Contact
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Mail :
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Plymouth and West Devon Record Office Unit 3 Clare Place Plymouth PL4 0JW |
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Phone :
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01752 305940 |
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Email :
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pwdro@plymouth.gov.uk |
Related pages
Links
- National Archives
- Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild
- Perth Dead Peoples Society
- Queen's Harbour Master Plymouth
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency
- We are not responsible for the content of linked websites. Visit our disclaimer page for more information.
Shipping records
Shipping registers and indices for the Port of Plymouth
The covering dates given are for the first registration of each ship.
Additional entries, eg for change of ownership or ship's destiny may fall outside these dates, as is also the case with Transaction registers.
Note: There is an overlap on most microfilms where the film does not end at the last entry for each register book.
Shipping register indices
| Accession number | Index name | Covering dates |
|---|---|---|
| 2602/1 | Index to the Plymouth Shipping Registers | 1814 to 1815, 1817 to 1876 |
| 1904/1 | Index to the Plymouth Shipping Registers in accession 894 | 1824 to 1876 |
| 2381/1 | Shipping register index, Port of Plymouth, alphabetical by name of vessel | 1836 to 1975 |
| 2381/2 | Shipping register index, Port of Plymouth, alphabetical by name of vessel | 1881 to 1987 |
| 1904/2 | Index to Devon ship crew lists held at Devon Record Office, Exeter, alphabetical by owner | 1863 to 1914 |
| 1904/3 | Index to Devon ship crew lists held at Devon Record Office, Exeter, alphabetical by master | 1863 to 1914 |
| 1904/4 | Index to Devon ship crew lists held at Devon Record Office, Exeter, alphabetical by ship name, with port and year of registration, and tonnage | 1863 to 1914 |
Shipping registers on CD ROM
A CD is now available called 'Plymouth's Other Fleet, The Merchant Shipping Registers of the Port of Plymouth, 1814 to 1876'. The information for the CD was researched using the registers listed below. It can be purchased from our search room counter for £18. If you would like to purchase it by post, please contact us.
Shipping registers and copy shipping registers
| Accession number | Register details | Covering dates |
|---|---|---|
| 2602/2 | Copy of the original shipping register | 1814 |
| 2602/3 | Copy of the original shipping register | 1815 |
| 2602/4 | Copy of the original shipping register | 1817 |
| 2602/5 | Copy of the original shipping register | 1818 |
| 2602/6 | Copy of the original shipping register | 1819 |
| 2602/7 | Copy of the original shipping register | 1820 |
| 894/1 (Microfilm 1) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed) | 1824 to 1825 |
| 894/2 (Microfilm 1) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed) | 1825 to 1826 |
| 894/3 (Microfilm 1) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed) | 1826 to 1831 |
| 894/4 (Microfilms 1 to 2) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed) | 1831 to 1836 |
| 2381/13 to 114 | Shipping registrations, giving details of changes of name, ownership, and builders. Includes details on the sinking of some vessels by German submarines during the First World War | 1833 to 1922 |
| 894/5 (Microfilm 2) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed) | 1836 to 1839 |
| 894/6 (Microfilm 2) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed) | 1840 to 1844 |
| 894/7 (Microfilm 3) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed) | 1844 to 1850 |
| 894/8 (Microfilm 3) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed) | 1850 to 1854 |
| 894/9 (Microfilm 4) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed) | 1854 to 1855 |
| 894/10 (Microfilm 4) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed), new format with additional particulars for steamers | 1855 to 1860 |
| 894/11 (Microfilm 4) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed), new format with additional particulars for steamers | 1860 to 1865 |
| 894/12 (Microfilm 5) | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed), new format with additional particulars for steamers | 1866 to 1876 |
| 2907/1 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed) | 1877 to 1885 |
| 2907/2 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master (indexed) | 1885 to 1896 |
| 3048/1 to 836 | Shipping registrations, giving details of changes of name, ownership, and builders | 1892 to 1994 |
| 2907/3 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1896 to 1912 |
| 2907/4 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1912 to 1926 |
| 2907/5 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1927 to 1953 |
| 2907/6 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1953 to 1962 |
| 2907/7 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1962 to 1968 |
| 2907/8 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1968 to 1970 |
| 2907/9 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1970 to 1973 |
| 2907/10 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1973 to 1975 |
| 2907/11 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1975 to 1979 |
| 2907/12 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1979 to 1980 |
| 2907/13 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1980 |
| 2907/14 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1980 to 1981 |
| 2907/15 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1981 to 1983 |
| 2907/16 | Shipping register, giving details for each ship, when and where built, dimensions, owner and master | 1983 to 1987 |
For current shipping register information, please contact the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Registry of Shipping and Seamen, MCA Cardiff, Anchor Court, Ocean Way, Cardiff, Wales, CF24 5JW, Telephone: 029 20448800, Fax: 029 20448820.
Fishing vessels registers
| Accession number | Register details | Covering dates |
|---|---|---|
| 2196/1 to 4 | Crew lists and fishing boat agreements for the following vessels: "Endeavour", 1863; "Maria", 1864 and "Fred Archer", 1913 | 1863 to 1913 |
| 2805/1 | Register of fishing vessels, (indexed) | 1936 to 1973 |
| 2805/2 | Register of fishing vessels, (indexed) | 1973 to 1979 |
| 2805/3 | Register of fishing vessels, (indexed) | 1979 to 1981 |
| 2805/4 | Register of fishing vessels, (indexed) | 1981 to 1988 |
| 2805/5 | Register of fishing vessels, (indexed) | 1988 |
Transaction registers
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Accession number |
Register details | Covering dates |
|---|---|---|
| 894/13 (Microfilm 5) | Transaction register for vessels registered 1825 to 1855 (part indexed) | 1843 to 1918 |
| 2907/17 | Transaction register (indexed) | 1855 to 1905 |
| 2907/18 | Transaction register (indexed) | 1841 to 1949 |
Transfer books
| Accession number | Register details | Covering dates |
|---|---|---|
| 2907/19 | Transfer book | 1935 to 1987 |
| 2907/20 | Transfer book | 1962 to 1987 |
| 2907/21 | Transfer book | 1987 to 1989 |
| 2907/22 | Transfer book | 1990 to 1994 |
Appropriation books
| Accession number | Register details | Covering dates |
|---|---|---|
| 2381/3 | Appropriation book, for official numbers granted to British registered ships, with name of ship, tonnage, port of registration, date and occasion of appropriation | 1855 to 1972 |
| 2907/23 | Appropriation book, for official numbers granted to British registered ships, with name of ship, tonnage, port of registration, date and occasion of appropriation | 1972 to 1992 |
Tonnage book
|
Accession number |
Register details | Covering dates |
|---|---|---|
| 2381/4 | Tonnage book, vessels named | 1972 to 1992 |
Cargo book
| Accession number | Register details | Covering dates |
|---|---|---|
| 2381/7 | Cargo book, with port of arrival, including Plymouth, Cardiff, Southampton, London and Bristol, dates of departure and cargoes shown | 1915 to 1967 |
Harbour master's registers
| Accession number | Register details | Covering dates |
|---|---|---|
| 81R/10/2/1 | Account book, Sutton Pool [Sutton Harbour] (lists vessels entering Sutton Pool) | December 1771 to December 1772 |
| 581/1 | Arrivals, dockings, undockings and sailings, HM Ships book | 1782 to 1817 |
| 581/2 | Arrivals, dockings, undockings and sailings, HM Ships book | 1802 to 1834 |
| 581/3 | Transactions book, Harbour Master. Gives weather reports for each day | September 1838 to March 1845 |
| 581/4 | Transactions book, Harbour Master | April 1845 to February 1852 |
| 581/5 | Transactions book, Harbour Master | February 1852 to June 1858 |
| 581/6 | Transactions book, Harbour Master | July 1858 to April 1865 |
| 581/7 | Transactions book, Harbour Master | January 1874 to October 1882 |
| 581/8 | Transactions book, Harbour Master | November 1882 to June 1891 |
| 581/9 | Letter Book, Harbour Master | July 1838 to July 1850 |
| 581/10 | Letter Book, Harbour Master | April 1857 to November 1877 |
| 581/11 | Letter Book, Harbour Master | June 1889 to July 1894 |
| 581/12 | Letter Book, Harbour Master | July 1894 to November 1900 |
For current day information see the Queen's Harbour Master, Plymouth website.
Immigration, emigration, ship's log books and passenger lists
There are no immigration or emigration records held in the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office. These records are held in the National Archives in London. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has produced a good information leaflet on the subject. There are also a number of good websites including the Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild and the Perth Dead Peoples Society.
The only ship's log books and passenger lists held in the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office are listed below. A small number of journals and diaries are also held. An example is listed below. The accession number links to the catalogue entry on our online catalogue.
| Accession Number | Details | Covering dates |
|---|---|---|
| 335/4 | Ship's log (with some maps and illustrations), HMS Racer | 1885 to 1889 |
| 528/1 to 2 | Ship's logs and passenger lists, Prince of Wales, (1858 to 1865) and Walmer Castle, (1861 to 1862) | 1858 to 1868 |
| 216/5 | Journal of Midshipman M Allenby aboard HMS Anson on voyages from Plymouth to Spain and Ireland | November 1891 to March 1893 |
Further details of other shipping related records we hold can be found by searching our online catalogue.
