A Board of Trade Order of 1845 set up voluntary examinations for men intending to become Masters or Mates of foreign-going ships. The Mercantile Marine Act 1850 made this compulsory. The Merchant Shipping Act 1854 extended this to the home trade. From 1880 certificates for foreign trade were registered separately. The Alphabetical Index gives references to the Certificates of Competency: Masters & Mates: Foreign Trade (BT122), Certificates of Service: Masters & Mates: Foreign Trade (BT124), Certificates of Competency: Masters & Mates: Home Trade (BT125), Certificates of Service: Masters & Mates: Home Trade (BT126), Certificates of Competency: Masters & Mates of Steamships: Foreign Trade (BT123).
Transcribed by John Darnton, 1987
| Baker, Henry Evans | Whitehill | 1816 | 72794 |
| Darnton, Joseph Stephenson | Sunderland | 1798 | 38445 (crossed out) |