Catalogue description Registry of Shipping and Seamen: Indexes to Certificates of Competency, Masters, Mates, Engineers and Fishing Officers, Home and Foreign Trade

The records are microfiche copies of card indexes which recorded the issue of certificates of competency to masters, mates, engineers and fishing officers engaged in both home and foreign trade. The cards recorded the name, date of birth, place of birth, certificate number, grade, date of passing and port of examination for each certificate gained. The original cards were coloured according to the type of certificate gained (e.g. green for fishing).

Original records were not preserved

Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen, 1872-1992

in 2000 Registry of Shipping and Seamen

The Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen (RGSS) was established by the Merchant Shipping Act 1872 under the governance of the Board of Trade. By 1888, RGSS had five divisions: Registration of Shipping; Royal Naval Reserve; Masters, Mates, Engineers and Skippers; Ship's Employment and Records. In 1939, RGSS was transferred from the Board of Trade to the Ministry of Shipping and in 1941, to the Ministry of War Transport. In 1946 it became part of the Marine Crews Division of the Ministry of Transport, moved back to the Board of Trade in 1965 and was absorbed into the Department of Trade and Industry in 1970. In 1975 it moved to the Department of Trade and then in 1984 to the Department of Transport. In 1992 it became part of the Marine Safety Agency and was renamed the Registry of Shipping. In 1997 both of these bodies came under the governance of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.