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Seamen and shipping

Information contained in the Register of Shipping

The shipping register includes full details of the vessel and its ownership.

It is the official record of each ship's history and title and gives:

  • The name of the vessel
  • The type
  • The official number
  • Details of when and where it was built
  • Dimensions

Any changes in these details are also recorded. Details of the owner or part-owner of the vessel are given and any subsequent sale of shares.

In theory, the shipping register should contain the full history of ownership of a vessel and any changes in its structure or propulsion.

However, this was not always the case - see the section on ships' registration files.

Each vessel is allocated a double page in the register. Once this has been filled, further entries are made either in folios at the rear of the volume, or in continuation books known as transaction books.

An annotation on the original entry should make it clear if this has happened.

Port of Cley and Wells

  • Registers of Merchant Ships and Merchant Ship Transaction Books, 1832-81 (five volumes - P/SH/L/7-12)

Port of King's Lynn

  • Registers of Merchant Ships and Merchant Ships' Transaction Books, 1836-1989 (11 volumes - P/SH/L/1-6, 14-16 and 199-200)

Port of Great Yarmouth

  • Registers of Merchant Ships and Merchant Ships' Transaction Books, 1834-1994 (60 volumes - P/SH/Y/1-60)