I used to regard LLoyds Registers as almost infallible but have found that whilst they are NEARLY so they are not REALLY so. Mirimar is an excellent, and one of the most valuable, resources for ship research and will improve as time goes on, but even Mirimar gets it wrong sometimes, so you are right to say that "sometimes it can be really hard tracing a ship." When first researching the history of Doxford engine works I was looking for records about Northumberland Shipbuilding Co. that bought Doxfords out in 1919. Frustrated that of all places, Tyne and Wear archives search room didn't appear to have any information about N.S.C. I aksed an archivist who confidently told me that he thought that it must be because there was no such company on the Tyne had I tried the Wear or Blyth !!! Thankfully the W.S.S. has been blessed not just with enthusiasts but with many people who have as much interest in accuracy and detail as the subject matter, and their material is approaching infallibility. Sadly archivists, GENERALLY, have LITTLE interest in shipbuilding and marine engineering and I think are intimidated or embarrased when questioned because they feel they should be able to answer enquiries. Sadder still, they have little enthusiam and many times both I and our deceased (mutual?) friend Mike B., have been infuriated by dismissive responses to genuine enquiries. T&W do seem to have grasped this a bit and Colin Boyd has been an enormous help to the DEFA group, as has his replacement and Mr Clayson and Ms Boyd have been genuinely interested in maritime research. This is all the more reason why those of us that remain, and are diminishing significantly in number every year, must do whatever we can to accurately record the missing details of material, as yet uncatalogued, in museums and archives. A few years ago I was invited to salvage as much of what I could of Doxford Engine Works documents from Kincaid,s as a matter of urgenecy, before it went to skips for destruction. It was heartbreaking to drive past a long line of skips at Kincaids filled and waiting to be filled with all sorts of maritime records. I took two transit vanloads away but was saddened to see literally tons more awaiting disposal. Tons of stuff from Swans, NEM, Wallsend Slip., Hawthorns, Clarks etc was just abandoned. Thinking I had done well to save some, I presented some of my Doxford material to the LOCAL STUDIES dept at Sunderland Library and then took it 45 miles back home --- they didn't want any of it. Did I know how much they had 'downstairs' uncatalogued due to lack of resources, ( not to mention lack of expertise and enthusiam by staff), why didn't I try writing to Greenwich N.M.M. to see if they would have it !!!!?
Although digressing, I find that self interest is also a hinderance to accuaracy and excellence:
Sadly, all to often, the museums sacrifice excellence on the altar of self interest: A classic case is that of the Doxford J9 prototype model that has been removed from Sunderland, the birthplace of Doxfords, and whose toolroom staff made the model, the place where the only two nine cylinder engines were made, and it is at Newcastle because it makes their place more interesting. It should never have been removed, it should be returned but museums are too self interested.
Those of us who know and love maritime history will be ignored and dismissed by those jockeying for position, pride, and prestige. So we must persue accuracy, attention to detail, proper management of information and exhibits before those who know only self interest fragment and dispose of collections given in good faith for public, not personal benefit.
NEM could well prove to be a valuable resource in recording maritime history. The outstanding knowledge and enthusiam of members is one thing museums and archives lack. The spirit of the membership in freely sharing what they have and know without any material reward is something museums and archives will never have. Its members will serve the public interest for motives too high to be understood by the rank and file that shuffle in and out of archives, whose motives are primarily monetary, directly or indirectly. So I hope that the site continues to grow and that the good natured responses that I have so far encountered will be a permenant feature. thanks for taking the trouble to respond to an comparatively irrelevant comment.
tom