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Please, what does DBG (c1914) stand for?

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  • Please, what does DBG (c1914) stand for?

    Sitting at work, fiddling in Ancestry like you do when bored and found my GF inbound to England, in 1914 from Panama, aged 20. (quite exciting as this explains why I could never find him after 1912 - he gives his occupation as a steward) The abbreviation on this 1914 document, DBG is in the CLASS column, where everyone else is 1st,2nd or 3rd. Can anyone clarify what this could stand for, please? If he was employed on the ship he wouldn't be on the passenger list and I hate loose ends!!! I have a vision of him being a prisoner!!

    I have googled but nothing!

    I had previously found him going out to South Africa in November 1924 and thought this was when he did his runner, but with the above and the fact that he did arrive in England again in July 1924, he was obviously a bit of a traveller!!

    All I need now is to find him going out after the war about 1919 - does anyone know if the outbound lists are complete?

    Thank you x
    Last edited by Lal; 03-11-08, 12:46.
    Lal x

    Mirror,Mirror, on the wall......I am my mother after all!!

  • #2
    I would have thought with the date given immediately after it would stand for date of birth given, but I suppose it can't if its in the class column. Stumped.

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    • #3
      Sorry - my mistake, I was meaning to say the initials were on a c1914 document to avoid any modern interpretation. Woops!!
      Lal x

      Mirror,Mirror, on the wall......I am my mother after all!!

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      • #4
        Deported By Government/Governor?

        (LOL)

        OC

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        • #5
          Oooh, err OC!

          That's the way my mind was going - I always thought he was a rum one!

          He did go on to be a Policeman in Rhodesia though!!!:D

          X
          Lal x

          Mirror,Mirror, on the wall......I am my mother after all!!

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          • #6
            Are you absolutely sure it's DBG? It couldn't be an abbreviation for "steerage", could it?

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            • #7
              There is a similar abbreviation which I worked out meant Died before embarking. And I think I saw a DNT (or similar) which seemed to stand for Did not travel. Clearly not either of those in this case. Perhaps if you give us the name and date we can have a look at the image.
              Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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              • #8
                Morning Uncle John

                Sorry for the delay!! Back in work now.....

                Just checked the image - it is on Ancestry - Incoming - Ship the Trent - Stephen H Cumins - arrival 16 March 1914 - last one on image 3 (of 5 images)

                He is one of three people 'DBG'd who boarded at one port - and another five 'DBG'd on the next page who joined the ship at another port.

                Wonder what on earth it can be!
                Lal x

                Mirror,Mirror, on the wall......I am my mother after all!!

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                • #9
                  Page 5 says DBS, and page 4 looks more like DBS than DBG to me too.
                  Still don't know what it means though.
                  Sarah

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                  • #10
                    DBS also appears here: Ship Descriptions - C/Ca to Ch
                    see CARMARTHENSHIRE 1915 O.N. 136347:
                    "The Master, Capt. W. T. Dawson, 36 crew, 4 gunners, 24 passengers and 16 DBS were rescued by RCN Corvettes ALBERNI and VILLE DE QUEBEC and landed at Liverpool."
                    Sarah

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                    • #11
                      I think the letters are DBS (its clearer on the next page) The ccupations of these people were all to do with ships -steward,engineer, fireman, cook, seaman so I reckon it must be something to do with them being employed by the shipping line rather than paying passengers - [perhaps they'd been discharged and on their way to pick up another ship. can't think of what the letters actually stand for though.
                      Judith passed away in October 2018

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                      • #12
                        What about Distressed British Seaman = one who is left without a berth, ill or without funds in a foreign port.
                        from: The National Archives | The Catalogue | Research Guides
                        Sarah

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                        • #13
                          Found it! Distressed British Seamen:
                          DBS and medals [Archive] - Mercantile Marine
                          Judith passed away in October 2018

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                          • #14
                            snap Judith! :D
                            Sarah

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                            • #15
                              Snap Sarah!
                              Judith passed away in October 2018

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                              • #16
                                Brilliant - thank you everyone!!

                                Poor man - being a Distressed British Seaman in the Bahamas can't have been much fun!

                                Every answer gives another question!! Now why was he distressed........

                                I have done no research for nearly twelve months now but I am feeling the urge again.....LOL

                                Thanks to you lot!!! x
                                Lal x

                                Mirror,Mirror, on the wall......I am my mother after all!!

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                                • #17
                                  At least he was distressed, not Died Before Sailing, which would have been a bit final.
                                  Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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                                  • #18
                                    I asked an ex merchant about his Dutch connection and he explained that twice in the war his ship was destroyed and the effect of this was that the ship owners were no longer responsible for paying the crew from the time it sank. This meant that he had to make his way home by whatever means possible usually by signing on with another ship.
                                    The only ship available on his last sinking was a Dutch ship and crew where no-one spoke English... he had to learn the language fast and he settled in Holland for many years
                                    It may be that other sailors obtained transport home on passenger liners.
                                    Just a thought

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                                    • #19
                                      Dbs

                                      Another possibility to the meaning of DBS. We have the term ABS for able bodied seaman. Could DBS be a disabled bodied seaman, i.e. one who has perhaps been injured? Oops sorry just seen that about Distressed British seaman.
                                      Last edited by perthpom; 05-11-08, 19:01.
                                      Research Interests - Baldock, Letchworth and surrounding villages in Herts
                                      (Castle, Clark(e), Abbiss, Ellis, James, Scoot)
                                      Heathfield, Horsham Sussex (Thompson, Loveday )

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                                      • #20
                                        An Able-bodied Seaman is one who can swim. It's quite surprising how many couldn't. I don't know if ability to swim is a requirement these days.
                                        Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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