Mercantile Navy List
Information guide No.36
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This guide introduces the Mercantile Navy List, an authoritative annual record of all British‑registered vessels over a quarter of a ton.
About the Mercantile Navy List
The Mercantile Navy List was first published by the Board of Trade in 1857. The publication’s content is similar to that of Lloyd’s Register of Ships. However, where the Lloyd’s Register of Ships lists all vessels over 100 gross tons, which are selfpropelled and sea-going, regardless of their country of registration, the Mercantile Navy List records all British registered vessels over one quarter of a ton, including coastal vessels and pleasure craft.
The Mercantile Navy List shows vessels’ official numbers as assigned by the Registry of Shipping and Seamen. This annual publication can also be a source for information on masters and mates, as well as serving as a source of reference for tracing the ships that individual merchant seamen served on.
Between 1875 and 1904 a list of vessels removed from the British register whilst the current issue was going to press was published giving brief reasons why, for example if they were wrecked or broken up.
Separate monthly returns, listing vessels added or removed were also printed. The National Archives (see below) has bound volumes of these for the period 1875 to 1890 and the Guildhall Library (see below) has them for 1890 to 1946. These are particularly useful for vessels not actually lost, but hulked, laid up or condemned as unseaworthy.
Copies of the Mercantile Navy List are held by the institutions listed in the following table.
Addresses
| The Bartlett Library | Cornwall Trust Discovery Quay Falmouth Cornwall TR11 3QY | +44(0)1326 313388 | 1855; 1857; 1858; 1859; 1861; 1864; 1866; 1867; 1870; 1872; 1874: 1875 to 1917; 1919 to 1940; 1947; 1949-1951; 1953; 1955; 1957; 1958; 1960; 1964; 1965; 1970; 1972 & 1973 |
| The Beacon | West Strand Whitehaven Cumbria CA28 7LY | 01946 592302 | Please contact the institution for details of their holdings. |
| Mitchell Library | Glasgow Libraries The Mitchell North Street Glasgow G3 7DN | 0141 287 2910 | 1857, 1862, 1878, 1881-1884, 1886, 1889, 1891-1892, 1895-1896, 1898-1909, 1911-1922, 1930-1969, 1971-1976. |
| The World Ships Society | Mayes House Vansittart Estate Windsor SL4 1SE | Website | Extensive collection. Members only. |
| Lloyd’s Register Foundation | Heritage Centre 71 Fenchurch Street London EC3M 4BS | 02074232475 | 1882, 1911, 1919-20, 1928, 1932-40, 1947, 1949, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1957, 1961, 1963, 1969, 1974-76. |
| Caird Library National Maritime Museum | Park Row Greenwich London SE10 9NF | +44 (0)20 8312 6516 | 1857-1869, 1871-1872, 1875, 1877-1879, 1881- 1883, 1885-1889, 1891, 1894-1897, 1899-1966, 1968-1975, 1979 to date. |
| Guildhall Library | Guildhall Library 5 Aldermanbury London EC2V 7HH | 02073321868 | 1857-1976, 1979-1983. |
| Admiralty Library | Naval Historical Branch HM Naval Base PP20 Portsmouth England PO1 3HL | 02392 725 297 | 1857-1862, 1865, 1876, 1883, 1885, 1894-1895, 1897, 1899-1913, 1916-1924, 1926-1935, 1937- 1939, 1947-1957. |
| The National Archives | Kew Richmond TW9 4DU | 020 8876 3444 | 1857, 1859-1864, 1866-1868, 1870, 1872-1875, 1879, 1881, 1884, 1889, 1894, 1896, 1901, 1908, 1913, 1925, 1933, 1949. |
| Gwynedd Archives Service – Dolgellau | Dolgellau Library Bala Road Dolgellau LL40 2YF | Website | 1857, 1859-1864, 1866-1868, 1870, 1872-1875, 1879, 1881, 1884, 1889, 1894, 1896, 1901, 1908, 1913, 1925, 1933, 1949. |
Disclaimer
Researchers should check availability, accessibility and opening times with the repositories listed before making a personal visit.
Lloyd’s Register Foundation, its affiliates and subsidiaries and their respective officers, employees or agents are, individually and collectively, referred to in this clause as ‘Lloyd’s Register’. Lloyd’s Register assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable to any person for any loss, damage or expense caused by reliance on the information or advice in this document or howsoever provided, unless that person has signed a contract with the relevant Lloyd’s Register entity for the provision of this information or advice and in that case any responsibility or liability is exclusively on the terms and conditions set out in that contract.