dates covered by volumes will overlap. The musters record the presence of every person on board a ship: the ship's company, marines borne as part of the ship's complement, supernumeraries borne for wages and victuals, supernumeraries borne for victuals only, and prisoners of war. A list of men "run" (or deserted) from the ship appears at the end. Details include the date and place of embarkation, rank or rating, discharge, and from 1764 the age at entry and place of birth.…