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Explanation of the layout of the data sheets and abbreviations
The FMC data sheets are more detailed in layout than the GJCC, Tugs and the Cargo Carrying Steamers data sheets. All the known history in the latter three sections is compressed into the initial Steamer or Motor History sections. Take a look at the data sheet – all will become clear!
The colour of the boat name indicates the construction i.e. Steel, Wood or Composite
Post-FMC History
The abbreviations used in the Sources column are listed below. Any others encountered are probably in the Sightings list
Sightings
This is a list of all the occasions when the craft was recorded. In the main these came from the Journals of the Canal Inspector surviving in various Record Offices and Archives. Each entry is probably self-explanatory with the exception of the following:
The column headed Crew contains three figures: 213 or 11- or even –35. These respectively would indicate that the persons on board (including the Captain) were 2 men, 1 woman and 3 children or 1 man, 1 woman, no children or no men, 3 women and 5 children.
In some cases, the sex and age of the children was recorded and this is shown in the Notes column as b5, g7 (boy aged 5, girl aged 7). Occasionally, babies are shown as b9m (boy 9 months) or g1w (girl 1 week).
The complaint notes issued by the Sanitary Inspector are sometimes recorded in an abbreviated style which is mostly decodable but one or two have beaten me. Solutions welcome! An example of an entry might be in the form “Nott 69 cert non pro. Cab lks. Lttg oblit. Ptg req” which would translate as “Nottingham (the issuing authority) 69 (the complaint number) Certificate (registration document) not produced. Cabin leaks. Lettering obliterated. Painting required.” The boat owners are required to comply with this note and often you will find the boat is docked soon after the note is issued. The owner has to notify the authority after the repairs are done and this compliance is sometimes noted as “reb” (rebated) with a date.
The abbreviations used in the sightings are expanded below:
Documents on file
A list of all the copy documents I have on file. “pc” = photocopy; “ts” = transcript
Photographs
The colour coding indicates Steamer Photograph taken at Buckby or Steamer photograph taken elsewhere or Photograph taken after conversion. The column with “pc” or “print” means I have a photocopy or a print on file
Abbreviations are included in the “Post-FMC History” list
SIGHTINGS ABBREVIATIONS
Ban TR | Banbury Traffic Report at Oxford Record Office |
Bkd CIJ | Berkhamsted Canal Inspections Journal at Hertford County Records |
Bm or Bhm CIJ | Birmingham Canal Inspections Journal at Birmingham Central Library Archives |
Bm, Bhm, Bham | Birmingham |
Bre CIJ | Brentwood Canal Inspections Journal at Chiswick Library |
Bre CIJ n | Brentwood Canal Inspector's Notebook at Chiswick Library |
Calc TR | Calcutt Traffic Report at Warwick Record Office |
Ches CIJ | Chester Canal Inspections Journal at Chester Record Office |
Comp | Complaint |
Cov C or CC | Coventry Canal |
CRB | City Road Basin |
Dav CIJ | Daventry Canal Inspections Journal at Daventry Museum |
Def | Defective |
EL | Electric Light |
Ell CIJ or EP CIJ | Ellesmere Port Canal Inspections Journal at BW Archives at Ellesmere Port |
Faz St | Fazeley Street, Birmingham |
GJC | Grand Junction Canal |
GS | Gauging Sheet |
GUCCC | Grand Union Canal Carrying Co (Records in private hands) |
Hill A | Hillmorton Archives at Warwick Record Office |
Hill TR | Hillmorton Traffic Report at Warwick Record Office |
Ilk CIJ | Ilkeston Canal Inspections Journal (copy in private hands) |
KG | Key Glass |
KL | Kings Langley |
Lei CIJ | Leicester Canal Inspections Journal at BW Archives at Gloucester |
Lei Compl | Leicester Complaints Book at BW Archives, Gloucester |
Lks | Leaks |
Lttg | Lettering |
Millner L | Millner Letter in Millner Archives at Northampton Records Office |
Nor CIJ | Northampton Canal Inspections Journal at BW archives Gloucester |
notprocert | Not having produced a Boat Registration Certificate |
Nott CIJ | Nottingham Canal Inspections Journal at Nottingham Record Office |
Nun CIJ | Nuneaton Canal Inspections Journal at Warwick Record Office |
Oblit | Obliterated |
Oxf | Oxford |
PoL | Port of London Records at Guildhall Library or Guildhall Archives or Museum in Docklands, London |
Ptg | Painting required |
Reb | Rebated (see Complaints above) |
Reg | Registration |
Rep or Reps | Repairs |
Sou CIJ | Southam Canal Inspections Journal at Warwick Record Office |
Uxb | Uxbridge |
Vent | Ventilation |
Wal CIJ | Walsall Canal Inspections Journal at Walsall Archives |
Wal Compl | Walsall Complaints Book at Walsall Archives |
War CIJn | Warwick Canal Inspector's Notebook at Warwick Records |
WH Reg | Waterman's Hall Registration at Guildhall Library, London |
Willes EL | Willesden Electric Light |
Wv CIJ | Wolverhampton Canal Inspections Journal at Wolverhampton Record Office |
POST-FMC and PHOTOGRAPHS ABBREVIATIONS
AB |
Alan Brown |
AF | Alan Faulkner |
BCLM | Black Country Living Museum |
BH | Brian Hillsdon |
CBIC | Canal Boat and Inland Waterways |
CRB | Canal and Riverboat |
CRC | Canal & River Craft - Hugh McKnight |
EPD | Ellesmere Port Archives |
EPT |
Edward Paget-Tomlinson |
DMcD | David McDougall |
GS | Gauging Sheet |
IA | Ike Argent |
MB | Malcolm Braine |
NBaW | Narrowboats at Work - Michael Ware |
PH | Pete Harrison |
Reg | Registration Document |
RHC | Rural History Collection, Reading (0118 987 5123 - Archives Library) |
RS | Ray Shill |
RT | Richard Thomas |
SoC | Steam on Canals - Weaver |
V&EC | Victorian & Edwardian Canals - Gladwyn |
WW | Waterways World |