Ships manifest??

Don Case

Don Case

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As part of trying to learn how to research stuff I thought it would be interesting to see what kind of stuff they loaded on a ship before a major trip. I thought I could go to the NMM and search for a document that may list all this. The only name(search parameter) I could think of is "Ships Manifest" but I tried that and got three pictures of ships. Does anyone know what a document of a ships contents might be called? Even when I try to not ask questions, I wind up with a question :)
 
Thanks guys. I have nothing in particular I'm looking for at the moment. Just trying to figure out how this works for when I do have something important. I also feel like a bit of a leech coming to you guys so often.
I did find that the search term "provisioning" seemed to get me somewhere. I found the logbook of a pirate and I could actually read some of it :) . I noticed that some things, the pirate log for one, are actually scanned and posted on the website but most things aren't. Is there any rhyme or reason as to what is posted and what isn't? One thing I would like to see are the logbooks of the officers of the Discovery1789. They may have more info about the ship. Capt Vancouver's journal was more concerned with the mission and there is precious little about the ship. I know these logs exist because Alexander Menzies complained bitterly about his logs being confiscated by Vancouver on the way back between Capetown and England. Because of the dealings with Spain the admiralty had ordered Vancouver to seize all the logs. I'm sure they're filed away somewhere but it would probably cost an arm and a leg to get copies.
 
Or maybe "ships stores" as they were sometimes called, it all varies by country and period of time.

To us nowadays, this might seem important to know, but back then, maybe not so important to document what provisions were needed or loaded for a planned journey.

I can imagine it would vary depending on purpose of the vessel, as a cargo, or fighting ship or such as a Tea Clipper.

I would think the military fighting ships which expected damage from combat would carry more than a cargo or passenger ship only worried about weather damage.
 
I think I tried "ships stores". I'll have to try it again. From what I've read it seems that the English documented and filed everything. Of course, what happened to it after that is anyone's guess :). I think that if I was going to the far side of the world in a wooden ship I would have everything listed, checked and double checked. And then have the lists checked.:)
 
Don Case said:
As part of trying to learn how to research stuff I thought it would be interesting to see what kind of stuff they loaded on a ship before a major trip. I thought I could go to the NMM and search for a document that may list all this. The only name(search parameter) I could think of is "Ships Manifest" but I tried that and got three pictures of ships. Does anyone know what a document of a ships contents might be called? Even when I try to not ask questions, I wind up with a question :)
Click to expand...

Hi Don, there are quite a few documents relating to cargo and victualling of ships, some of which have their origins from many years ago. If you try general searches on the following terms you may find leads to the type of information you are looking for. I have listed a few general terms recognized in the shipping industry, that may help. Note these are documents more in line with merchant ships.

Way bill - basically a receipt for goods received for carriage
Bill of store - more of a Customs related document
Bill of Lading with sometimes a Freight Release endorsement
Charter Party - may have cargo and conditions specified especially bulk cargo
Mate’s receipt - as the name implies it’s the mates receipt for goods actually received on board
Cargo book - basically serves as a running manifest of what as put in and taken out of a ship at different ports (the Mate’s job).
Articles of Agreement - can show you the required victuals for each crewman but usually just a daily minimum not totals on board. However, it gives you an idea of what was taken aboard for the crew but not as cargo.
 
Don Case said:
Thanks guys. I have nothing in particular I'm looking for at the moment. Just trying to figure out how this works for when I do have something important. I also feel like a bit of a leech coming to you guys so often.
I did find that the search term "provisioning" seemed to get me somewhere. I found the logbook of a pirate and I could actually read some of it :) . I noticed that some things, the pirate log for one, are actually scanned and posted on the website but most things aren't. Is there any rhyme or reason as to what is posted and what isn't? One thing I would like to see are the logbooks of the officers of the Discovery1789. They may have more info about the ship. Capt Vancouver's journal was more concerned with the mission and there is precious little about the ship. I know these logs exist because Alexander Menzies complained bitterly about his logs being confiscated by Vancouver on the way back between Capetown and England. Because of the dealings with Spain the admiralty had ordered Vancouver to seize all the logs. I'm sure they're filed away somewhere but it would probably cost an arm and a leg to get copies.
Click to expand...
Once again, the ADM records in the National Archives, Kew. I have every Captain's logbook for every ship Admiral Sir Erasmus Gower served in over a 55 year career. You won't find many that have been digitised but you can contract a researcher to photograph what you want. My researcher achieved up to 200 pages per hour so good value in the end.

Vancouver's original journal is lost but he did a revised journal in 1798 which is published by the Hakluyt Society in 4 volumes.

There are 12 logs or journals covering the voyage of Discovery and Chatham in the National Archives, mostly in ADM 51/-, ADM 53/- and ADM 55-.
Surnames are:
Anonymous
Baker
Ballard
Browne
Dobson,
Heddington
Humphrys
Johnstone
McKenzie
Manby
Mudge
Orchard
Pigot
Paget
Roberts
Scott
Sherriff
Stewart
Swaine
Sykes

I can attach exact ADM reference for anyone who is interested in an individual from this list. Other logs or journals are in various collections around the world.

Menzies' official journal is missing but a private one he prepared after the voyage for Banks is in the British Library (first part) and the National Library of Australia (second part). As a surgeon/botanist with instructions from Banks he had every right to be upset about having his journals confiscated.
 
I just downloaded the log of Joseph Baker, 3rd lieutenant of the Discovery1789. it's a little tough to read but I can make out most of it. It looks boring so far. I'm 3 days into it :)
Thank you Ian, much appreciated.
 
I now have nine logbooks downloaded.
Ian, thank you very much for the help. Couldn't have managed without you. I assumed that all these logs would be in the NMM and couldn't get past that. I think I have them all now but I will continue to explore the archives. One more question. On the download page there is a note that says "Download expires in 30 days" or something like that. That doesn't mean these downloads are going to disappear of my computer in 30 days, does it? Or does it just mean that it will disappear from my "cart" in 30 days
 
Thanks Uwe, that takes the pressure off. Some of these PDFs are very faint and hard to read. I'm trying to find a way to increase the contrast but PDFs seem to resist that. I may have to cut them into sections and enhance them in a photo editing program. If anyone has any methods to enhance PDFs please let me know.
 
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