Official log books

The front page of each log book is titled "Official Log Book" and is stamped with "G. R. & R. O." date recieved. It records the name of the ship, official number, port of registry, registered tonnage (gross and net), name of Master and number of his certificate (if any). It then details the date and port of voyage commencement, the nature of voyage or employment and the date and port of voyage termination. The cover has been stamped on the date which the log book was delivered to the Superintendent and both he and the master have signed it. The front page also has a stamp with a page number indicating where a birth or death is recorded. Subsequent pages detail a list of crew names (including capacity engaged) and character reports, load-line and draught of water information, dates of arrival and departure from each port touched at with the free-board and draught of water upon every occasion of the ship proceeding to sea, any births, marriages or deaths, record of boat drill and examination of life-saving equipment, as well as logs of any significant occurances. Where a death occurred onboard, details of the events surrounding the death, the crew member's personal effects and wages have been recorded.

Official log books were required to be kept by the Merchant Shipping Act and were issued by The Board of Trade and filled in by the Master of each ship and kept for either a specific voyage or a running agreement. The log books were then submitted to the Superintendent at the end of each voyage or running agreement. Between 1902-1912 log books were usually only kept where either a birth, marriage or death took place aboard the ship.

Arranged alphabetically by ship name within record series.