Continuous Certificate of Discharge query

[David James]

I have two CCD documents that belonged to my father dated from 1947 to 1952. I am currently using them to trace the details of voyages during this period.

The query I have currently concerns abbreviations used. The TNA has a list of these, but I have some that are not covered...

In the "Description of voyage" column the obvious ones are "Foreign" and "Fgn" (foreign abbreviated), but what does "HT" mean? It usually occurs where the engagement and discharge are close together and at the same port (eg. Ldn and Victoria Docks) and I am guessing he never went to sea during these periods but was simply "attached" to a ship. Does "HT" mean Home Tour or Home Trip?

[Captain Kong]

HT means Home Trade, usually a ship trading around the coast of Britain and close europe.
From the Elbe to Brest.
FGN is a ship trading world wide.
Cheers
Brian

[David James]

Thanks, its always the obvious answers that are the most unexpected.
Regards
David

[George Embleton]

could not resist liking your answer, could I test your knowledge by asking the meaning of abbreviation RA when used in the description of voyage column.
Cheers
George

[David James]

Sorry - no idea! I don’t think I have any entries with that abbreviation.

[Keith Tindell]

My thoughts on RA, could that be running agreement ?, i don't have that in my discharge book, mine are all Fgn, or HT, kt

[Doc Vernon]

could not resist liking your answer, could I test your knowledge by asking the meaning of abbreviation RA when used in the description of voyage column.
Cheers
George

RA in the Book stands for Running Agreement
Cheers

Ooops Sorry KT only saw your reply now ! But yes you are quite correct!
There are some Entries that were sort of mixed as well at times,as i have seen one with URA which is of course United Kingdom and Running Agreement.

[George Embleton]

I thank all that replied to my question, what does RA stand for in the description of voyage column in the Continuous Certificate of Discharge. The reason why I asked
the question is because I have recently discovered my late fathers Discaharge booklets dating from 1920 upto 1948. I am at the very beginning of a very long journey
trying to find answers tohis life at sea. Once again thank you all.
Cheers
George Embleton

[Ivan Cloherty]

I am guessing he never went to sea during these periods but was simply "attached" to a ship. Does "HT" mean Home Tour or Home Trip?

On the contrary, you could spend a lot of time at sea when on an HT Agreement, you could be anything from one day to 5 days on passage from 'A' to 'B' arrive at your discharging port on the a.m. high tide and sail on the p.m. tide for the next loading port a few days away, enter port on the high tide and leave on the next high tide 11/12 hours later. Don't think of these HT vessels as being not real seamen, they faced more hazardous conditions than most of their FG counterparts, were always trading in bad weather, shallow waters and slow speed vessels operating in fast tide conditions, so being a good navigator and ship handler was an essential requisite. When at sea (apart from the catering department) all hands worked watch and watch about system, which could be 4 hours on/4 hours off, or 5/5 or 6/6, they were hard working vessels, no time to sit on the hatch and swop yarns, the hatch anyway would normally have seas or spray breaking over it. I always found deep sea (FG) voyages a doddle compared to HT.

RA=Running Agreement was mainly used by collier vessels on regular runs from the NE Coast UK to power stations on the Thames or South Coast, the RA was also used on the collier trade from Bristol Channel ports to South Coast and Thames power stations. These RA's ran for a period of 6 months and crews didn't have to be signed off or on before a Shipping Master ashore (shore based official) but could be signed on or off on a system known as ENG2 before the ship's master. The HT vessels could utilise the ENG2 system if a Shipping Master was not available at a particular port, but had to be lodged with the Shipping Master at the next UK port. Colliers using RA only needed to lodge their Running Agreement Articles with a Shipping Master at the end of the six month period.

[Doc Vernon]

Hello George E
May i ask how you are going about tracing the Voyages of Ships in his Book?
Can i suggest if you are not yet ,apply for the Voyage Record Cards from the Guildhall Library this will tell you exactly where the Ship went with other info as well.
So hopefully this suggestion may assist!
Cheers