GRAYS AND TILBURY GAZETTE AND SOUTHEND TELEGRAPH 1889 and 1899 1 5 January 1889 THAMES HAVEN SUPPOSED FATAL ACCIDENT ON THE THAMES On Thursday the 27th of December, Arthur Hind, the Customs waterman at Thames Haven, left for his usual weekly trip on business to Gravesend. As he did not return, a telegram was dispatched to Gravesend by Mr Hawke, the Customs officer at the Haven, and a reply was received that Hind had left Gravesend, another man accompanying him in the boat. The boat was found aground on Friday in the vicinity of the Haven, and filled with mud and water. No tidings have been received of the men, and it is feared they have been drowned. Both men are married, Hind having a wife and four children, and his mate a wife and five children. This sad event has cast a deep gloom over the residents at the Haven. 2 12 January 1889 GRAVESEND PETTY SESSIONS CHARGE OF UNLICENSED PILOTAGE George Alex Petrie jun, a waterman, was summoned for continuing in charge of a ship after a qualified pilot had offered his services. Mr G Clinch appeared for complainant, and said that complainant had given signals with the pilot's flag and with his whistle, which were well understood, as a tender of his services as a pilot. By remaining in charge of the vessel, defendant had rendered himself liable to a penalty not exceeding £30. Robert Thomas Hudson, licensed pilot for exempt ships, said that defendant was an unlicensed man. On Friday, witness went in his boat for the purpose of offering his services to the exempt ship River Surgan. Got to within 20 or 30 yards of the vessel. Had the pilot's flag up ; there was no fog ; blew his whistle ; saw defendant on the starboard side of the bridge ; he looked at witness, and then went to the port side. His hand moved as if working the telegraph. The ship moved away. Witness hailed the ship two or three times, and defendant looked round. Rowed ashore and went to Fenchurch Street by the 9.30 train. Went to Wapping, boarded the ship, and saw the captain. Defendant was then on board ; saw him work the telegraph. He said to witness he had no business to board the ship, and told him to get out of her. He said he was in charge. Witness told him he should make an example of him. He then asked the captain to order witness off. The captain said that defendant told him that, as his was an exempt ship, he could employ anyone he liked. It was not true that witness was no nearer to the ship than 200 or 300 yards. Thomas James Hudson, complainant's son, corroborated. When his father blew his whistle, the ship replied by three or four blasts. The vessel steamed away, and they could not catch it. Cross-examined : Complainant held the pilot flag up by his hands as the staff was broken. Complainant said the flag was fully displayed. Defendant said he was called by Row's apprentice to take the ship, as there was no pilot ; there were none on the pier ; he never saw Hudson. The captain told complainant he didn't see him, and asked him what he meant by coming on board. It was hazy, and they could not see more than 400 or 500 yards. Complainant, if he had wanted the ship, could have gone on board before, as the ship was lying off Gravesend for two hours. Arthur Edward Jennings said that he was on the Pier when the ship came up. Saw defendant go aboard. Complainant's son said he wished his father were there, then defendant would not have the ship. Afterwards, saw complainant half way between the piers. Witness was abreast of the Town Pier ; heard him blow the whistle ; was about 50 yards off ; the ship was further off ; should say complainant was never nearer to it than 100 yards. Complainant held up something ; you couldn't tell whether it was a flag or a handkerchief. The ship was already well under weigh ; could not say if it was full speed ; when witness heard the whistle the ship was abreast of him. Cross-examined : Complainant was holding the flag from the time he started. Heard him hail the ship as he was getting across the water. William Dove said he fetched defendant, there being no pilots about. The ship was going full speed when off the Clarendon Hotel. Cross-examined : Stood on the Terrace Pier and saw Hudson start. Saw something in his hand, but did not know what it was. There was no whistling or hailing. Heard none. The ship was at the Town Pier Buoy when complainant started. He started 15 or 20 minutes after defendant went on board. James Simons, jun, waterman, said he was in the steamer Brankelow off the Town Pier. Heard a whistle and saw complainant rowing. The ship was well over towards the north shore when complainant rowed under his stern. The steamer was 350 feet long. The ship was going full speed. Complainant did not get to within 150 yards of the ship. Saw him hold up something, but did not know what it was. Pilot flags were usually held in the hand by a staff. Cross-examined : The stern of the Brankelow was abreast of the Town Pier ; might have been a little above it. It was moored to the second boat. The ship was above the Brankelow when defendant passed her stern. The Chairman said that they felt some doubt whether the flag had been properly displayed. It would have been more satisfactory if the captain had been called. Mr Clinch said it appeared he was at sea, but the burden of disproving complainant's evidence lay with defendant. The evidence as to the whistle being answered from the ship had not been denied. The magistrates retired and, on their return, dismissed the summons. 3 19 January 1889 THE DROWNING OF A PILOT THE DUTIES OF THOSE WHO FIND BODIES Mr W G Penman held an inquest on Saturday on the body of Richard Cock, aged 56, an exempt Trinity House pilot of Berkley Road, Gravesend. Mary Ann Cock, deceased's wife, identified the body and said that he was weak in his legs through rheumatism, and used a stick for support. She knew of none who bore him ill will. He was not subject to fits. Edward Stevens said he saw deceased on the Terrace Pier about 6.30 am on the 11th inst. Saw him again twenty minutes later at the Pier Master's office, About seven he went away towards the Terrace. He had a stick and seemed well. George Tovey, Thames Conservancy waterman, said at about 7.50 am he went to the Commercial Bridge and saw something floating in the river eight or ten yards from the water's edge. Called the attention of Cook, a waterman, who was mopping out his boat. He said several times it was nothing. Witness said if Cook would not go to it, he would. Got into Cook's boat and rowed to the object, which was found to be the body of deceased lying face downwards. Cook held the body while witness went back. Left Cook in charge and went for the police. Thought at first the body would be that of one of the watermen drowned in Higham Bight. Did not notice a stick. There was a little tide running down, and deceased might have been carried by it from the Terrace Pier. From the water to the lamp at the bottom of the Bridge was, he thought, about 100 ft. There was a guard about six inches high round the bridge. Cook did not show any surprise when his attention was called to the body, or make any remark when it was found to be deceased. Dr Andrews said about 8.15 he was called to the Commercial Bridge. Deceased was then dead, but he should think he had not been many minutes, as the body was warm. He thought deceased could not have fallen from the Terrace Pier, as it would have taken a longer time for the body to come down. Deceased had foamed at the mouth more than usual in such cases. This led witness to suppose he had had a fit. PC Deadman said that on reaching the bridge he saw deceased in the water, held by Cook. The head was a little above the water. Witness sent for a doctor, and had the body got out. Artificial respiration was attempted, but there seemed to be no signs of life. 21s and other articles were found on the body. The inquest was adjourned and resumed on Monday. James Cook, waterman, said he went down to the Commercial Pier on Friday about 7.30 am. Tovey came up in about ten minutes, and said he thought there was a body there ; they rowed to the object ; witness laid hold of deceased's coat, and Tovey rowed to the pier. Tovey fetched the police. Witness asked someone on the bridge to help him get the body out of the water, but was told he must leave it alone till the police came ; a policeman came along afterwards. Witness saw deceased in the Terrace Hotel, about six. He left about 6.30. When witness held the coat collar, the face would be partly out of water. It did not feel warm. If deceased had gone down the bridge, witness would probably have seen him.