Many researchers are aware of the history and registry of British and
American (U.S.) shipping, but quite a few are unaware of the similar
history of ships of Canadian registry and the part they have played
in the development of North America. Fortunately, Canadian historians
and archivists have collaborated in a massive project to bring some
of that history to light through a Canadian Heritage database of
ships with Canadian registry.
The information on ships in the Canadian Heritage Ship Information
Database can be accessed by the name of the vessel, the name of the
master (captain), the name of the owner, the name of the builder, or
the voyages undertaken by the ship and its crew.
The online data for each ship covered can be encyclopedic. Beyond the
data mentioned above, each complete entry in the database can provide
the date and place of construction, the date and place of the
vessel's registration, a good physical description of the ship, its
intended function, and its registration number. And since a number of
ships were rechristened, the entries include references to former
names by which a vessel was known.
The database entries for voyages are nearly as informative, giving
sailing dates and ports, and the existence of more revealing records
offline. Entries in the "masters" database include the captain's full
name, birthplace, and certificate number -- all essential to further
searches. Entries for ship owners give the full name, occupation, and
place of birth. Builders' entries give the name and location of the
firm.
Of course, each entry also includes a full notation of the location
of the original record.
This information can be invaluable in the compilation of data for a
progenitor who was involved in the Canadian shipping business, as
well as providing added information about the ship an immigrant
travelled in as he or she sailed to the New World.
And as usual, this excellent Canadian website is available in both
English and French.
Resources:
The Ship Information Directory on the Canadian Heritage Information
Network
