HELP with Thompson records/papers
Posted: Tue Oct 24, 2006 4:06 am
HELP is needed. I have started the process to put into a computer database the shipping records of Thompson's Cortland, NY plant.
What is this you say? There are three large hand-written ledger books of boat shipments for the Cortland, NY plant of Thompson located at the archives of the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, VA. They span 1948-1951 and 1959-1962 and 1962-1967.
I created a database (actually Jerry Conrad of the Museum did) and spent two days entering the data from one of the books. I got about six months completed. It will literally takes years to complete this project.
Your assistance is needed. If you live near the Newport News/Norfolk, VA area or if you visit the area - stop by the Museum and spend a few hours typing. It is just a matter of typing and entering the information into a computer. It is very simple work. If more people than me work at this it will make the job go much quicker.
The 1959-1967 books do have hull numbers. So...this means if you have a Cortland built boat from that time period and have the hull ID, this eventual database can be searched. You will then be able to tell when your boat was shipped, to whom it was shipped and their location, the model, and some basic information about accessories. It will be an excellent resource.
I have started with the 1959-1962 book.
Contact me if you think you can help out.
Andreas Jordahl Rhude
Minneapolis
612-823-3990
thompsonboat@msn.com
What is this you say? There are three large hand-written ledger books of boat shipments for the Cortland, NY plant of Thompson located at the archives of the Mariners' Museum in Newport News, VA. They span 1948-1951 and 1959-1962 and 1962-1967.
I created a database (actually Jerry Conrad of the Museum did) and spent two days entering the data from one of the books. I got about six months completed. It will literally takes years to complete this project.
Your assistance is needed. If you live near the Newport News/Norfolk, VA area or if you visit the area - stop by the Museum and spend a few hours typing. It is just a matter of typing and entering the information into a computer. It is very simple work. If more people than me work at this it will make the job go much quicker.
The 1959-1967 books do have hull numbers. So...this means if you have a Cortland built boat from that time period and have the hull ID, this eventual database can be searched. You will then be able to tell when your boat was shipped, to whom it was shipped and their location, the model, and some basic information about accessories. It will be an excellent resource.
I have started with the 1959-1962 book.
Contact me if you think you can help out.
Andreas Jordahl Rhude
Minneapolis
612-823-3990
thompsonboat@msn.com