Everything about Trinity House totally explained
The
Corporation of Trinity House is the official
General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British
territorial waters (with the exception of Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland). It is responsible for the provision and maintenance of navigational aids such as
lighthouses,
lightvessels,
buoys and maritime radio / satellite communication systems. Trinity House is also the official
Deep Sea Pilotage Authority providing expert navigators for ships trading in Northern European waters.
Master of the Corporation
The Master of the Corporation (now a merely honorary title) is the
Duke of Edinburgh. Previous Masters of Trinity House have included the diarist
Samuel Pepys and the
Duke of Wellington, and
Admiral William Penn (father of
William Penn, founder of
Pennsylvania). Other prominent individuals in Britain, often connected with commercial shipping or the Admiralty, have been associated with Trinity House, including
Winston Churchill, who gained his status as an Elder Brother of Trinity House as a result of his position as First Lord of the Admiralty before and during World War I. Often, especially on naval-related forays during the Second World War, he was seen in Trinity House cap or uniform.
Winston Churchill also had a THV named after him
THV Winston Churchill.
Governance
Trinity House is ruled by a court of thirty-one Elder Brethren, presided over by a Master, at present HRH the
Duke of Edinburgh. These are appointed from 300
Younger Brethren who act as advisors and perform other duties as needed. The Younger Brethren are themselves appointed from lay people with maritime experience, mainly naval officers and
ships' masters but also
harbourmasters,
pilots, yachtsmen and anyone with useful experience.
Trinity House — headquarters of the Corporation of Trinity House
The present Trinity House, was designed by architect
Samuel Wyatt and built in 1796, it has a suite of five state rooms with views over Trinity Square, The Tower of London and The River Thames.
History
The Corporation came into being in
1514 by
Royal Charter granted by
Henry VIII. The first Master was
Thomas Spert, captain of Henry’s flagship
Mary Rose. The name of the guild derives from the church of Holy Trinity and St Clement, which adjoined the king's new dockyard at
Deptford. For many years,
Trinity House depots were maintained in
Harwich,
Great Yarmouth,
Penzance,
Swansea,
East Cowes and on the
Thames (closed some time ago). In December 2002 it was announced that the Great Yarmouth, Penzance and East Cowes depots would close, leaving only Harwich and Swansea remaining, plus the two large tenders
Patricia and
Mermaid.
Operational responsibilities / role of the corporation
Trinity House has three main functions:
The Corporation also inspects buoys provided by local harbour authorities, and provides a Deep Sea
Pilot Service. It no longer provides local pilots for entering ports. Contrary to popular belief Trinity House isn't (and never has been) part of
HM Coastguard although it does work closely with the
Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Trinity House is financed from “Light Dues” levied on commercial shipping calling at ports in the
United Kingdom.
Lighthouse stock
Trinity House maintains 71 lighthouses ranging from isolated rock towers like the
Eddystone to mainland towers like
Southwold lighthouse.
All lighthouses have been automated since November 1998, when the UK's last manned lighthouse,
North Foreland in Kent, was converted to automatic operation.
Lighthouse automation began as far back as 1910 thanks to an ingenious invention of
Gustaf Dalen. His sun-valve was fitted in a number of lighthouses powered by acetylene gas. The vital component was a black metal rod, which was suspended vertically and connected to the gas supply. As it absorbed the sun's heat, the rod expanded downwards, cutting off the gas during the day.
Automation in the modern context began in the early 1980s, made possible firstly by the construction of lantern top helipads at remote rock lighthouses, to enable the rapid transfer of technicians to a lighthouse in the event of a breakdown - and secondly, by the development of remote control technology which enables all lighthouses and lightvessels to be monitored and controlled from the Trinity House Operations and Planning Centre, in Harwich, Essex.
The other General Lighthouse Authorities in other parts of the
British Isles:
Commissioners of Irish Lights - Ireland (Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland)
Northern Lighthouse Board (formerly known as Commissioners for Northern Lights) - Scotland and the Isle of Man
Ensign
The Ensign of Trinity House is a British Red Ensign defaced with the shield of the coat of arms (a St George's Cross with a sailing ship in each quarter). The Master and Deputy Master each have their own flags.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Trinity House'.
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