The majority of the twelve collections in this catagory are personal; in the main they are groups of Service and Discharge Certificates of 19th century seamen, such as those of Edwin Hughs, master mariner (1852-1916). There are the apprenticeship indentures, 1872, and licences, 1894, of a lighterman and waterman, Robert Talbot of Chiswick. One collection relates to the East India Company and is a series of letters from the Company to the Governor of Fort St George, 1778 to 1781. In addition there are three collections of ships' papers including seven documents relating to the REGULAS, privateer, 1803 to 1815; and various papers of the CUTTY SARK, including a tonnage dues certificate, 1874, and a Manifest, 1894.

Administrative / biographical background
Merchant Shipping: Administration - small collections of documents