Introduction

This guide lists the shipping companies whose records, or part-records, are held by the National Maritime Museum's Collections. These are mainly business records and do not cover operations, voyages or passenger lists.

The Museum also has a large collection of books on the history of famous shipping companies, such as Cunard, P&O and the White Star line.

Records

• Adam & Co Ltd
  Business records 1825–1914
• Albyn Line Ltd
  Business records from 1966
  Voyage records from 1953–66
• Asiatic Steam Navigation Co Ltd
  Directors' minute books 1878-1968
  Annual accounts 1878–1965
• Bates, Edward & Sons
  Business records 1869–1916
  Cargo records 1870–96
  Letter, primarily personal, 1878–1902
• British India Steam Navigation Co
  Business records from 1856
  Staff records 1868–1957 (some restrictions on access)
• Cairn Line of Steamships Ltd
  Business records from 1891
  Voyage records 1908–51
• Canadian Pacific Railway Co
  Small number of log books 1901–13
• Chine Shipping Co Ltd
  Business records from 1915
  Ship records 1958–68
• Coast Lines Ltd
  Business records from 1913 (earlier for subsidiaries)
  Various voyage records, 1868–1963 excluding 1939–45
• Denny, William and Brothers Ltd
  Technical records. Photograph albums and press cuttings 1881–1957
• Devitt & Moore
  Business records 1903–20
  Staff records 1864–1917
  Vessel records/voyage books 1859–1921
• Eastern & Australian Steamship Co
  Business records 1873–1953
• Furness Withy & Co Ltd
  Business records from 1911 (including subsidiaries)
• General Steam Navigation Co Ltd
  Business records 1825–1965
  Business records for three companies acquired by GSN: Moss Hutchinson Ltd, New Medway Steam Packet Co, and Grand Union (Shipping) Ltd
• Henley, Michael & Son
  Business records 1771–1830
  Ships records 1784–1830
• Houlder Brothers & Co Ltd
  Movement books 1920–30
  Charter parties 1949–50
  Voyage estimates 1965–67
• Kellock, CW & Co
  Business records 1850–1949
• Manchester Ship Canal Co
  Business records 1879–1956
• New Zealand Shipping Co Ltd
  Business records 1874–1964
  Outward passenger books 1894–1955 (unindexed, names only)
  Voyage records 1883–1971
• Nourse, James Ltd
  Business records 1903–63
• Orient Steam Navigation Co
  Business records 1945–65
• Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co
  Business records 1840–1959
  Staff records (restricted access) 1845–1957
• Royal Mail Steam Packet Company
  Business records 1839–1933
• Shaw Saville & Albion Company Ltd
  Business records primarily 1947–65
  Voyage records 1900–72
• South Western Steam Packet Co
  Business records 1843–83
• Strick, Frank C & Co Ltd
  Business records 1896–1974
  Some voyage records 1969–71
• Sutherland, BJ & Company Ltd
  Business records 1909–54
• Toyne Carter & Co
  Business records 1921–75
  Voyage records 1899–1972
• Van Ommern Ltd
  Business records 1940–68

Next steps

Other guides in the series which may be useful for researching shipping companies are:

Research guide C4: The Merchant Navy: Sources for enquiries
Research guide C5: The Merchant Navy: Sources for ship histories
Research guide H5: Lloyd’s: Registers held at the National Maritime Museum

For general research help see:

Research guide A2: Principal records for maritime research at the National Maritime Museum
Research guide A3: Tracing family history from maritime records

Although care has been taken in preparing the information contained in this document, anyone using it shall be deemed to indemnify the National Maritime Museum from any and all injury or damage arising from such use.

© National Maritime Museum 1998. All rights reserved.

Last updated April 2008

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London SE10 9NF
Tel: +44 (0)20 8858 4422 ~ Fax: +44 (0)20 8312 6632