Slides used by David Snook during his presentation (Women in the British Merchant Marine: Central Records and the CR10 card photos) at the 'Women and the Sea' symposium. A podcast of David's talk is available at http://www.ucd.ie/humanities/events/podcasts/2015/women-and-the-sea/

1. Women in the British Merchant Marine
Central Record (CR10) cards from 1918
A photo exhibition by David Snook
website www.irishmariners.ie
Women and the Sea Symposium
National Maritime Museum of Ireland
September 25th
-26th
2015
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2. Introduction
The British Government introduced male conscription for the UK, apart from Ireland, in
January 1916.
Men in crucial industries like coalminers and merchant seamen were exempt.
In the spring and summer of 1918 there was a manpower crisis on the Western Front.
The Government responded by extending age limits for recruitment.
They also decided to check that merchant seamen were going to sea regularly and not
using the system to avoid conscription.
.
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3. The CR10 record card
In September 1918, the Board of Trade introduced an identity book, including a passport
style photograph, for all merchant seamen, together with a matching central card
index (CR10 cards). The system operated until December 1921.
The surviving central index cards are now held in Southampton Civic Archives and cover
a multinational workforce of 300,000 seamen .
The system was designed as ‘men only’ because of the conscription issue .
Our family group have been through the Southampton records and transcribed details of
23,000 Irish born seamen which I put on to a searchable online database.
We did find the occasional woman and in the later stages we transcribed her details as
well.
For this symposium I found 66 records for women and 44 appear in the exhibition. I
reckon that the number of jobs for women was around 1300
.
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4. Seaman’s Identity Card 1918
This illustration shows part of the identity book for Christopher Herbert of
Rush, Co Dublin.
The book was issued in Canning Place, Liverpool in Dec 1918.
The photo matches that on his central record card but he has changed his
nationality from British to Irish. 4

5. Development at sea 1860-1914
Steamships replaced sailing vessels.
Ship construction changed from wood to iron to steel.
Ships became bigger, faster, safer, and more efficient.
Great Britain developed the world’s pre-eminent merchant shipping fleet to
meet the growing demand for cargoes and passengers.
Emigration was a significant factor.
Women were employed as stewardesses to look after female passengers and
children.
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6. Women at sea 1860-1914
On the North Atlantic routes a major liner like the Titanic would have a male
crew of around 900 plus 22 stewardesses.
There were cross channel steamers for the Irish sea and the North sea, complete
with rail links, plus regular steamer services from the major coastal towns to
London. Crews would be much smaller .
At the 1911 census there were around 165,000 men and 1,300 women employed
in the British merchant shipping fleet.
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7. British Shipping Industry 1919-21
There was a shipping boom immediately after the war which lasted until the
autumn of 1920.
The end of the boom is generally reckoned to be October 1920 with the UK
coal miners’ strike.
By 1921 unemployment rates in British ports were 20% and seamen's’ wages
were reduced. Many shipping firms who had bought ships at the top of the
market found themselves in great difficulties. There was a prolonged
slump.
The North American passenger trade was adversely affected by the US and
Canadian governments restricting immigration after 1921.
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8. Frequently asked questions
Why are there no voyages shown on an individual’s record card?
If they were on a home trade voyage then it was not usually recorded.
What is a home trade voyage?
Any voyage around the British Isles, including the Irish Sea, or to a port on the
West European coast, from Hamburg in the north to Brest in the south.
Are the identity numbers significant?
Yes. They can identify where a card was issued
Examples
801… Glasgow
816… Tyneside
817… Grimsby
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9. CR10 Cards: Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
The number of cards
the personal and foreign voyage details for individuals
the inclusion of home trade seamen
the standard of the photographs
Weaknesses.
The cards are handwritten
Transcription and legibility can be a problem,
Some men could not read or write.
Very few women included
The dates of birth are not reliable.
Sixteen year olds put themselves forward as eighteen for adult pay rates.
Birthplaces can be vague.
Next of kin detail, which would help, is only given on one out of eight cards.
Very few voyages are recorded for home trade seamen.
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10. Daniel McCarthy
Born Bantry, County Cork.
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