Seamen and shipping

A separate run of records for fishing vessels and crew was created under the Merchant Shipping (Fishing Boats) Act 1883.

The Act required the skipper to enter into a crew agreement with every member of the crew and extended the competency examination system for masters and mates. 

The crew records are not held at the NRO.

The Merchant Shipping Act 1894 reinforced previous legislation and required all British sea fishing boats, irrespective of size, to be registered.

Boats were to be lettered and numbered (LN, GY, etc) and to have official papers. 

Certificate details and the vessel's letter and number were entered into registers by the customs officers at each port.

Returns were sent annually to the registrar general (and are now held at TNA (opens new window)).

The registers include the registration number, name of vessel, date of registration, official number, tonnage, etc.

There is also a description of the kind of fishing in which the vessel was normally employed.

Port of King's Lynn

• Registers of fishing boats and fishing boat transaction books, 1942-88, (six volumes - P/SH/L/17-22)
• Applications for registration of fishing boats, 1940-56 (one bundle - P/SH/W/3)

Port of Great Yarmouth

• Registers of fishing boats and fishing boat transaction books, 1940-56, 1985-89 (five volumes - P/SH/Y/61-65)