Tracing Your British Seafaring Ancestors

Back to Shipping and Seafarers

© By Steve Brew

This article was published in two parts in the June and July 2002 editions of the Australian genealogy magazine Australian Family Tree Connections. Although generally aimed at the Australian market, the article explains, and give examples of, the resources available for tracing British seamen. The locations of data are listed at the bottom of this page and, although some of these are in Australia, most are in the United Kingdom. I have given the postal addresses, the website addresses and the e-mail addresses of each.

Tracing seafaring ancestors and their careers does not have to be as daunting or difficult as it may initially appear. Although it can be easier tracing officers, engineers, and others with certificates of competency, it is not impossible to trace the careers of regular seamen. It is simply a matter of using the evidence you have and building upon it piece by piece to put the full picture together.

There are many documents that you can consult to trace his career. These include registers of seamen, seamen’s tickets, certificates of discharge, apprenticeship indentures, crew agreements, certificates of competency, applications for certificates of competency, log books, Lloyd’s registers and BMD indexes.

As the following information is only a summarised description of the records available, I urge the reader to refer to the excellent book “My Ancestor Was A Merchant Seaman” by Christopher and Michael Watts, published by the Society of Genealogists in London, for further information.

Register of Seamen and Seamen’s Tickets

In 1835, the British Government passed the Merchant Shipping Act, which required the registration of seamen. The compilation of this indexed list was the method by which the Government intended to man the Navy in time of war. From this time, Masters of ships were required to deposit their crew agreements with the then Register Office of Merchant Seamen, from which the Registrar compiled an index list.

As one can appreciate, this was not an easy task. Many seamen were illiterate or gave false names and their writing was often illegible. Moreover, many Masters were more interested in complying with the law and submitting the lists, rather than in their accuracy. There are four different series of tickets, all held by the Public Record Office (PRO) in London, and indexed in alphabetical order – which will be of special interest for those compiling one name studies.

The first series, from 1835-1836, is found in BT 120 “Register of Seamen, Series I” and is a simple collection of just five volumes listing number, name, age, place of birth, capacity and ship. Thoroughly overwhelmed by the enormous volume of crew lists, the system was quickly replaced.

The second series, containing 83 volumes, is found in BT 112 “Register of Seamen, Series II”, and covers the period 1835-1844. Series II incorporates the names listed in Series I (BT 120). Although not completely alphabetical, an index is provided in BT 119 “Alphabetical Index to Seamen”. Entries generally identify a seaman by name, age, place of birth, reference number, ship, and date.

In 1844, new regulations were introduced which required seamen leaving the United Kingdom to hold a Register Ticket. This series, which covers the period 1845-1854, can be found in BT 113 “Register of Seamen’s Tickets”, whilst an index to them can be found in BT 114 “Alphabetical Register of Seamen’s Tickets”.

A typical entry in the index shows a seaman’s name, birthplace and ticket number. Armed with this data, it is then possible to consult the Register of Seaman’s Tickets in BT 113. The register contains invaluable biographical information, identifying seamen by name, ticket number, place and date of birth, capacity, height, eye and hair colour, complexion, identifying marks, address, capacity and date when he first went to sea, whether he had served in the Royal Navy, his age when first ticketed and his literacy.

However helpful to researchers today, the ticket system was very unpopular with seamen at the time. It was discontinued in October 1853 and replaced with a new, simplified, system that covered the period 1853-1857. This alphabetical series, known as the “Register of Seamen, Series III” can be found in BT 116. Series III identifies a seaman by name, age, place or birth, ship, port and date.

Unfortunately, this system was also done away with in 1857. Thereafter, there was no new system by which seamen can easily be identified. From here, it is necessary to consult discharge certificates or crew agreements.

Certificates of Discharge

From 1854, these certificates, which were sometimes called a “Continuous Certificate of Discharge”, and often referred to as a “Dis. A.”, were stamped and signed upon a crewmember’s completion of a voyage. They were carried by a seaman from voyage to voyage and acted as a form of reference, to show when, where and in what capacity he had previously served. As they were kept by a seaman his entire career, they will most likely be found in his family’s possession rather than in an archive office.  

Certificates generally came in the form of a booklet, which identified the seaman by name, date, and place of birth, height, colour of eyes and hair, complexion, and any identifying marks, such as tattoos or scars, which he may have worn. The inside was designed to contain the details of discharge for several voyages. Divided into columns, each section detailed the name of the ship, it’s official number, tonnage and port of registry, the date and place of engagement, the seaman’s capacity on the voyage, the date and place of discharge, and main ports visited.

A separate section was set aside for a report of character, in regard to ability and general conduct, and perhaps sobriety. Be aware, however, that if a man deserted or died on a voyage, no discharge information will have been issued.

An example:

• Cover Page: Leonard Septimus Brew; born Gateshead, 1887; height 5 feet 8½ inches; eyes brown, hair brown, complexion fair

• Discharge: Ship Oanfa; official number 115351; tonnage 5676; port of registry Liverpool; date and place of engagement 23 May 1908, Birkenhead; capacity 6th Engineer; date and place of discharge 7 December 1908, Liverpool, destinations China and Puget Sound

• Conduct: Ability very good; general conduct very good

Apprenticeship Indentures

As early as 1823 ships above 80 tons were required to carry apprentices. In 1835, new regulations were introduced to ensure compliance with the procedure. Apprenticeship indentures were instituted and masters were obliged to deposit them with local Customs offices or the Register General of Shipping and Seamen (RGSS).

An Index of Apprentices, which was compiled by the RGSS, is held by the PRO in BT 150. The index commences in 1824 and is broken down into London and outports, then by date range, and lastly alphabetically by the first letter of an apprentice’s surname. A typical index entry shows month of registry, port of registry, date of indenture, name and age of apprentice, term (length of apprenticeship), name and residence of Master, and name and tonnage of the ship.

Unfortunately, few of the actual indentures survive. Those for every fifth year are kept by the PRO in BT 151; the rest have apparently been destroyed. It is understood, however, that P & O still holds some of their apprenticeship indentures, which date from the 1840s to the 1960s.

Crew Agreements

Crew Agreements are lists of the crew that served upon a vessel during a particular voyage. I suggest that, for more in depth information, you should refer to AFTC, Volume 8, Issue 10, October 2000, pp 41-43, in which crew agreements were dealt with at length. Although crew agreements existed in some form since the late 1740s, the ‘modern’ system of agreements was not put into place until the Merchant Shipping Act was passed in 1835. Few agreements before this date still exist and, where they do, they more often than not merely identify the Maser and the number of crew.

The system of agreements introduced in 1835 have now become the most widely available source of all genealogical and biographical data on seamen. Once you have the name of a vessel and a date (a year is sufficient), you should attempt to a obtain copy. They are available at the PRO and National Maritime Museum (NMM) in London, the Maritime History Archive (MHA) in Newfoundland, in county record offices in England and state and national archives offices in Australia. Indeed, one agreement that I had long sought, which was not held by the PRO, MHA or NMM, was found in the collections at New South Wales’ State Records at Kingswood. It was a British vessel, but the voyage had terminated in Australia, so the agreement was deposited with the shipping authorities here.  

The cover page identifies a ship by name, official number, port of registry, tonnage, owner, master, food rations per seaman, and the dates and places of the voyage’s commencement and termination. The internal pages hold details of the crew. This information generally consists of name, age, place of birth, and address; name, date and port of registry of the last vessel upon which he served (if the same vessel, then often noted as “same” or “continues”; if the first ship then “first”); capacity on this voyage (and certificate of competency number for masters, mates and engineers); date and place of joining; wages (total and advanced); date, place and reason for discharge (generally noted as “discharged”, but can also be death, desertion, or failure to join the ship upon departure); and the signature of the seaman (if “X”, his mark, this will tell you the man was illiterate)

As an agreement always names the previous ship upon which a seaman served, it is an extremely simple task to work backwards to his first ship.

An example:

Log Books

Old ships’ log books are difficult to find today; relatively few still exist. Those that do survive are often found at the PRO in London or in the MHA in Newfoundland. Log books were usually kept with a ship and handed over to the Board of Trade each six months, or at the ship’s next arrival at a British port after that time. The details on a seaman are, however, somewhat limited.

The cover page identifies a ship by name, official number, port of registry, tonnage, master, dates and places of the voyage’s commencement and termination. Inside the document are the names and capacities of each of the crew, and comments regarding their conduct whilst on the voyage/s.

Other notes within log books refer to arrivals, departures and incidents during the voyage. These sometimes discuss crew members by name, but even if your seaman is not mentioned, the logs can be extremely interesting as they explain what he must have experienced during the voyage.

An example:

The following entries appear in the log of a trouble-filled voyage of the vessel Wavertree in 1905:

• Dated 20 October 1905, Mollendo [Peru]: Max Dreker (AB) complained of the winch being too heavy to heave and said he wasn’t going to strain himself over it. At 8.45am he demanded to see a Doctor and the British Consul. On being examined by the Doctor he was pronounced sound and fit for duty, giving a certificate to that effect. On being told by the Consul to go on board he refused to do so and was sent to jail. Subsequent entries show Dreker spent 21 days in gaol and was fined £5 5s. for insolence to the British Consul plus £2 1s. 3d. in gaol expenses.

• Dated 3 December 1905, at sea Lat. 17° 40 Long. 87° 50: D. Murphy and M. Doyle (ABs) were called aft and still refused to work, they were put in irons and placed in the sail locker, their allowance being one lb. of bread and one gallon of water per man per day. Further entries show Murphy and Doyle continued to cause trouble throughout the voyage. They tried to convince the rest of the crew to join them in refusing to work and were therefore kept locked up until arrival in N.S.W. Murphy is also recorded as having promised to “leave a mark on the skipper to go to court with”!

Certificates of Competency

Certificates of competency were issued to masters, mates, and engineers (and later marine surveyors and pilots) upon completion of both theoretical and practical training, which culminated in a written examination. A certificate identified the holder and date of issue, the certificate number, the holder’s address, date and place of birth, and the date of the examination.

Examinations were introduced for Masters and Mates from 1845. Although initially voluntary, they became compulsory just five years later and continue to the present day. Examinations were extended to Engineers in 1861 and to the Maters and Mates of Fishing Vessels in 1880. A certificate was issued to the seaman and a duplicate copy was kept with the Board of Trade. Whilst many a seaman’s original certificate can today be found with family, the duplicates are kept in the Public Record Office (PRO) in London.

Unfortunately, the PRO will not conduct a search for you; you will need a researcher to find the information you need. Having said that, once an entry is found in the index, it is usually a simple exercise to find, and take a copy from, a microfilmed copy of the actual certificate.

An example:

Applications for Certificates of Competency

The applications for the above Certificates of Competency are far more valuable for the researcher than the certificates themselves because of the information they hold. More than just identifying the seaman by name, address and particulars, his career until that point in time (or since his last certificate) is listed by ship, capacity and date. The applications for successful examinations are kept at the NMM in London.

When requesting a copy of an application from the NMM you should supply not only the seaman’s full name, but also his certificate number. You will also need to indicate the type of certificate that was applied for – was he an engineer, a mate, or a master?

An example:

Births, Marriages and Deaths at Sea

Births, marriages and deaths at sea were recorded separately from the normal civil registration registers, in what are referred to as the Marine Register Books. These books, which commence in July 1837, list the births, marriages and deaths of British nationals (and later foreigners) aboard British registered ships. These registers and their indexes are located at both the PRO and the Family Records Centre (FRC) in London.

From 1854, when it became compulsory to deposit log books, BMDs were extracted from the entries made by ships’ masters. In 1874, this changed slightly when, instead of simply entering an event in the log, masters were required to report them directly to the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. The RGSS then passed them on to civil Registrar General who listed them in separate books for England, Ireland and Scotland.

There are also several other interesting files relating to deaths at sea which may be of interest. These include the Register of Wages and Effects of Dead Seamen, for the period 1852-1889, which can be found at the PRO in BT 153. The Seamen’s Fund Winding-Up Act of 1851 obliged masters of British ships to deposit the wages and effects of seamen who had died on the voyage with the Board of Trade. Entries in the register generally list the seaman’s name; date and place of engagement; date and cause of death; name, official number and port of registry of the ship; name of master; amount of wages, and the date and place of their payment. An index to the names of seamen in this register can be found in BT 154, whilst an index to the names of ships is in BT 155.

Other records include Monthly Lists of Deaths of Seamen, 1886-1889 (BT156), and half-yearly lists of deaths, classified by cause, for the period 1882-1888, in Registers of Seamen’s Deaths (BT 157). There are also a few others, which I have listed at the end of this article.  

An example from the Index to Marine Deaths, 1886-90, at the FRC:

Brew, John George, 36 [sic], SS Castleton, page 115

An example of a Death Certificate extracted from the above index:

Name of ship: Castleton

Official number: 81774

Date of death: Suppose lost 15.10.86

Place of death: [blank]

Name and surname of deceased: John G Brew

Sex: Male

Age: 36 [sic]

Rank, profession or occupation: 1st Engineer

Nationality [Place of birth]: Woolwich

Last place of abode: 49 Exeter Street, Gateshead

Cause of death: Supposed drowned

Passenger or member of crew: Crew

Lloyd’s Captains’ Register

The register lists all Master Mariners, that is holders of a Master’s Certificate, between the years 1869 and 1948. Volumes cover each a span of years, so it will be necessary to know a rough span of years before beginning your search. They are indexed by the first three letters of the Master’s surname. This implies the surname BREW could appear before the surname BRETT.

An entry generally shows the seaman’s name, his year and place of birth, his year and place of examination, his certificate number, and a detailed account of his career, listed by years, name and number of ship. It is always a good idea to check the years, i.e. the volumes, preceding and following the data you find.

In my own experience, I have found the entries to be sometimes incomplete. My great grandfather obtained his Master’s Certificate in 1905, but the columns for 1905, 1907, and 1909 are blank. However, we know from other sources that he captained ships during this time.

The registers are kept at the Guildhall Library in London, but microfilm copies are available at many libraries around the world and in Australia including, for example, the NSW State Reference Library in Sydney.

An example:

Name: Brew, John George

Born: Gateshead, 1876

Passed: Belfast, 1901

1903: Torr Head, 99970, July, Sept, Oct

1904: Torr Head, 99970

1905: Torr Head, 99970, June 7, July 22, Sept 27

1906: Torr Head, 99970, Feb 27; Rathlin Head, 110510, July, Aug 30

1907: Rathlin Head, 110510, Feb, Apr, June, Oct

1908: Rathlin Head: [?], May 11

Identifying the Ships Upon Which He Served

Lloyd’s Register of Shipping

Probably the greatest source of merchant ship data is Lloyd’s Register. One of the world’s oldest insurance underwriters, Lloyd’s have published the particulars of both British and foreign ships, their builders, owners and masters, years of manufacture and ports of registry, on an annual basis since 1764.

In order to use the registers, it is necessary to know a ship’s name and have an idea of the period in which the ship existed. Another point to consider is that the registers are not valid for a calendar year but rather our present-day financial year, i.e. 1 July of one year to 30 June of the next.

One particular advantage of using Lloyd’s Register is that it will help you determine which vessel is ‘yours’ when more than one vessel bore the same name. A ship’s official number is also listed, and it is this detail, which is necessary to have to obtain copies of crew agreements.

Individual volumes can be as much as six inches thick, and are broken up into several sections, such as steamships, sailing vessels, fishing vessels, and companies. The company section usually lists entire fleets, so once you have found out which company ‘your’ vessel belonged to, it is easy to see which other vessels were in the same fleet. Perhaps your seaman served on several vessels belonging to the same company?

Lloyd’s Maritime Collection has been deposited with the Guildhall Library in London. Thankfully, however, copies of most of their printed manuscripts are available in many libraries around the world, including the NSW State Library in Sydney, for example. Although not available on the shelves, the originals can be ordered and, within minutes, brought upstairs for you to peruse.

If you cannot find what you are looking for, or cannot get to a library where Lloyd’s Register is available, you might write and ask the NMM in London, or the MHA in Canada, to find your ship. Alternatively, you can also write directly to Lloyd’s.

In the past, I have written to different repositories in the UK to request copies of pages containing details of particular vessels, and had no difficulties obtaining what I sought. Do be aware, though, there will probably be a charge for this service.

An example:

Lloyd’s Register, Sailing Vessels, 1906-07 [not all details included]

No. in Book: 312

Official No: 90058

Code Letters: JWPD

Ship’s Name: Albuera

Master: J. Walker

Material, Rig: Steel Bark

No. of Decks: 2 Decks

Gross Reg. Tonnage: 1554

Classification: 100A1

Date of Last Survey: 11, 1905

Port of Survey: Greenock

Built When: 1885

Built by Whom: J. & G. Thomson

Built Where: Glasgow

Owners: J. Hardie & Co.

Length: 236.6 ft

Breadth: 39.2 ft

Depth: 22.8 ft

Port of Registry: Glasgow

Flag: British

Details of steamships also include information on engines, cylinders, and horsepower, and note whether the vessel was equipped with wireless and electric light.

Ships’ Surveys

Lloyd’s had a vested interest in the seaworthiness of the vessels they insured. In order to determine a ship’s condition, they introduced a system of inspections and surveys, the latter of which records almost every imaginable detail of a ship’s particulars, down to the number and length of it’s chains.

The originals, from 1830 to 1964, are held by the NMM in London, and some, after 1870, include plans. They are arranged by port, but there are also indexes by name of ship, as follows:

Lloyd’s Ships’ Surveys, Index A-J, 1839-1868, LLY/IND/1

Lloyd’s Ships’ Surveys, Index K-Z, 1839-1868, LLY/IND/2

Lloyd’s Ships’ Surveys, Index A-J, 1868-1892, LLY/IND/3

Lloyd’s Ships’ Surveys, Index K-Z, 1868-1892, LLY/IND/4

Lloyd’s Ships’ Surveys, Indexes 1893-1914, LLY/IND/5-8

An index entry generally includes a ship’s name, her master’s name, tonnage, and year and place of build. It is, however, possible to obtain a copy of the actual survey, usually about two A3-sized pages, by writing to the NMM.

An example [only partially reproduced]:

No: 6681

Survey held at: Glasgow

Date, first survey: 2 June

Last survey: 10th October 1884

On the: Iron barque “St. Cuthbert”

Master: Henry Rae

Built at: Glasgow

When built: 1884

Launched: 22nd Sept. 1884

By whom built: Barclay Curle & Co.

Owner: Alexander Rae

Address: 19 Berkeley Rd, Liverpool

Port belonging to: Liverpool

Destined voyage: Valparaiso

Registered tonnage: 1000.56

Length: 199.75 ft

Half Breadth: 16.75 ft

Depth: 22.08 ft

General remarks: The workmanship and material are good throughout…

[Recommendation]: 100A1

There are too many details to list here but, in short, they include the number and sizes of the masts, sails and anchors (respectively engines, etc. for steamships); the lengths and types of ropes, cables and chains; the sizes of hatches, and every conceivable measurement of the hull, decks and fittings.

Losses, Fates and Wreck Registers

There are many sources of information on the fates of vessels. These can include, amongst other things, sale, scrapping, foundering in storm or collision, and loss by enemy action. Once again, the registers of Lloyd’s are the most informative.

One method of tracing peacetime fates is through the “posted” editions of Lloyd’s Register, which show when a ship was lost, sold or scrapped, by overprinting the original entry. Further help from Lloyd’s comes in the form of their Loss and Casualty Books (where specific information is known), which cover the period 1837-1982: their Missing Vessels Book, covering 1837-1954, their Missing Vessels Cards (missing; fate unknown), for the same period, and their Marine Loss Cards for 1939-1970. All of these are held by the Guildhall Library.

Other Lloyd’s records are also available which show losses during both world wars. These can be found in Lloyd’s War Casualty Books. During World War I, losses of British, Allied and neutral ships are shown; during World War II, losses of enemy ships are shown in addition.

Two further sources of note are Lloyd’s Weekly Shipping Index and Shipping Gazette Weekly Summary, which follow vessels’ movements around the world. Entries in the latter of these two records helped me discover the story behind the foundering of my great grandfather’s ship St. Cuthbert in 1897.

Shipping Gazette Weekly Summary, 29 October 1897

Montevideo, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. – A sailer, Newcastle for Buenos Ayres [sic], foundered about 80 miles off the coast. All on board saved and landed at Polonio. Will telegraph the name as soon as possible.

Montevideo, Oct. 25, 12.15 p.m. – The name of the vessel which foundered about 80 miles off coast is St Cuthbert.

Shipping Gazette Weekly Summary, 19 November 1897

St. Lucia (by Cable received Nov. 12) – Steamer Condor reports having spoken 23rd near Montevideo two boats with crew of barque St Cuthbert. Barque sunk.

Shipping Gazette Weekly Summary, 26 November 1897

Montevideo, Oct. 30 – The barque St Cuthbert, Drummond [Master], from Newcastle for Buenos Ayres [sic], with coal and bricks, encountered a tremendous hurricane on Oct. 20, in 34 S 52 W. Next day she was abandoned and three minutes later she sank; crew saved.

Records, besides those of Lloyd’s, include the Board of Trade Casualty Returns, which have been kept since 1876. These records are kept by the Marine Safety Agency in England. The NMM in London also keeps their own Shipwreck Index. Other sources of data include maritime museums in the region of the ship’s port of registry or loss, and especially newspapers for those same regions, which often provide a more narrative and emotional account of events than dry, official reports.

“Shipwreck and Marine”, who specialise in shipwreck research and heritage, artefacts and diving, have compiled a computer index of shipwrecks in the United Kingdom. They have published several hardcopy volumes of what is called the Shipwreck Index of the British Isles. These volumes, in A4 format, are broken down by region and/or county and each contains over 7,000 entries. The series now covers all of the UK, with an alphabetical index making up the final volume. I am not sure of their availability in Australia; they may be available at major or state libraries, or through inter-library loan. In the past I have written to “Shipwreck and Marine” to request data on a particular vessel, but if you wish to purchase a volume, or the whole series, it is in fact necessary to write to Lloyd’s at the address shown below. In 1998, individual volumes cost around £51, but the price decreased depending on the number of volumes ordered.

If you are searching for the location of a particular wreck, and the Shipwreck Index of the British Isles fails to help, a last resort is the Wrecks Officer of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office who keeps the Government’s records of wrecks.

Pictures and Photographs

Photographs, paintings and sketches of vessels are held in a wide range of collections, so numerous it would be impossible to name them all. With a little perseverance, it is generally an easy task to track down an image of a particular vessel. Plans of ships, on the other hand, are a little more difficult to locate.

My father was able to locate plans of his grandfather’s first sailing ship, from 1897, at the NMM in London, and was thus able to compile sketches of what the ship looked like. Moreover, we were able to locate a photograph of another of his sailing vessels at the NMM. The vessel was built in 1885, and was the ship upon which he first visited Australia over Christmas and New Year of 1900-1901, thus enabling him to be in Australia for the celebrations of Federation. He must have been impressed with Sydney as he returned several times over the ensuing few years and decided to settle here in 1908!

As mentioned above, it would be impossible to list all the locations of ship images. The following list, therefore, only reflects the locations of some of the larger collections available to the public: the NMM in London (write to the Historic Photographs and Ship Plans Section; a search engine to their Ship Picture Catalogue is also available online), the Australian National Maritime Museum (an index of their image collection is available online), the PRO in London, the National Archives of Australia (index and images available online), county record offices in England, state archives offices in Australia, the National Library of Australia (images available online), state libraries in Australia (both the NSW and Victorian state libraries have their image collections online), the World Ship Society in England, the Imperial War Museum in London, and the Australian War Memorial in Canberra (search engine and images available online), just to name a few. Several shipping companies still hold their own collections, whilst the records of many defunct shipping companies are available in record offices around the world.

Possibly of great interest to many, records of the Union Steamship Company, including crew lists, passenger lists and pictures, are held by Archives New Zealand in Wellington. Also, images of vessels built by the famous shipbuilder Harland and Wolff (the builders of Titanic, amongst many others) can be found at the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, which holds what is called the ‘Harland and Wolff Historic Photographs Collection’.

You may even be lucky enough to find the ship/s you are seeking on film, such as those made by Movietone News. “ScreenSound Australia” has an online index of their film archive, in which I was personally able to locate several ‘family’ vessels. It is easy to obtain copies of these films on video, but the price depends on the amount (length) you order.

A Final Suggestion

Do not forget Internet search engines! There are an ever-increasing number of resources online, including catalogues of many libraries and museums, passenger and crew lists, and information on the histories of individual ships and entire shipping companies. I have listed a number of website addresses in the ‘contact information’ section of each of the three parts of this article, but if you are still not sure where to start, there is absolutely no harm in calling up a search engine like “Yahoo!”, for example, and simply entering the name of your ship. This may not sound very scientific, but there are many other people around the world who may have similar interests and are prepared to swap and share information. You might just be surprised what you find; I certainly have been.

Summary of Record Locations

Registers of Seamen

Register of Seamen, Series I, 1835-1836, PRO, BT 120

Register of Seamen, Series II, 1835-1844, PRO, BT 112

Alphabetical Index to BT 112, 1835-1844, PRO, BT 119

Register of Seamen’s Tickets, 1845-1854, PRO, BT 113

Alphabetical Index to BT 113, 1845-1854, PRO, BT 114

Alphabetical Register of Mates, 1845-1854, PRO, BT 115

Register of Seamen, Series III, 1854-1857, PRO, BT 116

Apprenticeship Indentures

Index of Apprentices, 1824-1853, PRO, BT 150

Apprentices’ Indentures (for every fifth year), 1845-1950, PRO, BT 151

Apprentices’ Indentures for Fishing (for every fifth year), 1895-1935, PRO, BT 152

Crew Agreements and Logs

All surviving Crew Agreements, 1747-1860, PRO, BT 98

10% sample of each year, 1861-1938, PRO, BT 99

Records of all celebrated ships (e.g. Titanic), 1861-1938, PRO, BT 100

90% of all existing agreements, 1861-1862, NMM

Small selection of diverse agreements, 1863-1913, County record offices

Remaining surviving agreements (ca 70%), 1863-1938, MHA

90% of all years ending in ‘5’ (e.g. 1865, 1875, etc.), 1865-1935, NMM

Surviving official log books, 1902-1919, PRO, BT 165

Certificates of Competency

Certificates of Competency, Masters & Mates in the Foreign Trade, 1845-1906, PRO, BT 122

Certificates of Competency, Masters & Mates, Steamships in Foreign Trade, 1881-90, PRO, BT 123

Certificates of Competency, Masters & Mates in the Home Trade, 1845-1921, PRO, BT 125

Index to Certificates of Competency, Masters and Mates, PRO, BT 127

Certificates of Competency, Masters and Mates, Colonial [incl. Australia], PRO, BT 128

Certificates of Competency, Masters and Mates of Fishing Vessels, 1880-1921, PRO, BT129

Index to Certificates of Competency, Masters & Mates of Fishing Vessels, PRO, BT 138

Certificates of Competency for Engineers, 1861-1921, PRO, BT 139

Index to Certificates of Competency for Engineers, PRO, BT 141

Births, Marriages and Deaths at Sea

Marine Register Book – Births, 1837-1930, FRC

Marine Register Book – Deaths, 1837-1965, FRC

Registers of Wages and Effects of Deceased Seamen, 1852-1889, PRO, BT 153

Index to Seamen’s Names in BT 153, PRO, BT 154

Index to Ships’ Names in BT 153, PRO, BT 155

Monthly Lists of Deaths of Seamen, 1886-1889, PRO, BT 156

Register of Seamen’s Deaths (classified by cause), 1882-1888, PRO, BT 157

Births, Marriages, Deaths of Passengers at Sea, 1854-1887/1883/1890 resp., PRO, BT 158

Registers of Deaths at Sea of British Nationals, 1875-1888, PRO, BT 159

Register of Births at Sea of British Nationals, 1875-1891, PRO, BT 160

Records of Marriages at Sea, 1857-1972, RGSS

Contact Information

Public Record Office
Reader Services Department
Ruskin Avenue
Kew, Richmond, Surrey
England, TW9 4DU
Phone: +44-(0)20-8876-3444
Fax: +44-(0)20-8878-8905
Web Site: http://www.pro.gov.uk/

E-Mail: enquiry@pro.gov.uk

National Maritime Museum
Greenwich, London
England, SE10 9NF
Phone: +44-(0)20-8858-4422
Fax: +44-(0)20-8312-6632
Web Site: http://www.nmm.ac.uk/
E-Mail: search@nmm.ac.uk

Maritime History Archive
The Archivist
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St. Johns, Newfoundland
Canada, A1C 5S7
Phone: +1-(0)709-737-8428
Fax: +1-(0)709-737-3123
Web Site: http://www.mun.ca/mha/
E-mail: mha@morgan.ucs.mun.ca

Registry of Shipping and Seamen
Anchor House, Cheviot Close
Parc Ty Glas, Llanishen
Cardiff, Wales, CF14 5JA
Phone: +44-(0)29-2074-7333
Fax: +44-(0)29-2074-7877
Web Site: http://www.mcagency.org.uk
E-Mail: rss@mcga.gov.uk

National Archives of Australia
Access Services
PO Box 7425
Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610
Phone: 02-6212-3600
Fax: 02-6212-3699
E-mail: archives@naa.gov.au
Website: http://www.naa.gov.au

State Records N.S.W.
143 O'Connell Street
PO Box 516
Kingswood, NSW 2747
Phone: 02-9673-1788
Fax: 02-9833-4518
E-mail: research@records.nsw.gov.au
Website: http://www.records.nsw.gov.au

The Office for National Statistics

Family Records Centre

1 Myddelton Street

London , EC1R 1UW

England

Phone: +44-(0)20-8392-5300

Fax: +44-(0)20-8392-5307

Web Site: http://www.open.gov.uk

Guildhall Library

Aldermanbury

London, EC2P 2EJ

England

Phone: +44-(0)20-7332-1854

Fax: +44-(0)20-7600-3384

Web Site: http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

E-Mail: search.guildhall@corpoflondon.gov.uk

Shipwreck and Marine

Ropewalk House

Charlestown, St. Austell

Cornwall, PL25 3NN

England

Phone: +44-(0)1726-73-104

E-Mail: histinfo@lr.org

Lloyd’s Register of Shipping

Senior Information Officer and Archivist

71 Fenchurch Street

London EC3M 4BS

England

Phone: +44-(0)20-7423-2077

Fax: +44-(0)20-7423-2039

Web Site: http://www.lr.org

E-Mail: info@lr.org

The Wrecks Officer

United Kingdom Hydrographic Office

Admiralty Way

Taunton, Somerset, TA1 2DN

England

Phone: +44-(0)1823-337-900

Fax: +44-(0)1823-284-077

Web Site: http://www.hydro.gov.uk

E-Mail: wrecks@ukho.gov.uk

State Library of New South Wales

Image Library

Macquarie Street

Sydney NSW 2000

Phone: 02-9273-1414

Fax: 02-9273-1255

Web Site: http://www.slnsw.gov.au

State Library of Victoria

328 Swanston Street

Melbourne VIC 3000

Phone: 03-8664-7000

Web Site: http://www.statelibrary.vic.gov.au

Australian National Maritime Museum

Maritime Heritage Centre

Wharf 7 Darling Harbour

GPO Box 5131

Sydney NSW 1042

Phone: 02-9298-3777

Fax: 02-9298-3670

Web Site: http://www.anmm.gov.au

Imperial War Museum

Photograph Archive

Lambeth Road

London SE1 6HZ

England

Phone: +44-(0)20-7416-5320

Fax: +44-(0)20-7416-5374

Website: http://www.iwm.org.uk

E-Mail: mail@iwm.org.uk

Australian War Memorial

GPO Box 34

Canberra, ACT 2601

Phone: 02-6243-4211

Fax: 02-6243-4325

Web Site: http://www.awm.gov.au

E-Mail: info@awm.gov.au

World Ship Society

101 The Everglades

Hempstead, Gillingham

Kent, ME7 3PZ

England

Phone: +44-(0)1634-37-2015

Web Site: http://worldshipsociety.org

E-Mail: info@worldshipsociety.org

Archives New Zealand

PO Box 12-050

Wellington 6001

New Zealand

Phone: +64-(0)4-499-5595

Fax: +64-(0)4-495-6210

Web Site: http://www.archives.govt.au

E-Mail: enquiries@archives.govt.nz

Ulster Folk and Transport Museum

Head of Photography

Cultra, Holywood

Co. Down, BT18 0EU

Northern Ireland

Phone: +44-(0)2890-428-428

Fax: +44-(0)2890-428-728

Web Site: http://www.nidex.com/uftm/index.htm

E-Mail: uftm@nidex.com

ScreenSound Australia

GPO Box 2002

Canberra ACT 2601

Phone: 02-6248-2000

Fax: 02-6248-2165

Web Site: http://www.screensound.gov.au

E-Mail: enquiries@screensound.gov.au

Bibliography

·       My Ancestor was a Merchant Seaman. How Can I Find Out More About Him? Christopher T. Watts and Michael J. Watts, Society of Genealogists, 1986, 1991

·       Basic Facts About... Using Merchant Ship Records For Family Historians, Peter L. Hogg, Federation of Family History Societies, 1997

·       List of the Principal Records of Merchant Shipping and Seamen Showing Their Current Locations, Maritime History Archive, October 1996

·       Records of the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, Public Record Office Info. Leaflet

·       Certificate of Discharge, Leonard Septimus Brew, Engineer, 1911-1947

·       Crew Agreement, SS Opah, John George Brew, 3rd Engineer, 1874

·       Log Book, SS Opah, John George Brew, 3rd Engineer, 1874

·       Log Book, Wavertree, Albert Brew, Master, 1905

·       Certificate of Competency, Albert Brew, First Mate, 1903

·       Application for Cert. of Competency, John George Brew, 1st Engineer, 1877

·       Death Certificate, John George Brew, 1st Engineer, 1886

·       Lloyd’s Captains’ Register, Albert Brew, Master, 1905-1910

·       Lloyd’s Captains’ Register, John George Brew, Master, 1903-1908

·       Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, 1906-07, Sailing Vessels, entry 312, 90058 Albuera

·       Survey of the sailing vessel, St. Cuthbert, October 1894

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