Research Guides

Further Research

Institutions housing historical maritime resources and reference materials.

The collections and materials housed at the following institutions complement the HEC resources. From Navy Lists to scientific publications, these records include information not collected by the surveyors to Lloyd's Register or expand on maritime academic research and may help researchers with additional details or new leads. 

Lloyd’s Marine Collection 

The Lloyd's Marine collection, housed at the Guildhall Library in London, comprises the historical marine records of Lloyd's of London. The collection contains information on merchant shipping, marine casualties and shipping movements from circa 1740. The sources include the British Mercantile Navy List, Lloyd's Register and other classification societies, and the UK Board of Trade and Ministry of Transport. 

Researchers may consult copies of Lloyd's List, Lloyd's Captains' Register, and the Shipping Gazette and retrieve information on troopships, shipwrecks and missing vessels, voyage records cards, and war losses. See Infosheet no. 3 for further information. 

 

Guildhall Library                                  

Aldermanbury  

London EC2P 2EJ 

  •  +44 (0)20 7332 1868 
  •  Website 

Caird Library 

The Caird Library, housed on the premises of the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, stores various printed and manuscript materials, including books, diaries and journals, pamphlets, and periodicals. Instrumental are the shipping company records, crew lists and official logs, Masters and Mates Certificates, and ship plans (stored offsite). 

The collections also include information on navigation, emigration, piracy, and astronomy. The library is also a good starting point for researchers interested in the Royal Navy. 

 

National Maritime Museum                             

Romney Road     

London SE10 9NF 

Tyne & Wear Archives 

Tyne & Wear Archives, based in the Discovery Museum in Newcastle, houses collections relative to centuries of regional records, including vital local industries such as shipbuilding, mining, and engineering. Shipbuilding records comprise ship plans and reports from shipyards in Newcastle, Sunderland, North and South Tyneside and more. 

Researchers may delve into marine engineering, ship outfitting and repairing, as well as specific records on tugs, ferries, and colliers. Other collections provide information on ship brokers, insurance, and trade regulations. 

 

Discovery Museum                                          

Blandford Square 

Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 4JA 

Bartlett Library 

The Bartlett Library has been incorporated into the Bartlett Maritime Research Centre at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall. The library stores extensive records on Falmouth Harbour, including Fox's Falmouth Arrivals, the Harbour Master's Journals and Harbour Committee minutes books. 

Other relevant records document the construction of small vessels, among which plans and archives of boat designers and builders. The collection also includes a comprehensive reference section on merchant shipping and company histories, fishing and fisheries, and a selection of Naval materials. 

 

National Maritime Museum Cornwall             

Discovery Quay 

Falmouth TR11 3QY 

Admiralty Library 

The Admiralty Library is part of the Naval Historical Branch in Portsmouth. Researchers will find information on all aspects of Naval history, including merchant ships requisitioned or lost during the World Wars. The records held in the collection include the Second World War Admiralty War Diaries. Information on ships' badges and flags can also be retrieved. 

 

Naval Historical Branch                                 

HM Naval Base PP20   

Portsmouth PO1 3HL 

Chatham Dockyard Historical Society 

The Chatham Dockyard Historical Society stores artefacts, photographs, models and ships' badges collected by former Chatham Dockyard employees. The Society's library holds records of Naval dockyards, vessels and general history. Reference sources include Navy Lists, transactions of the Royal Institute of Naval Architects, Lloyd's Register of Ships and Jane's Fighting Ships. 

 

Chatham Historic Dockyard                           

Dock Road  

Chatham ME4 4TE 

Oceans Past Initiative 

The Oceans Past Initiative (OPI) is a global research network for maritime historical research, intending to highlight knowledge and understanding of how life in the oceans has changed in the long term. OPI actively promotes and facilitates further research, sharing resources and engaging with the academic community. 

Members and partners have produced a variety of publications, including books, articles and related materials. The publications range on different topics, with an eye to policy making and asserting Indigenous rights.