The sheer volume of these records and the fact that they are scattered has prevented the making of any global index to the seamen's names up to now, and it is unlikely that one will ever be fully completed. CLIP however is based on the idea that even a small chance is better than no chance at all. You will then be able to look up a seaman's name and find out the vessels he sailed on and where the records are held. The data is being gathered mainly by local volunteers using methods similar to those used for the 1881 Census and other co-operative indexing projects. Individuals who have photocopies of Crew Lists are also welcome to submit extracts.
Data quality is an important aspect, with checking being at least as important as transcribing.
CLIP is now well on course for its first year targets and the team is growing steadily. If you have even a short time to spare at any coastal record office, PRO or NMM, please remember that every little helps and contact CLIP at the address below. Then, in a few years time, we will have a solution to the problems described above. Well, getting the coal into a vessel was easy - it was tipped down chutes from wagons on raised wharves. Getting it out again was harder and often involved using man-power before steam shovels became available late in the 19th century.