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This is a reference database extracted from official Canadian Government Ship Registry records. It contains uninterpreted factual information. This historical shiplist consists of mostly Canadian commercial vessels of all descriptions dating from the mid 19th through early 20th centuries. For a more detailed description of the Canadian Ship Registry practice go to the help pages associated with the Mills List. This shiplist database was compiled in 1994 by a Marine Museum of the Great Lakes research team, headed by Jonathan Moore. Registry Ship List Background This database was created in 1994 by a research team working for the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston. Headed by maritime scholar Jonathan Moore, the team collected and collated data from primary sources only: Canadian Port Registers residing at the National Archives of Canada, Government Records Division, Records of the Marine Branch, RG 42. Emphasis was on inland ports of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Port Registers have been maintained at every major Canadian harbour since the early 19th century and they contain records of all the vessels operating out each home port. When all the ships listed in a register were paid off or lost, the register was closed and sent to the government office, and ultimately to the National Archives. Unfortunately many registers, particularly those for inland waters prior to 1900, were destroyed - the most serious loss being for the port of Toronto where the bulk of the earliest steamers were registered. In spite of inherent problems with gaps in the primary sources much valuable information has been salvaged and made accessible by this project. In conjunction with the Mills and Wallace Shiplists, approximately 13,000 Canadian ship records are accessible via this Website: approximately 5400 ships are listed in this particular database; 5600 in the Mills List; and 6000 in the Wallace List. There is some duplication of data, with a percentage of vessels being recorded in both this database and one of the other two. For the scholar it should be noted that the Registry Ship List, is in certain respects the most comprehensive as it deals with all sail, steam, and motor vessels. Moreover its many data fields capture more particulars regarding each ship. Its approximate working dates are 1830-1950. This service has been made possible with the help of many Museum Friends. You are invited to support the Marine Museum, a non profit organization by becoming a Member
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