Canada, Merchant Marine Agreements and Accounts of Crews - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection covers the years of 1890-1920.

These records cover ports in British Columbia (primarily in Victoria), some in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and a few foreign ports. The documents are organized by ship and include, among other information, the signatures of crew members, their ages and birthplaces. Each box includes a general inventory of its contents listing box and file numbers, date, ship name, location and owner. The original records are in possession of the British Columbia Archives in Victoria.

Each box has a list that includes the name of the ship and the year of departure. Below are sample images of the indexes and ship lists:

For a list of records by dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Record Content
Records may contain the following information:


 * Full name of crew member
 * Year of birth
 * Place of birth
 * Previous ship served on
 * Date and place of agreement
 * Date, place, cause of death
 * Name of ship

How to Use the Record
This section provides information on how to search the collection, what to do with information once found, and what to do if no record is found.

When searching: As you are searching, it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as an estimated year and place of death, and year of departure.

Search the Collection
To browse by image: To search the collection, you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "Box Number and Years" which will take you to the images.

Search the collection by image, comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

Using the Information
When you have found the information that you have been looking for, you can try the following to further your research:

When you have found the birth year and the birth place, search in the Canada Births and Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records) collection. There you may be able to further your research when you have found the parents of the crew member.

Related Websites

 * Explanations of Merchant Marines
 * Fisheries and Oceans Canada
 * Library and Archives Canada, Registers of Marine Certificates

Related Wiki Articles

 * Canada History Links
 * Canada Historic Maps
 * British Merchant Marine

Citations for this Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually. Collection Citation:  Image Citation