Accommodation in falmouth
1870 proved to be a turning point in the port's history when the Falmouth Harbour Commissioners came into being on the September 5th of that year. Local shipping agent Robert Richard Broad was appointed the first Chairman of the Commissioners. Under the Falmouth Harbour Order, 1870, the Commisioners had the responsibility to administer Falmouth Bay, Carrick Roads, Cross Roads, and the inner harbour, excluding the area immediately surrounding the docks , and the Penryn River as far as Boyer's Cellars. A total of 16 Commissioners were appointed representing the following organisations: Trinity House (1) Admiralty (1), Board of Trade (1), Borough of Falmouth (4), Falmouth Docks (1), Parish of Falmouth (4), Rt. Hon. Earl of Kimberley (1), Registered ship owners of the port (3).
During the inaugural meeting it was resolved "that dues to be collected be one half penny per ton register on all vessels liable thereto; and that the publication of such rate be made."
Initially, the Commissioners asked the Collector of Customs to collect the harbour dues for a commission not exceeding five per cent of the amount received. Robert Cheesman, Collector of Customs accepted their invitation.
The development of Falmouth Docks attracted a great deal of shipping. New regulations and bye-laws to collect harbour dues and license boatmen were gradually introduced as the Commissioners tackled the job of running the port.
Advertisements for the position of harbour master at a salary of œ150 were published in the Shipping Gazette and other local papers. The Commissioners excluded all men above 55 years and below the age of 32 for the post.
Captain Richard Sherris was appointed harbour master on September 19th 1870. The first five men employed by the Commissioners all had the same christian name. William Henry Worsdel, William Henry Rule, William John Barbery, William May, William Thomas Hall and William Andrew were all sworn in as special constables along with the harbour master. They in fact became the harbour police.
Richard Sherris received the Thanks of the Institution on Vellum from the RNLI in 1881 for rescuing the master of the Whitby brig Marys which ran ashore on Black Rock during an ESE gale. The harbour master and his three man crew carried out the rescue in Commissioners' steam launch Arwenack.
The Commissioners' Harbour Police patrolled the harbour with great vigour in those days. An extract from the harbour master's journal for December 1878 reads: "P.C. Laverty charged a man called Palmer with stealing a 11lb bag of grain from the cargo of the French ship Cygne. Palmer assaulted the P.C. and was subsequently arrested. Magistrates fined Palmer £2 and gave him one month's hard labour in prison."
In the days of sail when crews endured great hardship, poor food and bullying from the ship's officers crew members arriving in Falmouth would contact the harbour police lodging complaints of ill treatment at the hands of their superiors. Another entry in the police journal reads: "Two summons served on the master of the barque Hornby Castle for assault on two seamen at sea. Master fined £5" Other seamen disenchanted with life at sea more often than not deserted their ship. Harbour police working with the County police tracked down the men who were later returned to their vessels. A copy of the receipts and expenditure for the Commissioners from 1870 to 1904 gives a fascinating insight into port revenue and expenditure.
The Board of Trade enquired of the Commissioners in 1880 what type of time balls, guns or other apparatus existed in the port enabling the masters of ships to ascertain correct Greenwich Time. In conjunction with the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce the Commissioners paid £100 in 1897 towards the erection of a Time Ball signal, on the keep at Pendennis Castle, which was lowered each day at 1300 hours allowing ships in the harbour to check their chronometers. The Coastguard station at the castle closed in 1909 and with it went the service.
Falmouth Harbour Commissioners | Commercial Shipping | Leisure Facilities | Approaches | News | Falmouth Town | Tall Ships
Copyright © 2003 Falmouth Harbour Commissioners a Slightly Different Solution
During the inaugural meeting it was resolved "that dues to be collected be one half penny per ton register on all vessels liable thereto; and that the publication of such rate be made."
Initially, the Commissioners asked the Collector of Customs to collect the harbour dues for a commission not exceeding five per cent of the amount received. Robert Cheesman, Collector of Customs accepted their invitation.
The development of Falmouth Docks attracted a great deal of shipping. New regulations and bye-laws to collect harbour dues and license boatmen were gradually introduced as the Commissioners tackled the job of running the port.
Advertisements for the position of harbour master at a salary of œ150 were published in the Shipping Gazette and other local papers. The Commissioners excluded all men above 55 years and below the age of 32 for the post.
Captain Richard Sherris was appointed harbour master on September 19th 1870. The first five men employed by the Commissioners all had the same christian name. William Henry Worsdel, William Henry Rule, William John Barbery, William May, William Thomas Hall and William Andrew were all sworn in as special constables along with the harbour master. They in fact became the harbour police.
Richard Sherris received the Thanks of the Institution on Vellum from the RNLI in 1881 for rescuing the master of the Whitby brig Marys which ran ashore on Black Rock during an ESE gale. The harbour master and his three man crew carried out the rescue in Commissioners' steam launch Arwenack.
The Commissioners' Harbour Police patrolled the harbour with great vigour in those days. An extract from the harbour master's journal for December 1878 reads: "P.C. Laverty charged a man called Palmer with stealing a 11lb bag of grain from the cargo of the French ship Cygne. Palmer assaulted the P.C. and was subsequently arrested. Magistrates fined Palmer £2 and gave him one month's hard labour in prison."
In the days of sail when crews endured great hardship, poor food and bullying from the ship's officers crew members arriving in Falmouth would contact the harbour police lodging complaints of ill treatment at the hands of their superiors. Another entry in the police journal reads: "Two summons served on the master of the barque Hornby Castle for assault on two seamen at sea. Master fined £5" Other seamen disenchanted with life at sea more often than not deserted their ship. Harbour police working with the County police tracked down the men who were later returned to their vessels. A copy of the receipts and expenditure for the Commissioners from 1870 to 1904 gives a fascinating insight into port revenue and expenditure.
The Board of Trade enquired of the Commissioners in 1880 what type of time balls, guns or other apparatus existed in the port enabling the masters of ships to ascertain correct Greenwich Time. In conjunction with the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce the Commissioners paid £100 in 1897 towards the erection of a Time Ball signal, on the keep at Pendennis Castle, which was lowered each day at 1300 hours allowing ships in the harbour to check their chronometers. The Coastguard station at the castle closed in 1909 and with it went the service.
Falmouth Harbour Commissioners | Commercial Shipping | Leisure Facilities | Approaches | News | Falmouth Town | Tall Ships
Copyright © 2003 Falmouth Harbour Commissioners a Slightly Different Solution
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