By Ronald Parsons. By T.K. Fitchett. Text by Ronald Parsons. The Library has quite a selection of books dealing with individual shipping lines. To locate books on specific shipping lines such as North coast run by Mike Richards which is a history of the North Coast Steam Navigation Company you check the Library catalogue subject index under the name of the company.
Registers of shipping are also very useful places to look for information about coastal ships.
Lloyd's Register A yearly alphabetical listing of mainly British owned vessels by name compiled by Lloyd's of London. Gives technical specifications of each vessel, dates and place of build, names of owners, masters and up to the 1850's destinations. Between 1890 and 1947 sailing vessels and steamers were listed separately. Try this first particularly for large vessels. REF 387.5 Register of British Ships.