Logbook collection

Collection

Identifier: GLMS-0126

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Scope and Contents

This collection contains over 500 logbooks from at least 100 different vessels. The number of logs available for each varies widely, with some vessels represented by individual logs. The best documented vessels include the B. F. AFFLECK, ARMCO, BLACK RIVER, PAUL H. CARNAHAN, CHAMPLAIN, LEON FALK, JR., E. G. GRACE, G. M. HUMPHREY, SARNIA, and JOSEPH H. THOMPSON. Record types mainly include standard logs, captain's or master's logs, radio telephone logs, trip logs, engine room logs, engineer's logs, and scrap logs, though small numbers of other types are present. The information contained in the most common types of logs is described below. Many contain the same or similar information.

Deck Log: Trip home and destination, time, location, heading, wind, weather, leeway, temperature, officer of watch, lookout, and remarks.
Engine Room Log: Trip home and destination, loading time, engine revolutions, speed, fuel, river log, maintenance notes, ballast pump record, and record of ballast pump to sounding gauges.
Engineer's Log: Trip home and destination, engine revolutions, fuel loaded and expended, and date and time.
Log Book: Trip home and destination, date and time, location, course, wind, weather, recording officer, and notes.
Master's Log: Trip home and destination, cargo type, captain commanding the trip, date and time, location, heading, wind, waether, miles run, and notes.
Master's Scrap Log: destination of trip, date, time, major navigational features met, heading, weather, and wind.
Official Log: Trip home and destination, captain commanding the trip, date and time, location, heading, wind, weather, speed, distance traveled, and notes.
Pilot House Log: Trip home and destination, date and time, location, heading, wind, weather, miles traveled, and remarks.
Radio Telephone Log: year, call letters, date, time of call, channels used, station called, location, notes, and operator.
Ship's Log Loading Report: Cargo loaded, where and when it was loaded, type of cargo, and also lists any water or fuel also loaded.

Officer's Articles and Unlicensed Crew Articles are also present. These documents lay out crew positions during the trip, as well as roles and responsibilities. Officers and crew were required to sign these documents before beginning work. Information includes trip destination and date, sailor's position, name, contact information, official number, Social Security Number and age. Access to the Articles is restricted due to the presence of the Social Security Numbers.

Dates

Creation: 1925-1985
Creation: Majority of material found within 1952-1981

Extent

54 Cubic Feet (550 volumes)

1 Cubic Feet (1 record storage carton)

Creator

United States Steel Corporation (Owner, Organization)
Ontario Transportation and Pulp Company (Owner, Organization)
Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company (Owner, Organization)
National Steel Corporation (Owner, Organization)
Skar-Ore Steamship Corporation (Owner, Organization)
Interlake Steamship Company (Owner, Organization)
Pickands Mather & Company (Owner, Organization)
Hansand Steamship Company (Owner, Organization)
Wilson Marine Transit Company (Owner, Organization)
Hall Corporation of Canada, Ltd. (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Access to Officer's Articles and Unlicensed Crew Articles is restricted due to the presence of Social Security Numbers. Redacted copies can be created upon request.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

The collection is arranged mostly alphabetically by vessel name, with a handful of items out of order. Under each vessel name, the logs are arranged by type, and thereunder chronologically.

Related Materials

Many other logbooks are located in other manuscript collections, as well as some which are individually cataloged. Follow this link to search manuscript collections. Use the keyword "logbooks". The same search can be performed in the library catalog to find individually cataloged or small groups of items.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The logbooks in this collection are an amalgamation of numerous donations to the HCGL by both shipping companies and individual donors spanning the 1970s-2000s.