Research resources: Welsh maritime history
Interested in maritime history?
The vast majority of enquiries that we receive fall into two main categories: –
- Requests for information about ships and the companies that owned them.
- Requests for information on seafaring ancestors.
The main source of information on merchant shipping is Lloyd’s Register of Shipping; the museum holds copies dating back to 1836, with some earlier editions available as well.
For vessels of the Royal Navy, we hold J.J. Colledge’s Ships of the Royal Navy and a few editions of Jane’s Fighting Ships, mostly dating from the first and second world wars.
Our photographic archive comprises views of some 6000 (mostly merchant) vessels, whilst specialist information is also available on various Welsh and UK shipping companies.
Our library holds a good selection of books on nineteenth and twentieth century British maritime history, with particular emphasis on the maritime heritage of Wales.
Researching seafaring ancestors is not as straightforward! The museum does not possess any records such as crew or passenger lists, whether merchant or naval – all these are held in other repositories, which are listed below. There are two important guides on the subject, both available in the museum library:
- Records of Merchant Shipping and Seamen by Kelvin Smith, Christopher Watts and Michael Watts, (Public Record Office, now the National Archive, 1998).
- Tracing your Naval Ancestors by Bruno Pappalardo, (Public Record Office, now the National Archive, 2002).
If you wish to consult any of the above, please contact Dr. David Jenkins on 01792 638992, david.jenkins@nmgw.ac.uk
There are also three useful websites:
Here are some of the most important repositories for maritime researchers:
| The Keeper Lloyd’s Marine Collection Guildhall Library Aldermanbury London EC2P 2EJ 020-7332-1868 www.guildhall@corpoflondon.gov.uk Collection of Corporation of Lloyd’s records containing: information on marine casualties and shipping movements worldwide back to c.1740 (sources include ‘Lloyd’s List’, ‘Lloyd’s Shipping Index’, war loss records, British Mercantile Navy Lists); Captains’ Registers (records of service of British foreign-going masters and mates) from 1868 to 1947. |
General Register and Record Office of Shipping and Seamen Anchor Court Ocean Way Cardiff CF24 5JW 029-20448800 www.mcga.gov.uk Mostly records relating to current British seafarers; earlier records are in the process of being transferred to the National Archives – see below. |
National Archives Ruskin Avenue Kew Richmond Surrey TW9 9WU 020-8876-3444 www.nationalarchives.gov.uk National repository for government and official papers. Collections include records of No.3; Board of Trade and Ministry of Defence papers; records of defunct companies; census returns (England and Wales) from 1841; information on transportation of convicts and on emigration from UK to British colonies. |
| National Maritime Museum Park Row Greenwich London, SE10 9NF 020-8859-4422 www.nmm.ac.uk National repository for books, models, plans, photographs, paintings, etc., covering maritime history from earliest times. |
Wreck Section Hydrographic Department Ministry of Defence Admiralty Road, Taunton Somerset TA1 2DN 01823-337900 www.ukho.gov.uk Information on wrecks in UK and overseas coastal waters, mainly post 1913. |
Companies House Crown Way Maindy Cardiff, CF14 3UZ 0870-333-3636 www.companieshouse.gov.uk Company registration records back to mid 19th Century. |
| Merseyside Maritime Museum Albert Dock Liverpool L3 4AD 0151-207-0001 www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime Maritime history of Liverpool, particularly emigration. With the development of regular steamship lines from the mid nineteenth century onwards, most emigrants from the UK and much of continental Europe made their way to Liverpool to board ships for the USA and Canada. |
National Archives of Scotland P.O.Box 36 General Register House Princess Street, Edinburgh 0131-535-1314 www.nas.gov.uk Scottish equivalent of the National Archive. |
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland 66 Balmoral Ave. Belfast,. B99 6NY 028-9025-5905 www.proni.gov.uk Northern Irish equivalent of the National Archive. |
| Society of Genealogists 14 Charterhouse Buildings Goswell Road London EC1M 7BA 020-7521-8799 www.sog.org.uk Library open to non-members, includes collections of parish register copies and card indices of family names, marriages and wills. |
Imperial War Museum Lambeth Road London, SE1 6AZ 020-7416-5320 www.iwm.org.uk Naval history of the two World Wars and subsequent conflicts. |
Royal Naval Museum H.M. Dockyard Portsmouth PO1 3LR 023-9272-7562 www.royalnavalmuseum.org.uk Most aspects of the history of the Royal Navy. |
| Maritime History Archive Memorial University Newfoundland St. Johns Newfoundland Canada A1C 557 001-709-737-8428 (from UK) www.mun.ca/mha British merchant crew lists, 1863 – 1938. (An index is available at the National Waterfront Museum). |
Welsh County Record Offices and the National Library of Wales
| Anglesey County Record Office Neuadd y Sir Llangefni, Ynys Môn LL77 7TW 01248-752080 www.anglesy.gov.uk |
Carmarthenshire Archive Service Parc Myrddin Richmond Terrace Carmarthen SA31 3DS 01267-228232 www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk |
Ceredigion Archives Marine Terrace, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion SY23 2HE 01970-633697 www.ceredigion-archives.gov.uk |
| Conwy Archives Lloyd St. Llandudno Conwy LL30 2YG 01492-860882 www.conwy.gov.uk/archives |
Flintshire Record Office The Old Rectory Hawarden, Deeside Clwyd LL15 1HP 01224-532364 www.flintshire.gov.uk |
Glamorgan Archive Service County Hall Cathays Park Cardiff CF1 3NE 029-20780282 www.glamro.gov.uk |
| Gwent Archives [Formerly Gwent Record Office] Steelworks Road EBBW VALE Blaenau Gwent NP23 6DN 01495 353363 gwentarchives.gov.uk |
Gwynedd Archive Service County Offices Caernarfon Gwynedd LL55 1SA 01286-679095 www.gwynedd.gov.uk/archives |
Gwynedd Archives Service, Cae Penarlâg, Dolgellau Gwynedd LL40 2YF0 01341-424443 www.gwynedd.gov.uk/archives |
| Pembrokeshire Record Office The Castle, Haverfordwest, Pembs., SA 01437-763707 record.office@pembrokeshire.gov.uk |
West Glamorgan Archive Service County Hall Oystermouth Rd., Swansea, SA1 3SN 01792-636589 www.swansea.gov.uk/archives |
National Library of Wales Penglais Aberystwyth Ceredigion SY23 3BU 01970-632800 www.llgc.org.uk |
Most of these repositories hold various maritime records such as crew lists, statutory shipping registers and other incidental documents relating to shipping such as account books and family records.
