Watermen's licences

Watermen were boatmen licenced to ferry passengers. With watermen working on New South Wales waterways these could be an untapped source for family and maritime history.

We hold the following records:

• NRS-10824, Watermen’s Licences, Apr 1911-Feb 1935, [X2332]
• NRS-9847, Watermen’s Licences, Sep 1936-Sep 1953, [X2333]

These main series also include Botany Bay, Georges River and Brisbane Water (Central Coast) and North Coast.

What you can find in the records

Each licence records:

• name, address, and signature of the holder
• licence and registration numbers of the boat
• locality the licence applies to
• maximum number of passengers allowed
• date of issue of the licence.

A schedule of fares and rates chargeable by the watermen is usually given on the back of the licence.

Other series

• NRS-10825, Port of Newcastle, Watermen’s Licences, 1912-24, [X2334-35] (only a few, appears to be incomplete)
• NRS-9822, Maritime Services Board Special Bundles;
  • Licenced watermen on Sydney Harbour, 1902-08, [7/7500.2]. These lists record the name, licence/permit number and plying from (situation) and on some lists the name of the boat. Also included is a list ’those addicted to drink and those with convictions recorded against them, 1907’
  • Applications for watermen's licenses and licenses for lighters (vessels) subject to seaworthiness, 1921-23, [8/2036.15] This appears to contain a sample of applications together with the inspector’s report. The sample includes Sydney, Central Coast and Newcastle.
    Whilst the records have not been indexed they are on our waiting list to be indexed by our wonderful volunteers, the records are in rough chronological order so if you are sure of the period they may be worth a look.

Content on this page was first published in the December 2013 edition of Now&Then (Issue 65).