Liverpool Pilots

The first official Liverpool Pilot Service was established by the Liverpool Pilotage Act of 1766 and resulted in the compulsory presence of a pilot aboard all vessels in the Mersey. The Act regulated the operation of the service and established a Pilotage Committee to oversee the working of the service including the issue of licences.

Illustrated London News 1857 The Liverpool Pilot boats are among, if not the finest in the world, and equal to many a first class yacht. Some thirty or more years ago they were little more than large sized fishing boats, but have wonderfully improved since then.
They are twelve in number and range in lenghts from fifty to seventy feet, more or less, and in tonnage from fifty to upwards of a hundred tons. : and carry from fifteen to twenty hands each, including masters (for there are two, first and second) , journeymen, and apprentices,
There are two cruising grounds viz: - the Hoylake and Westward stations - the former fifteen to twenty and the latter above sixty miles from Liverpool. From Point Lynas to Holyhead - some few miles constitutes the Western stations - There are always six in dock and an equal number at sea- two on the Hoylake and the remaining four on the Westward station
The mode in which they go to work is this:- A boat leaves the dock with her crew on board (or as she proceeds to sea, takes them takes them from outward bound ships) and arrives on the Hoylake Station second in turn. When the boat before her has finished she then becomes first in turn and boards all her hands. The vessels that they board on this station consists of coasting vessels, steamers &c., and sometimes foreign vessels which have passed the Western boats in the nighttime. She then proceeds to Liverpool for her hands, and departs the same or next tide for the Western station: unless as is generally the case, her hands come down to her on the station in another boat or a tug. She then makes the best of her way west, and arrives on the station fourth in turn; when the other three boats finish, she then becomes first in turn. She then boards all hands but two (unlicenced apprentices , which work the boat excepted) which she she puts on board of the boat taking her place. She then proceeds to Liverpool, in charge of the Master and apprentices (the master never going on board a vessel except in cases of urgent neccessity) , and remains in dock until the boat comes up that sends her out Originally they were all cutters but within the last five years they have got six schooners, so that there are an equal number of schooners and cutters. The first schooner No 6, was launched 9th June 1852
A good westerly wind gives them plenty to do, whereas a prevalence of easterly winds keeps the ships knocking about in the channel and consequently their cruise is prolonged . The wisdom of having so many boats on this station at once will easily be understood - in case of a crowd of vessels coming up there is always a boat ready to take the other's place. The boats in dock are also kept in readiness to go to sea. There is also great wisdom in having two masters, for while one is at sea with the boat, the other attends to the business of that boat on shore. The committee is composed of half a dozen or more of the principal ship owners in the port: there are also a superintendant and a treasurer attached: and it is altogether as well-conducted and as well regulated as any establishment in the world. The boats are on their several stations in all weathers, blow high or blow low: and the pilot's life is an arduous one, and extremely dangerous at times. One of the many dangers to which they are subject is boarding vessels in a heavy seawith the punt. When there is a very heavy sea on, one in which a punt could not live, they board the ship with a big boat, which is done in this manner:- The pilot-boat approaches the the ship on the lee side within a yard or two, or as near as she dare, : a line is then passed from the deck of the ship through a block on the lower yardarm, and made fast to the pilot's body, who watching the opportunity either jumps or is swung on board.

Lists of Liverpool Pilots from various sources

From History of the Liverpool Pilotage Service by John S. Rees, published 1949

Year	Pilots	Pilot Boat
	* Indicates a Master
1734	Henry Harrison (Poll Book 1734)	-
1736	Edward Seddon (mentioned in Collins Chart 1736)
	Edmund Sumner.................Ditto...........................
	Samuel Alcock..................Ditto............................
1756	*William Corlett, Owner and Master. Drowned when his boat was wrecked March 1757	Owners Endeavor
1756	*Thomas Harrison. A Principal Pilot Died 10th December 1761 (see 1761)	Two Brothers
1756	*William Bibby
1756	*Thomas Pilmore	Alexander
	*Thomas Fisher (see 1764)	...Ditto...
1756	*Thomas Davies, Owner and Master	Alice
1756	*Robert Stewart	Dreadnought
1756	*Joseph Thompson	Molly.
	*John Lee	.....Ditto.....
1756	*Hugh McGuire	Success
1756	*Thomas Ditton	-
1758	*Richard Mansfield. A Principal Pilot	Betty
1759	*Robert Hughes	-
1759	Thomas Wilson	-
1759	*Joseph Young	-
	*Peter Blackaller	-
	*Benjamin Parry	-
	*Arthur Burness	-
	*Arthur Byrne	-
1761	*Peter Murphey (see 1763)	Two Sisters. Owned by John and Thomas Wright Boatbuilders
1761	*Thomas Harrison (deceased) (see 1756)	Pitt. Belonging to the late Thomas Harrison
1762	----	Edward & Mary
1763	*Peter Murphey (see 1761)	Polly
1763	Rowland Butler. Drowned when being taken overboard by the pilot boat off the Ormshead February 1763	-
1764	*Thomas Fisher. Owner and Master (see 1756)	William
1765	Robert Hunter. Drowned in the Rock Channel June 1765	-

	The First Licensed Liverpool Pilots : Records are incomplete
	*Subsequently drowned
1766	Adlam Henry
	Bibby William
	*John Bibby
	Bramwell Joseph
	Brewer Henry
	*Burness Arthur
	*Callaghan William
	Cullen Joseph
	Davies Thomas
	*Patrick Flood
	*Gearmy Cornelius
	*Gillison William
	Halsall Robert
	*Hardcastle William
	*Jones Owen
	Kennaugh Charles
	Lacy John
	Lee Robert
	*Lloyd Hugh
	Luke William
	Maddox John
	Manson Samuel
	Miller John
	*Moore Gilbert
	*Mort Thomas
	Moss Arthur
	Murphey Peter
	Murray Edward
	Nash William
	Parry Benjamin
	Pilmore Thomas
	*Price William
	Salters William
	Stewart Robert
	Tennant Roger
	Watts Richard
	Williams Griffith
	Williams John
	*Williams William
	*Young Thomas

List of Pilots in the Liverpool Service in February 1808

No 1 Good Intent	Thomas Lake 1st Master, William Hudson 2nd Master, Journeymen. Thomas Walkington, Owen Hughes (2), John Lowe David Robinson, John Pritchard (1), Henry Howard, Peter Byrne,James Slater, John Wilson
No 2 Kitty	Joseph Pattison 1st Master, John Scallion, 2nd Master, Journeymen. Stephen Gibbons John Owens, John Sargeant, Thomas Lloyd, John Higginson, William Cullen
No 3 Earl of Liverpool	John Edwards 1st Master, Ed Edwards 2nd Master, Journeymen. Nicholas Walkington, Richard Williams, John Edwards Jun., John Pritchard (2), John Davies, Thomas Hughes, Robert Nevin, Owen Jones, Hugh Williams, Owen Roberts
No 4 Happy Return	William Kendrick 1st Master, Richard Roberts 2nd Master, Journeymen. John Martin, John Wright, Hugh Jones, Watkin Williams, Peter Bennett, William Mason, Joseph Blakely, William Pendleton, William Lewis, Owen Thomas
No 5 Isaac	Thomas Bennett 1st Master, James Ashton 2nd Master, Journeymen. William Welsh, Nicholas Aiken, Edward Roach, William Tyson, James Whitehead, John Murphy, Samuel Murphy, John Dean, James Lund, Owen Hughes (1), Richard Hunter
No 6 Friends Goodwill	Hugh Peers 1st Master, Joseph Bennett 2nd Master, Journeymen Evan Owens, Thomas Clinton, Joseph Barrow, James Marsh, Thomas Lester, Edward Toner, John Edwards (3), Richard Cavendish, Hugh Peers Jun Cornelius Gleeson, William Whittle, John Cannell, James Marshall
No 7 Liver	William Shewell 1st Master, William Gough, 2nd Master Journeyman, Ellis Hughes, John Fletcher, William Jones (1) John Floyd, John Collins,, James Page, William Royden, William Rowlands, William Parry (1), John Maddox
No 8 Prince of Wales	Robert Edwards 1st Master, Edward Kenny 2nd Master, Journeymen, Henry Williams, Richard Parry, Richard Pritchard (2) Griffith Owens, John Owens, Richard Pritchard (2), James Martin, John Ellis
No 9 Liver	James Kaye 1st Master, Benjamin Donkin, 2nd Master, Journeymen, James Holland, Owen Williams John Woods, William Ellison, Henry Hughes, John P. Dickson, William Murray, Richard Evans, John Manning, John Roberts, Thomas Warrington

List of Pilot Boat Owners in 1824

No 1 Good Intent	Mary Lake, Master Pilot's Widow and John Ball, part owners
No 2 Kitty	James Pattison, Master Pilot. Ruth Hudson, Master Pilot's Widow
No 3 Earl of Liverpool	John Leece, William Addersley, and Agnes Wicks, Exors of John Edwards Master Pilot deceased. Richard Roberts Master Pilot. Maria Edwards and John Collin Exors of Edward Edwards Master Pilot deceased James Edwards Master Pilot
No 4 Happy Return	Thomas Martin superannuated Master Pilot Joseph Blakely Master Pilot Henry Howard Master Pilot
No 5 Isaac	Executors of Thomas Young Master Pilot deceased and Owen Roberts, Master Pilot
No 6 Friends Goodwill	Jane Barrow and William Lathom Exors of John Barrow Master Pilot, deceased Thorley Lester, Master Pilot Ellen Hancock and Martin Peers, Administrators of Hugh Peers Master Pilot, deceased
No 7 George Canning	Ann Shewell, Master Pilot's Widow William Bainbridge Master Pilot Tabitha Miller, Master Pilot's Widow
No 8 Prince of Wales	Watkin Williams Master Pilot Samuel McDowell Trustee for the four children of Edward Kenney Master Pilot, deceased
No 9 Liver	Jane Donkin Master Pilot's Widow John Pritchard Master Pilot
No 10 Prince Regent	Hugh Williams Master Pilot William Parry Pilot Joseph Quirk Master Pilot James Martin Master Pilot William Mason Pilot Hugh Jones Pilot
No 11 Mersey	William Royden Master Pilot Robert Edwards Master Pilot Ann Nevin and John Miller Exors of Robert Nevin, deceased Catherine Hughes, Administrator of Henry Hughes Pilot, deceased William Rowlands Master Pilot William Welsh Pilot

Pilots 1843

Pilots 1860