A General History of Pilotage in Hartlepool

What is a Pilot?

A pilot is someone who goes aboard a ship to guide it safely into or out of a harbour. They are usually local people, with a detailed knowledge of their particular area of water.

Pilots played an important part in the development of the Hartlepools. A major part of the towns’ income in the second part of the 19^th century came from the ports. Ships had to be able to get merchandise to the docks, and back out again, as safely and as quickly as possible. The seas around the coast are dangerous, with many hidden rocks and sandbanks. Without the help of the pilots to guide them, many ships could have got into difficulty, and lives and cargo lost.

Trinity House and the Pilots

Trinity House is a maritime organisation involved in the safety of shipping and the welfare of mariners. It is runs the lighthouses and navigational aids in England and Wales. Until 1988, it was also responsible for pilots.

Trinity House has its origins in the 13^th century, when a religious organisation called the Order of St Trinitas looked after needy sailors. They provided shelter for shipwrecked seamen, and those who were unable to take care of themselves due to accident or illness. They also provided almshouses (rent-free housing) for the families of men lost at sea. The seamen involved in the organisation gradually formed a series of Guilds around the country. These gave navigational advice to shipmasters in their area, and encouraged the development of the ports. The Guilds kept their religious origins, and the members were known as Bretheren. The first Guild to be formed in the north east was in 1300. It was originally at Berwick-upon-Tweed, near the border with Scotland, but soon moved to Newcastle. It financed itself by collecting fees from vessels mooring in the River Tyne to load and unload cargo.

On 4^th January 1492 the Order of St Trinitas changed its name to the “Society of Masters and Mariners”, commonly known as Trinity House. It was based in London, but had branches at Scarborough, Hull, Dover, Leith and Dundee, as well as Newcastle. By the early 17^th century, Trinity House’s duties were:

To collect a fee (duty) on all cargoes coming in to port
To charge a fee to every ship coming in to port, the money to be spent on maintaining lighthouses.
To appoint pilots
To set the fee a pilot could charge for his services
To provide buoy markers for safe navigation
To settle mariner’s disputes
To support the poor associated with the House

Originally, Trinity House, Newcastle had only been responsible for the River Tyne and the sea approaching it. In 1606, however, the responsibilities of the House were spread to cover ninety miles (145km) of the coast, from Holy Island in the north to Whitby in the south.

In 1808 Parliament passed the Maritime Pilotage Act. This meant that all pilots had to be registered with Trinity House. If they met the standards laid down by Trinity House, they were issued with a license. Licenses were only valid for a particular area of water. For example, some pilots were licensed to take ships into the River Tees, but not back out.

The Ruler of Pilots

By the early 19^th century, Trinity House, Newcastle, was responsible for ninety miles (145 km) of coastline, making it difficult to govern the more distant ports. This was solved by appointing a Ruler of Pilots (also known as a Pilot Master) for these ports. The first Ruler of Pilots for Hartlepool and the River Tees was appointed in 1811. His name was Anthony Pounder, and he had a house and office at Southgate, Hartlepool. It was the Ruler’s responsibility to make sure a pilot met any vessel which requested their services. He had to keep a register of pilots, and ensure that only licensed pilots were used. He was entitled to a portion of the pilots’ earnings, and also to part of the annual fee each pilot had to pay to renew his license.

In 1846 a group of nine Sub-Commissioners was formed to help the Ruler govern the Hartlepool pilots. They held their meetings in Hartlepool, although they were still answerable to Trinity House, Newcastle. The new committee was needed as the number of pilots had increased during the 19^th century. The north east ports had become much busier due to the Industrial Revolution. Coal from the mines in County Durham had to be shipped around the country to power the new machinery. West Hartlepool developed its own port, and its first dock opened in 1847. This dock also had its own pilots.

Claiming Independence

Many pilots and shipowners were unhappy about being governed by Trinity House. They felt that they should not be run by an organisation which was thirty miles away. They also felt that any profits made should go directly into the local port, not to Trinity House. In 1864 the Hartlepool Pilotage Commissioners were formed to take control of the local pilots. Their name was changed to the Hartlepools Pilotage Authority in 1922. Trinity House’s duties at Stockton, Middlesbrough and Redcar were taken over by the Tees Pilotage Commission on 1^st May 1882. Normally at this time pilots were allowed only one license, to work a particular area. Unusually, local pilots were allowed to hold licences for both the Hartlepools and the Tees until the end of the First World War (1918). At this point they had to choose which port to work, as they could no longer do both.

Pilotage services were re-organised in 1988, and the Tees and Hartlepool pilots were once again amalgamated. Today the service is run by the Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority, based at the Pilot Station at South Gare on the River Tees. All the pilots are now licensed for both ports.

Trinity House ceased operating pilots in 1988. Today, it is responsible for lighthouses, the safety, welfare and training of mariners, and Deep Sea pilots (pilots who stay on board a vessel the whole time it is trading in European waters).

How to become a Pilot

Each pilot had a license to work a particular stretch of water. In the early part of the 19^th century, there were twenty-four pilots licensed for Hartlepool, and twelve of these also had a license for the River Tees. As the ports became busier, more pilots were needed. By 1851, there were seventy-nine pilots for Hartlepool, twelve of whom had licenses for the Tees.

Pilots in the mid-19^th century were self-employed, but they were governed by Trinity House, Newcastle. Their licenses had to be renewed on 5^th August every year. There were strict rules about who could have a license:

Only relatives of qualified pilots could apply.
An applicant had to have a good character.
An applicant had to find an existing pilot willing to take him on as an apprentice.
Once he had his license, the new pilot had to hire or buy a coble (a type of small boat the pilots used to row or sail out to meet incoming ships).

In addition, the applicant had to pass an exam:

He had to show knowledge of the navigational marks, buoys and beacons in his district.
He had to understand the local currents and how they were affected by sandbanks, rocks etc.
He had to demonstrate the correct handling of sailing vessels under various conditions of sail and tide.

The apprenticeship to become a pilot lasted about five or six years. The number of licenses was limited, so even after qualifying a pilot might have to wait for an existing pilot to die or retire. If any pilots broke any of the Trinity House rules, or if they caused a ship in their care to be damaged, they were punished by having their license suspended or cancelled. The apprenticeship scheme lasted until the 1950s. After this, pilots were recruited from seamen with a Master Mariners certificate.

What's in a Name?

The earliest known licensed pilots for Hartlepool were William Coulson, Robert Johnson and William Hastings, who received their licenses in 1747. Because licenses were only granted to relatives of existing pilots, the same families were connected to piloting throughout many generations. In Hartlepool and Seaton, these were the families of Boagey, Pounder, Lithgo, Hunter, Harrison, Hodgson and Coulson. In the 1860s the rules were relaxed as more pilots were needed. From this point other families also became involved with piloting.

Looking for Work

The pilots charged a fee to every ship they brought in or out of harbour. The price depended on the size and tonnage of a vessel, and was calculated by the depth of the ship in the water. In 1851 the rate for Hartlepool was one shilling and three pence per foot in summer, and one shilling and sixpence per foot in winter. By today’s prices, this would be about £4- £5 per foot. Bad weather in winter would make the job harder, hence the higher charge. A portion of the fee was paid over to Trinity House.

A large part of a pilot’s time was spent in looking for ships to guide into harbour. They would often travel far out from shore in order to be the first to spot an incoming ship. They could be at sea for hours in open topped boats, with very little shelter from the wind, rain or cold. Once a likely ship was sighted, the pilots had to race one another to reach her first. Underhand tactics were sometimes used to gain an advantage. The boats (called cobles) were often sabotaged by rival pilots. This was done by puncturing the hull or damaging the sails or rudder. Sometimes a bucket was secretly slung under a boat, so that the drag would slow her down.

Once a pilot had reached a ship, he first had to make sure it was bound for his home port. Then the pilot would jump across from his boat to the other ship, and catch hold of a rope ladder to climb on board. This was difficult and dangerous. If the pilot jumped too soon, his coble could rise on a wave and knock him off the ladder. If he jumped too late, the coble would drop away underneath him, making him lose his grip on the ladder. If the pilot fell into the water his heavy clothes would drag him down, and he might drown.

Once aboard, the pilot would stay with the ship to guide her into harbour. His coble would either be towed behind the ship, or else sailed back by his apprentice. Once the ship was docked, the pilot would re-join his coble, and go back out looking for work.

Masters of ships often had “preferred” pilots in each port. This was a pilot they used regularly. They would notify their preferred pilot when the ship was due to arrive, and he would sail out to meet them. Getting the message to the pilot was difficult in the days before radio. Before the 19^th century, messages were sent via other, faster, ships. As communications improved, a message could be sent by letter or by a system of signalling stations which had been set up around the coast. One pilot was known to use homing pigeons, which were released by an obliging lighthouse keeper when he recognised a passing ship.

The Cobles

The pilots’ boats were called “cobles”, and were similar to those used by the local fishermen. The coble is a kind of boat which is only found on the north east coast of England, and is still used as a fishing boat today. The design of the pilots’ coble differed depending on where it had been built. In the middle of the 19^th century, Hartlepool boats were built by Jonathan Cambridge, in his yard overlooking the Fish Sands, and by the Pounder family. Hartlepool-built cobles were 27 to 28 feet (around 8.5m) long, 5 to 6 feet (1.5m) across, and about 2.5 to 3 feet (1m) deep. They were made from only ten planks of wood. This required great skill, but meant that there were fewer joints, so the boat was much stronger. This was important because the coble would get buffeted about when it was alongside a ship’s hull. At the beginning of the 19^th century, they carried a two-man crew, but by the end of the century this had increased to three. The third person was an assistant to help row or sail the boat.

Each boat carried a spare rudder and two removable masts; a short one for bad weather, and a larger one for fine weather. In heavy seas, sacks of sand were used as ballast (a heavy weight to make the boat more stable). Pilot cobles could be recognised by their markings. They were always painted or tarred black, with their licence number and port identification letter on the side (bow). The identification letter for Hartlepool was an “H”. The boats all flew a red and white flag. Some pilots had two types of vessel, a coble and a boat. Boats were lighter, and handled better in fine weather. They were 18 ½ feet (5.5m) long. They had no mast, and were rowed by the pilot and his apprentice. When not in use, the boats and cobles could be landed on the beach, and dragged up above the high tide mark. At Hartlepool, they were tied up alongside the “Old” Pier, which became known as the Pilots Pier.

The boats and cobles became less practical by the end of the 19^th century. Cargo ships changed from sail to steam-power, but the pilots kept their traditional vessels. They could not launch their cobles in bad weather, which cost the shipowners valuable time. In the early 1900s the pilots began to use steam cutters. These were larger boats powered by engines, which meant that they were not so much at the mercy of the wind or tide. The cutter would go out taking several pilots at a time. When a ship arrived, a pilot would be ferried over in a small boat. The cutter would also collect pilots who had been guiding outward-bound ships out of the harbour. When all the pilots had been collected or put on board ships, the cutter would go back to harbour to pick up another group.

Earning a Bit on the Side

How much a pilot earned depended on the number of ships he could guide in or out of the harbour. During quiet times, many pilots made extra money from fishing. In winter and spring they caught cod, haddock and whiting. At the end of the summer there were salmon, returning to the River Tees to spawn. Crabs and lobsters could be found among the rocks on the coast. The pilots also sold bait to passing Scottish fishing boats. These arrived in late summer every year, following shoals of migrating mackerel.

Other sources of income included gathering seaweed, which was sold to local farmers as a fertiliser. They also salvaged for wreckage washed up onto the beach. This might include rope, timbers and sails, tar, pitch, copper nails and oakum (a tarred rope fibre, used to waterproof seams in wooden ships). They also collected sea coal from the beach at Seaton Carew, which can be dried out and used as fuel. This is still done by many locals today.

What the Well-Dressed Pilot is Wearing

Pilots spent hours at sea in open boats, looking for business. They needed clothing which would keep them as warm and dry as possible. Pilots around the country wore different styles of dress, but pilots working the same stretch of water all wore similar clothes as a uniform. At the end of the 19^th century a Hartlepool pilot would wear:

thick woollen trousers
a navy blue donkey jacket
a thick woollen jersey called a gansey
oilskins made from stiff calico (a thick cotton fabric) waterproofed with boiled linseed oil
woollen or silk gloves inside leather gloves
woollen stockings
knee length leather boots (the soles were held on with wooden pegs, as nails would have rusted in the seawater)
a sou’wester (waterproof hat) or a peaked cap.

Warm, waterproof clothing is just as important today. A modern pilot is issued with warm trousers and waterproof shoes. The most important item of clothing, however, is the coat. This has a life jacket built into it. If the pilot falls into the water, the life jacket inflates automatically. The coat is also fitted with a light, which can be seen by rescuers over a great distance.

Conclusion

Piloting is a highly skilled and dangerous job. The local pilots from the mid to the end of the 19^th century had a particularly difficult time. The demand for coal meant a huge increase in the number of ships to carry it around the coast. Pilots were needed more than they ever had been before. But conditions at that time were very harsh. The boats and the equipment they used were basic, and there was very little regard for safety. Nevertheless, a pilot was a respected member of the community. There are families in the towns today who have been linked to piloting for generations. Without the pilots to navigate the ships into and out of the docks, the towns of Hartlepool and West Hartlepool would never have become the successful ports which they were at the end of the 19^th century.

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A journey into the port half a century ago

Approaching the port

As one approached the Port from seaward the steam Pilot boat T.H. Tilly would be at anchor or patrolling in Hartlepool or Tees bay ready to supply ships with their Pilots who would be transferred from her using a small motor boat. The ship on receiving her Pilot would then enter the “Roads” called thus as it was the approach to the buoyed channel; Longscar “Bell” buoy, marking the dangers of the Longscar reef, being passed to port. As one turned to starboard into the channel No.1 “Bar” buoy, which was lit during the hours of darkness with a white light, was passed, and during daytime the clank, clank of the steam Dredger Robert de Brus with its two attendant spoil hoppers, H.P. and H.C. numbers 4 and 6 could well be heard hard at work keeping the channel clear of silt and sand. The opposite buoy to “Bar” buoy was No.2 named “Duzzy” buoy by the old Pilots, as when West Harbour entrance was open it was a middle ground buoy and they said it made them dizzy which side to pass it. A blow on the whistle might be required to get the Dredger to heave clear of the channel to let shipping pass in safety before approaching the old “Pilots” pier, built in 1473, and having passed “Spit”, No.3 buoy, inside of which was “Peggy” the old beacon pole which had been a sea mark since the 16^th century. On the port side Middleton jetty, also known as the “Banjo” or stone jetty, was passed and the ship now entered the inner channel. To starboard was “Ipswich” no.5 buoy named after a pub which once stood on the Town Wall opposite.

If ships were having the assistance of Tugs, they would now have made them fast, or be making fast. The tugs could be any of the N.E.R.’s numbers 2,3,4 or 6, or the William Gray, all twin screw steam driven. On approaching the actual docks, one passed on the Middleton side the Foyboatmen’s cabin, and next to it the lifeboat house, inside which was kept the Princess Royal. Next to the lifeboat slipway was the ferry landing, with “Bull” Boagey the ferryman rowing the ferryboat between the Middleton and Hartlepool landings, mostly carrying the workmen going and coming from the Headland to the works of William Grays, “Richies” (Richardson Westgarth), or on the docks. The Hartlepool ferry landing had the lower of the two red lights on it which, when in line, led shipping into the harbour. Just beyond the Middleton landing was Withy’s dam which gave protection to Withy’s Quay (now known as Irvine’s Quay) and on which was the steam driven swan neck crane. This quay was originally where ships built locally had their engines and boilers, which were built by Richies, fitted, and was at this time mainly used to tranship machinery to other shipyards, mainly on the north east coast, although the odd ship built at the Furness yard on the River Tees was sometimes fitted out there.

The Fish Quay

On the opposite side of the harbour was the entrance to the Victoria Dock with, on the corner, the Dock Master’s office, recently demolished to make way for the Fish Quay refurbishment. This takes us nicely to the Fish Quay itself, where half a century ago you would probably see some of the Port’s steam trawlers, Friarage, Longscar, Kudos, Ben Tarbet, George D. Irvin or Loch Blair, all owned by Grahams, or seine netters among which were Sven Knud, or the 1888 built Prince Igor. You also might see a number of keelboats and cobles either landing fish or taking on supplies for the next trip, or they could be on the opposite side of the dock under the ice factory chute taking ice to keep their catches in prime condition. During the herring season “Drifters” would run into the quay, discharge their catches, and then be off again seeking the next shoal. The Fish Quay was at the south end, or to starboard, as you entered the dock, and at the other end, or to port, were the coal staithes; on the west side 17 and 18, 19 and 20 conveyors, and on the east side 25, 26, and 27 spouts. These latter were used mainly to load the smaller ships, like the small Scottish traders. Although always referred to as “puffers”, they were not the true Scottish variety who traded on the west coast; these ships took on board mainly household coal. The Port’s trawlers also bunkered here. Down the centre of the dock were two sets of mooring buoys where shipping could tie up to await their turn to load.

Entering the docks

Returning to the harbour, on the starboard side one would pass more coal loading appliances; from north to south 13, 14, 15 and 16 – these last two being where the larger ships loaded their cargoes. There were also two sets of mooring buoys in the harbour. Directly ahead as you went up the harbour was the “Old Fish Quay”, the Port’s lightening berth (now the deep water berth). Equipped with two cranes, it was used to lighten ships to a draft which enabled them to enter the inner dock system. A ninety-degree turn to port, and the entrance to the inner docks through the North Basin was ahead of you with, to port, the remains of the Middleton shipyard slipways, and the entrance to Irvine’s dry dock occasionally used by small ships for repairs to their hulls ect. Incidentally, behind the Old Fish Quay was the wide expanse of water known as the Slake, used in the early days of the Port to sluice the entrance channel and so to keep it clear of silt and sand, so maintaining the depth of the water.

North Basin and Central Dock

On entering the enclosed docks (the entrance being 70 feet in width and spanned by a swing bridge which carried both rail and road traffic) we enter the North Basin. On the port side was a set of 80-ton sheer legs also used by Richies to lift machinery ect, and with an adjacent crane to carry out repairs on ship engines. On the starboard side was the Central Marine Engine Works’ 100-ton hammerhead crane used to engine, boiler and generally fit out Gray’s new buildings, the engine works being adjacent to this quay. Proceeding through the basin via Number 3 lock, we enter Central Dock. Immediately to starboard was Gray’s number 4 dry dock and, beyond it, the slipways where many fine ships were launched. At right angles to the slips was the quay known as Slag Island (slag being used as the foundation of the quay). This was used by Gray’s as an overflow quay on which ship repairs could be carried out afloat. Behind this quay were the timber ponds on which great rafts of timber floated during their seasoning process. On the port side of Central Dock was the quay known as the “Hydraulics”, so called because it was fitted with cranes powered by hydraulic machinery. Also on this quay was the huge number 8 warehouse. At the height of the timber season, when Union Dock was full, the occasional timber ship would be discharged here.

Union Dock, Coal Dock, Jackson Dock

On leaving Central Dock, again through an opening spanned by a swing bridge carrying road traffic only, we enter Union Dock. Directly to port was a short quay with two cranes and known as “G” and “H” quay. An odd cargo of bricks was sometimes unloaded there, and as it was near to the Dock Engineer’s workshop you would see the Port’s Tugs there undergoing afloat repairs. To starboard were the three jetties of the dock where timber, iron ore, pulp ect. were handled. “A” and “C” jetties were craned with fixed-jib electric cranes, but “B” jetty was un-craned.

In the south east corner of the dock was Pearson’s Corner leading to one of the two sets of locks from which ships entered and left through the old entrance to the West Harbour, which closed in 1924 but which is today, of course, the entrance to our Marina. Ahead but slightly to port was the original dock of the West Harbour, the Coal Dock, with more staithes on its eastern side (numbers 9,10,11 and 12). There was also a large, high conveyor originally built to bunker the Furness- and Irvine-built ships and ships in ballast which had discharged in the West Docks, as well as loading the larger type of ship. At the south end of the Coal Dock was Vulcan Quay, used by Kindbergs as an afloat repair quay. Opposite the staithes was Ballast Quay, sometimes used by ships laying up. To the west of the Coal Dock was Jackson Dock. On its east side, and on the other side of Ballast Quay, was Tay Bridge coal staithes, with the quay at right angles to it having a 20-ton hydraulic crane which was used at times to load pipes. Next to this crane was No. 2 warehouse, which on the odd occasion took a cargo of grain, though it was still in use for storing a variety of commodities, though they were brought by road or rail and not by sea. The quay on the opposite side of Jackson Dock was the North Quay, sometimes used by Grays for ships which they were repairing. Across the top, west end, of Jackson Dock was Gray’s Old Yard with slipways, and the dry dock which today has H.M.S. Trincomalee completing her refurbishment in it. The quay also had a crane which Grays used for the fitting out of their ships. Today, of course, this end of the quay is the berth of the town’s Wingfield Castle, built by Grays and now refurbished and one of the tourist attractions of the Marina. At the south west corner of the dock was the entrance to Swainson Dock, alongside which was Gray’s offices. Between the Jackson dry dock and Gray’s offices was a large workshop used by Grays. It had originally been another warehouse, and on the site today is the excellent Museum of the Hartlepools. Swainson Dock entrance was also spanned by a swing bridge, known as “Racers” (probably because it took so long to move to the open position – it was very slow).

Swainson Dock

When entering Swainson Dock to port was the No. 4 warehouse, famously known as the Match Factory and which so spectacularly took fire and burnt down in 1954. Ahead was the quay behind the railway station on which and by which it was known as the “Tin Sheds”. To starboard as you came into the dock was Gray’s Swainson yard with its launch ways and a further dry dock. A ninety-degree turn to starboard past the dry dock took you into Hart Dock. In the past this dock would have been teeming with ships discharging timber.

Trade and Industry

Having completed a voyage through the dock system some notes on the trades and industry it supported might be appropriate. We have already mentioned the shipyards where Grays built many fine cargo ships and the odd tanker. They did a considerable amount of repair work and dry dock work, as well as constructing marine engines, as did Richardson Westgarth. Kindbergs and Daltons were also ship repairers on the port. The principle trade was “king” coal, mainly shipped to the south of England, but with shipments to Scotland of household and other types of coal. Export cargoes were sent to Scandinavia and Italy and the odd cargo of coke was shipped out. The import of timber was the next important commodity of the trade of the port; props for the mines, sawn wood for building construction, sleepers for the railways, skulskarp and hardwoods, pine from Canada and last but not least, timber for the Match Factory. Paper pulp was brought in for the local paper mill. Steel and iron scrap arrived for the steel works as well as large amounts of iron ore from Scandinavia and Spain. Occasionally a cargo of grain would be discharged into No. 2 warehouse and a cargo of iron or steel pipes loaded at the crane next to No. 2 warehouse. The cranes at “G” and “H” would be in use for the odd cargo of bricks arriving from Belgium. Magnesite from the Steetley works on Spion Cop was shipped using the coal spouts in the Coal Dock. Oil bunkers would arrive in small Tankers from the terminal on the River Tyne.

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