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The Registry of Shipping, later renamed Lloyd’s Register, printed its first Register of Ships in 1764 to give both underwriters and merchants an idea of the condition of the vessels they insured and chartered.




Founded to inspect and examine the physical structure and equipment of merchant vessels, Lloyd's graded ship hulls on a lettered scale (A being the top), and ship's fittings (masts, rigging, and other equipment) was graded by number (1 being the top). Thus the top classification was "A1", from which the expression A1, or A1 at Lloyd's, is derived, first appeared in the 1775–76 edition of the Register. Ship surveyors (usually master mariners or master shipwrights) conducted surveys of ships calling at British ports

Not all ships were surveyed and included in the Register. From 1834–37, an attempt was made to include all British vessels of 50 tons or over, although very little information is given about those which had not been surveyed - in contrast the Mercantile Navy List records British registered vessels over one quarter of a ton.

From 1838–1875, only vessels which had been surveyed were included in the Register. After that date, the Register was extended to take in all British vessels over 100 tons, and from 1890 its scope was broadened to include all British and foreign sea-going vessels over 100 tons. It is always possible to determine whether or not a ship had been surveyed from the entry in Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, as the resultant Lloyd’s register classification will be given.

A vessel remains in the Register until something happens to her; for example if she is sunk, wrecked, broken up, hulked, scrapped, etc.

From 1834 onwards Lloyd’s Register was published mid-year and covered the period 1 July–30 June the following year. To reflect this, volumes published after 1868 started to give both years, e.g. 1869–1870.

The following incomplete sequence of 18th & 19th Century volumes were scanned by Google. They have the advantage of being searchable and so it is possible to look for masters, owners etc. Please note however names may be abbreviated, Tmknsn instead of Tomkinson for instance. The 1930-1945 volumes were scanned by staff at Southampton Library & Archive. Should you need information from volumes not listed here please contact our research service.

1764-66      1768  1780  1789  1796  1797  1798  1799
1800  1801  1802  1803  1804  1805  1806  1807  1808  1809  1810  1811  1812  1813  1814  1815  1816  1817  1818  1819  1820  1821  1822  1823  1824  1825  1826  1827  1828  1829  1830  1831  1832  1833  1834  1835  1836  1837  1838  1839  1840  1841  1842  1843  1844  1845  1846  1847  1848  1849  1850  1851  1852  1853  1854  1855  1856  1857  1858  1859  1860  1861  1862  1863  1864  1865  1866  1867  1868  1869  1870  1871  1872  1873  1874  1875  1876  1877  1878  1879  1880  1881  1882  1883  1884  1885  1886  1887  1888  1889  1890  1891  1892  1893  1894  1895  1896  1897  1898  1899*

1930-1945


*Incorrectly scanned in reverse, last page first.
  N.B. copyright of all images of the 1764-6 edition remain with Lloyd’s Register. Images © Lloyd’s Register Group Limited 2012



registry of american and foreign shipping

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1859  1860  1861  1862  1863  1864  1865  1866  1867  1868  1869 












Other shipping registers:

Christie's Shipping Register 1858

North of England Maritime Directory & Shipping Register 1848