Gloucester Docks &
the Sharpness Canal

Bristol Channel Pilots

This page compiled by the late Alex Wood lists information about some of the individual Bristol Channel pilots who guided ships in the difficult tidal waters of the River Severn outside the entrance to the canal at Sharpness. Another page provides background information on the role of these pilots.

Name

Born Circa

Licenced

Retired

Resided

Notes

Addle, Thomas

1814

1835

1875

Purton

Aldridge, Ambrose Wm

1862

1886

1937

Newtown

Lydney licence in 1894

Ashford, John William

1873

1910

1924

Ashford, Joseph

1821

1854

1868

Purton

Biddle, James

1859

1881

1892

Brinkworth, Enoch

1856

1879

1897

Became Dock Master at Gloucester

Brinkworth, John Edward

1865

1889

1906

Brother of Enoch Brinkworth, became Dock Master at Sharpness old entrance

Bruton, William jnr.

1823

1851

1887

Son of William Bruton snr

Bruton, William snr.

1804

1837

1873

Wanswell

Dimery, Thomas

1857

1882

1900

Became landlord at the Pier View Hotel, Newtown

Dowdeswell, John W

1862

1887

1929

Dowell, Stephen Frederick

1844

1869

1877

Drowned in tidal basin at Sharpness

Everett, John

1807

1835

1872

Purton

Everett, Rainert

1874

1910

1941

Wanswell

Everett, William Joseph

1845

1870

1902

Griffey, Charles, J

1898

1938

1964

Brookend

Griffey, Henry Hinder

1872

1899

1942

Griffey, Mark Francis

1904

1941

1969

Brookend

Hill, Stephen Tom

1877

1912

1929

King, John

1848

1874

After 1910

King, John George

1875

1907

1940

Wanswell

Lane, Albert A

1894

1934

1961

Sharpness

Langford, Thomas Henry

1874

1899

1934

Lewis, Samuel Kingscote

 1850

1875

1889

Became harbour master at Lydney

Margrate, Thomas

1780

1833

1853

Matthews, Henry

1773

1833

1851

Wanswell

Matthews, William

1811

1833

1881

Wanswell

Son of Henry Matthews

Merrett, Thomas

1824

By 1854

1863

Wanswell

Killed in an accident at Sharpness

Mills, Henry

1848

1877

After 1914

Mills, Robert Albert

1859

1880

After 1910

Morgan, George William

1856

1879

After 1914

Morgan, George W B

1824

By 1854

1887

Son of Thomas Morgan

Morgan, Howard J

1909

1941

1974

Sharpness

Left service 1951 - 1968. Rejoined 1968 - 1974

Morgan, Richard Davies

1868

1894

1941

Brookend

Son of George W B Morgan

Morgan, Ronald H R

1920

1943

1983

Brookend

Grandson of Thomas H Morgan & Thomas H Price

Morgan, Thomas

1800

1833

1858

Beachley

Morgan, Thomas Henry

1858

1881

1908

Wanswell

Son of George W B Morgan

Organ, Fred

1887

1914

1955

Purton

Organ, Thomas

1854

1878

After 1923

Palmer, Enoch

1846

1870

1882

Breadstone

Phillips, Enos

1859

1884

1933

Newtown

Pick, Frederick

1849

1877

After 1910

Pick, Henry William

1843

1869

1879

Pick, James

1817

1840

1869

Berkeley

Became harbour master at Lydney

Pick, William

1795

1833

1858

Price, Albert John

1869

1899

1938

Son of Thomas Price

Price, Frank jnr

1888

1924

1956

Wanswell

Price, Frank snr.

1867

1894

1935

Brookend

Price, Henry

1845

1870

1882

Price, Stanley

1894

1934

1961

Newport

Price Thomas

1835

1865

1895

Wanswell

Son of William Thomas Price

Price, Thomas Henry

1865

1889

1933

Newtown

Price, William

1832

1865

1875

Price, William Thomas

1809

1839

1872

Wanswell

Smart, Henry

1838

1866

1900

Smith, Bruce R

1879

1924

1945

Sharpness

Smith, Charles

1834

1864

1901

Son of Daniel Smith

Smith, Daniel

1806

1835

1880

Wanswell

Smith, Henry

1853

1877

1899

Smith, Henry Samuel

1823

1850

1886

Smith, James

1817

1842

1875

Purton

Became deputy harbour master at Sharpness

Smith, Robert J S

1851

1876

1891

Smith, William

1833

1860

1898

Wanswell

Son of Daniel Smith

Smith, William Charles

1863

1890

After 1931

Smith, William Henry

1864

1886

After 1913

Lydney licence in 1884. Retired because of ill health

Steel, Stephen

1818

1844

1868

Pitbrook

Tanner, Joseph

1855

1879

After 1919

White, Henry

1857

1881

1898

Williams, Alfred George

1858

1880

After 1910

Williams, Edward

1806

1834

1867

Purton

Williams, Edward J T

1905

1938

1970

Brookend

Williams, George

1831

1858

1894

Williams, James

1800

1833

1866

Purton

Died on his cutter

Williams, James Addle

1868

1901

1930

Williams, Thomas A D

1898

1936

Brookend

Williams, Thomas James

1850

1876

1897