Henry Wrigley on Harbours

First of all, the statutory duties are set out in the Harbour Act. Control of all vessels, responsible for hazardous cargoes, all this sort of thing. But I think, as with Pilotage, this was when Trinity House asked us to take it over and indeed, 1987 Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister and Trinity House lost the licensing of Pilotage around the majority of the United Kingdom, and the Port Authorities had to become their own Pilotage Authority.

Actually, it did one thing for the Isle of Wight. With Southampton and Portsmouth and Cowes, we conjoined very much with all the Pilotage planning, thinking, enquiries and all the rest of it. That really brought the Isle of Wight very much into the picture, so, there was the Pilotage one had to look after, the fishing boats etc one had to try and help them as much as you can.

Difficult because we don’t have the sort of fishing industry which you associate in the fishing Ports on the east and the west coast, but nevertheless it’s important. And goodness knows what’s going to happen after the end of March with the Europe situation, but no doubt my successor will tell you all about that. We employed quite a few persons who did all the maintenance work for the buoyage and that sort of thing, very important.

I was responsible by statute to ensure that the fairways were kept clear, for the movement of all ships etc which were capable of using the Port. I think the word ‘Chain Ferry’ might spring to your mind but we’ll try and keep clear of that one, but it’s all important.

You see, the chains were off the seas bed. It was the responsibility of the Harbour Master to ensure that when it wasn’t working, they were back on there, clear for ships to move in and out.