The transportation of goods across pre motorway Yorkshire relied heavily on the watermen, often accompanied by their families, who piloted their well laden keels along the numerous canals and rivers of the county. Having recently completed a Master’s degree with University of Strathclyde, genealogist David Scrimgeour shares his new research examining the extant Canal Boat Registers to see what extra insight they offer the family historian, illustrated with real examples from watermen families across the county.