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Series

Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Registers of Seamen, Combined Numerical Index (CR1,...

Catalogue reference: BT 364

What's it about?

BT 364

This series is the combined numerical index of the Register of Seamen maintained by the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen. The Central Register of Seamen originally consisted of three separate card indexes; the fourth index was compiled...

Full description and record details

Reference

BT 364

Title
Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Registers of Seamen, Combined Numerical Index (CR1, CR2 and CR10 Series) and Alphabetical Index
Date

1921-1941

Description

This series is the combined numerical index of the Register of Seamen maintained by the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen.

The Central Register of Seamen originally consisted of three separate card indexes; the fourth index was compiled from its predecessors, for reasons unknown.

Each card typically gives the following information:

  • discharge A number;
  • certificate of company number;
  • name of seaman;
  • year of birth;
  • place of birth;
  • rank or rating;
  • name and official number of ship;
  • date of engagement of service.

Some records include photographs.

PLEASE NOTE: Electronic images of these records can be searched online through our partner website.

Arrangement
Arrangement

The cards are arranged numerically by continuous discharge A number. The cards were filed by number, ignoring the letter prefix. At the end of the series is a small collection of un-numbered cards which have been sorted alphabetically by surname.

Separated material

Cards dating from 1913 to 1921 were destroyed in 1969 for unknown reasons.

Held by
The National Archives, Kew
Former department reference

CR 1, CR 2 and CR 10 file series

Legal status

Public Record(s)

Language

English

Creator(s)
Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, 1872-1992
Physical description

2 microform

Access conditions

Available in digital format and microform only

Immediate source of acquisition

from 1998 Registry of Shipping and Seamen

Subjects
Topics
Merchant seaman
Custodial history

Transferred from the Register General of Shipping and Seamen to the Registry of Shipping and Seamen in 1992.

Accumulation dates

Central Index Register of Seamen ran from 1913 to 1941

Accruals

No future accruals expected.

Selection and destruction information

Temporarily stored at Hayes awaiting disposal decision. Fourth index to the Register, drawn from the preceding three, compiled and preserved. All are available on microfiche in the Microfilm Reading Room.

Administrative / biographical background

After several attempts in the nineteenth century, a Central Index Register of Seamen was proposed by the Advisory Committee on Merchant Seamen in 1910, and, after being accepted by the Board of Trade, was operated by the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen (RGSS) from 1913 until 1941.

Record URL
https://beta.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/id/C3400/

Catalogue hierarchy

Over 27 million records

This record is held at The National Archives, Kew

2,674,133 records

Within the department: BT

Records of the Board of Trade and of successor and related bodies

You are currently looking at the series: BT 364

Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Registers of Seamen, Combined Numerical Index (CR1, CR2 and CR10 Series) and Alphabetical Index

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