Phys.org · University of Southampton · United Kingdom
Centuries-old port records reveal Britain’s maritime past
Recap published
From 1565, port officials recorded voyages, ships, shipmasters and cargoes in handwritten port books, an unbroken 200-year record. Southampton historians scanned some 100,000 pages of the books held at the National Archives in Kew and taught AI to read the officials' varied handwriting and changing spellings. Lead researcher Professor Craig Lambert says: "It still needed manual checking, but it sped up the process enormously." The data feeds an online interactive map.
Why it matters
The release says the records reveal a forgotten maritime landscape of once-thriving ports, such as Dunwich and Ravenspurn, and that in 1696–97 European markets made up around 80% of the recorded value of England's overseas trade.
Read the original at Phys.org · University of Southampton
Origins, evidence and credits
Original headline: AI reads centuries-old handwriting to reveal Britain's vast historic shipping trade
Original reporting: Phys.org · University of Southampton ·
- Origins and holders
- Port officials created the handwritten records from 1565 onward. The books are held at the National Archives in Kew.
- What was checked
- The University of Southampton release says AI handwriting transcription still needed manual checking.
- Source context
- This recap is based on a university news release published on Phys.org. Its findings are attributed to the release.
People and institutions credited
The port officials who kept the books; the National Archives, Kew (where the books are held); Professor Craig Lambert (historian and lead researcher, University of Southampton); Associate Professor John McAleer (associate professor of history and co-lead); Professor Jason Sadler (GeoData Institute, University of Southampton).