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Archive Collections at HHC: Maritime & Seafaring

Guide to material held at Hull History Centre arranged by research theme, record creator and document type, with copies of published source guides.

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“A sailor chooses the wind that takes the ship from a safe port. Ah, yes, but once you're abroad, as you have seen, winds have a mind of their own”

Avi, The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle 

Maritime and Seafaring

Research Themes Supported

Hull History Centre holds large numbers of collections on subjects related to maritime and seafaring. Such collections can aid research into many areas including:

  • Docks and Dock Companies
  • Vessels and Ownership
  • Apprentices and Crew
  • Trinity House
  • River Management
  • Seafarers’ Safety
  • Maritime Charities
  • Fishing Industry
  • Shipping Companies
  • Seamen’s Missions and Evangelism

Typical Record Formats

Maritime and seafaring records commonly include fishing crew lists, muster rolls, photographs, plans, minutes, reports, log books, published voyage accounts, publications, apprenticeship indentures.

Key collections

The following collections have significant research potential in the area of maritime and seafaring:

  • Hull Fishing Vessel and Crew Agreements (C DPF)
  • Hull Trinity House Muster Rolls (C DSTR)
  • Records of Wilson Line Shipping Company (U DEW)
  • Records of the Mission to Seafarers (U DMS)

Further collections

The following PDF contains a list of HHC collections that may be useful to researchers interested in various aspects of maritime and seafaring.

Additional supporting material

The following material may also be useful when researching this area:

  • Local newspapers, available on microfilm or via the British Newspaper Archive Online – major events such as storms, shipwrecks and accidents are often reported in the newspapers, as are the meetings and events of maritime related organisations and charities.