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Information on Matthews' slips is arranged in a more or less standard format. He usually listed the surname first, followed by the date, then the source of information, the first name of the individual if known and finally the text of the entry.
The following examples are from samples of original entries taken from different types of records followed by their interpretation.
Court Records
TAVERNER
1754 oct trinity ct Jacob one of his men jac fox abused jn night. Night to get 20/-d of fox wages. JACOB the brother of BEN
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: TAVERNER; Date: October 1754; Source: Trinity Court Records; Notes: Jacob Fox, one of Jacob Taverner's men, abused John Night. The court ordered that Night is to get 20 shillings/no pence of Fox's wages. Jacob Taverner is the brother of Ben Taverner.
Keough - "KEOHOE"
1816 30 may st jns surr ct Pat sued for 108/-/- by trustees SHANNON/CO debt to pay
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: KEOHOE; Date: 30 May 1816; Source: St. John's Surrogate Court Records; Notes: Pat Keohoe was sued for 108 pounds sterling (no shillings or pence) by the trustees of Shannon & Co. and has to pay the debt.
Parish Registers
BROPHY
1821 dec st jns rc morgan of THE ROYAL OAK married bridget cunningham
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: BROPHY; Date: December 1821; Source: St. John's Roman Catholic Parish Records; Notes: Morgan Brophy of the vessel Royal Oak married Bridget Cunningham.
GAWSE
1784 hg church wm married mary d of fra shepherd spaniards bay
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: GAWSE; Date: 1784; Source: Harbour Grace Church Records; Notes: William Gawse married Mary Shepherd, daughter of Francis Shepherd of Spaniard's Bay.
GEORGE
1676 dec st saviours thos married hester bower
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: GEORGE; Date: December 1676; Source: St. Saviours Parish, Dartmouth, Devon Parish Records; Notes: Thomas George married Hester Bower.
WESTCOTT
1787 dec bishopsteign david buried
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: WESCOTT; Date: December 1787; Source: Bishopsteignton, Devon Parish Records; Notes: David Westcott was buried.
Shipping Records
CHEVALIER
1753 mar adm 7/87 Chas AUnion@ 120/9/3/- guns jersey at lond - lis/nfld.
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: CHEVALIER; Date: March 1753; Source: Great Britain. Admiralty and Secretariat (Series 7). Miscellanea, volume 87; Notes: Charles Chevalier is the captain of the vessel Union. She is 120 tons and is carrying 9 British men and 3 foreign men. She has no guns. She sailed from Jersey, is currently at London, and will depart for Lisbon and then for Newfoundland.
GOSS
1814 feb exon reg Jas w/t mcht with jn w goss and jn butler own racehorse bg 121 ton
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: GOSS; Date: February 1814; Source: Exeter Shipping Register; Notes: James Goss, a merchant of West Teignmouth, Devon, England, along with John W. Goss and John Butler, owns a 112 ton brig named Racehorse.
STRONG
1868 merc list Jas brixham owned Good intent o/n 9474 25 tons reg plymouth
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: STRONG; Date: 1868; Source: Mercantile Navy List; Notes: James Strong, of Brixham, owned a 25 ton vessel named the Good Intent, Official Number 9474, Port of Registry, Plymouth.
Newspapers
ADAMS
1865 13 nov morn chron Ann wife of capt HY of devon died 16 oct SHALDON native of FERRYLAND
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: ADAMS; Date: 13 November 1865; Source: Morning Chronicle (newspaper, St. John's, Newfoundland); Notes: Ann Adams, wife of Captain Henry Adams of Devon, England, died 16 October at Shaldon, Devon, England. She was a native of Ferryland, Newfoundland.
KING
1798 6 jan lloyd list success cork fm nfld
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: KING; Date: 6 January 1798; Source: Lloyd's List (newspaper, London, England); Notes: King, captain of the vessel Success, arrived at Cork from Newfoundland.
WESTCOTT
1802 jan lloydlist swallow nfld-dtmth run down by ld duncan crew saved
INTERPRETATION OF THE ENTRY: Surname: WESTCOTT; Date: January 1802; Source: Lloyd's List (newspaper, London, England); Notes: The vessel Swallow, on a voyage from Newfoundland to Dartmouth, was run down by the vessel Lord Duncan. The crew were all saved.
General Interpretation Notes
For vessels voyaging from one place to another two methods of recording were used:
[1] watfd-nfld = departed from Waterford bound for Newfoundland
[2] watfd fm nfld = arrived at Waterford from Newfoundland
Another type of reference takes the appearance of the following example with varying numbers and monarch's names: e.g. 'according to 15 Geo III'
This means: in accordance with the Act in the 15th year of the reign of the monarch George III, (1775).
Other Abbreviations
40/8 - when used in reference with CO sources, 40 tons, crew of 8; - when used in reference with Lloyd's Register sources, 40 tons, 8 feet of the draught of water when loaded
50 M - unknown (court case)
4 div st jns - 4th division at St. John's, Newfoundland
12/64, 20/64, 32/64, etc. - the person held 12, 20, 32, etc., of the 64 shares (the maximum number) for a vessel
3rd report - unknown (court case)
3 H - unknown
1794-5 census - Great Britain. Colonial Office. CO 194, Vol. #. Colonial Secretary, Newfoundland. Original Correspondence. 303 Volumes. 1794-5 Census
