The first boat to be built after it had been decided that 40 tons should be the minimum tonnage of the pilot boats, appears to have been the Betty (No. 3), 47 tons in 1773. She was sunk on the 3rd December 1773, when boarding a brig from Bristol, the crew being saved by the brig.
The pilot boat seems to have been raised and was finally lost on the 31st December 1778, in Hoye Lake, when six persons were drowned. The accident was caused by a vessel named the Neptune, driving from her anchorage and fouling the pilot boat, damaging her to such an extent that she foundered. There is no evidence of another No. 3 boat until the early part of 1788, when another Betty is mentioned.
The Isaac (No. 5), 46 tons, was built in 1778, and the Friends Goodwill (No. 6) is found in 1781. In 1786, No. 2 was the Kitty but she could not have been in the Service before 1785. W. N. Wright, of Liverpool built a new Kitty, 41 tons, an improved type of craft, in 1787.
The Prince of Wales (No. 8), 45 tons, and the Liver (No. 7), 46 tons, were both built in 1788, the latter to replace the Nelly, wrecked on the East Mouse about November, the previous year. Another Friends Goodwill, 47 tons, was built in 1789, and in the same year the Nancy (No. 1) appears; she was not in the Service before 1786, but was built in 1768, so was by no means a new craft when she became a pilot boat.
The second Happy Return, 46 tons, was built in 1789, and the Earl of Liverpool (No. 3), 55 tons, in 1798, by W. N. Wright.
In May, 1799, an additional boat, No. 9, the Liver, 42 tons, built in 1796, by Grayson & Fearon, at Liverpool, entered the Service. In 1800, the Good Intent (No. 1), 50 tons was acquired by the Pilot Service, pending the completion of the new Kitty being built for the Service by W. N. Wright.
No. 1. Good Intent. No. 6. Friends Goodwill.
No. 2. Kitty. No. 7. Liver.
No. 3. Earl of Liverpool. No. 8. Prince of Wales.
No. 4. Happy Return. No. 9. Liver.
No. 5. Isaac.
It will be observed that both "No. 7' and "No. 9" boats were called the Liver, the latter was bought secondhand with that name.
It will be obvious that these small pilot boats had, in rough weather, to find shelter as soon as possible, and it was customary for those cruising in the vicinity of the Ormes head to do so in Beaumaris Bay, but the lack of a suitable rendezvous or depot, where they could refit and store in this locality when necessary, gave rise to much uneasiness.
With a view to a remedy, in the year 1766 the Pilot Committee approached Sir Hugh Williams, Bart, of Baronhill, Beaumaris, concerning Priestholm Island (Puffin Island), N.E. of Anglesea, with the hope that the Island might be leased to them for the use of the Liverpool pilot boats, but a difficulty at once presented itself, for at the time a lease could not be granted.
During the negotiations for Priestholm, it was pointed out that the rent would be twelve guineas a year, and that the rights regarding the puffins and rabbits there, were reserved for separate tenants, and in the event of the pilots occupying the Island the Pilot Committee would be required to make themselves responsible for any damage that might be done to the tenants' interests, to which conditions the Committee replied that the rent was too high and that they were not prepared to take any responsibility for the rabbits and puffins.
As the scheme submitted to Sir Hugh provided for extensive improvements at the Committee's expense, the absence of a lease negated such expenditure, so further consideration appears to have been postponed.
In 1772-the year before Viscount Bulkeley attained his majority-further representations relative to the contracting for Priestholm Island were made by a deputation which waited upon Sir Hugh Williams, who then assented to receive proposals on the subject, and in November of that year, the Committee intimated that, with a lease for a number of years, they were prepared to erect buildings for the use of the pilots, or alternatively to pay six per cent, per annum, upon any sum Sir Hugh would expend on the required buildings, if he were so disposed, and the Committee would undertake to build a pier for the use of the pilot boats, and to maintain a light on the island every night, which they considered would be useful to the trade of Beaumaris and to all ships passing that way.
In support of the request, they went on to say "when Sir, you consider that this application divested of any private selfish motive, is for public good, and that we in our present capacity are supplicants for a body of men, truly valuable (though faulty) that many of them have large families, entirely dependent upon their industry and preservation, which another fatal year as that of 1770 would make truly deplorable, which in some degree (with due respect to the Divine Being) is in your power to prevent," but twelve months elapsed without any reply to their suggestions, and the project seems to have been abandoned.
At this time, it was considered by some, that Moelfre Bay was the most suitable place to the westward, to build a pier and fix a mooring buoy close to, for the safety of the pilot boats, on the grounds that a boat could lie afloat in all weathers, with the wind south, from thence to west, north, and as far to the eastward as N.N.E., and further, that the pilot boats would be in sight of any vessel passing.
The problem of a place of refuge was still undecided in 1775. On October 27th, of that year, John Phillips, whose name will always be associated with the building of the first Smalls Lighthouse, 1774-1776 addressed an open letter to the Pilot Committee. After remarking that it was conceded by everyone that a secure look-out station for the safety of the pilot boats was urgently needed, he quoted the opinion of Henry Berry, the Liverpool Dock Engineer, an opinion shared by others, who had surveyed Moelfre, and who regarded it as "not only safe and comfortable for this purpose, but of like efficiency as a road for ships in general." It was estimated that the scheme would necessitate the expenditure of about one thousand pounds. Phillips, prompted by the vital importance of the purpose, and realizing the difficulties in providing such a sum suggested a mortgage should be raised.
But nothing was done in the matter at the time, and Moelfre was not destined to be the place eventually selected by the experts.
Some years later, the possibilities of finding a suitable rendezvous in some other locality were explored, and on the 14th April, 1779, Captain William Hutchinson and William Quinney, members of the Pilot Committee, Henry Berry, previously mentioned, and the riding master, Folk-Jones, started on horseback, from Liverpool, with this object before them, and on completing their investigations made the following report to the Pilot Committee: -
"On Wednesday, April 14th, four of us, with horses, went from here and got to Moelfre Bay. Friday the 16th, when the wind happened luckily to blow easterly, right upon the shore, but no stronger than we reckoned a ship might carry top- sails by the wind, yet made the waves run so high, that made us despair of ever being able to get a Pilot harbour made here, for any certainty to stand and answer the intended purpose, for the waves had washed up a bar of gravel 6ft. high, above and where their fishing boats lay, which must be washed away by land floods, to get their boats out, and we found large stones washed ,up to high water mark, and pebble stones upon the green sod, sat the outer part of the bay, by the waves. Mr. Berry pointed and marked out in the small chart, the best that could be done to make the harbour in that direction, that the waves from the, sea might run past the mouth of it, if the outer pier could be made to stand, which was doubtful, for there was a plot of tough land washed down this tide, where the pier was to be built. After spending the day here, we were obliged to ride seven miles into the country, to get accommodation for horses and ourselves.
"Saturday, 17th, set out early and rode past Parys Mountain to Amlwch where we found two of our pilot sloops. At Mr. Berry's request, in the morning went and examined .the sea shore from Amlwch round the Point of Linas, to the, cove in Freshwater Roads, which some of our pilots were for having made into the Pilots' Harbour, others of them were very strenuous for Bull Bay. We were agreeably surprised to find the sea much smoother here to the eastward of Point Linas than it was yesterday at Moelfre Bay, though the wind blowed much stronger right upon the shore. Owing to the strong tide running past the Point, the waves run very high, and make smoother water within shore of the tide, as it does at the Lock of Belfast.
After examining Bull Bay at high water time, we went in the afternoon to Point Linas again, with all the pilots and intelligent company we could get to give their opinion and advice, when the place was fixed upon as the best that Mr. Berry in his plan first pointed out, at the south side of the first bay on the cast side, about 400 yards from the Point of Linas, which we ventured to call Pilots' Bay and Pilots' Harbour, where two rocks projected into the sea, and form two natural pier heads, between which an entrance may be easily made, as deep as the low water mark, spring tides, up to the green sod, where the Harbour may be made land-locked by giving it a turn to the northward, along the shore, at pleasure, in length, breadth or depth, by digging and wheeling only, with a shelving slope at the head of the Harbour, where the boats may be hauled or hove up, or launched down as occasion may require. When this was agreed upon, we sent a messenger with an open letter to Moelfre, to acquaint any gentlemen or pilots that might come there by water, as expected on this occasion, that we had found a much better place for the intended purpose, and should not return there, as we had promised to do, but might be found at Amlwch.
"Sunday, 18th, in the afternoon we went and saw the great works carrying on for copper ore, brimstone, &c., at Parys mine, which is very well worth seeing. After church, in the evening, we went with a good deal of company and examined Bull Bay at low water time, where we found the 2 pilot boats with their punts on shore, to give us the meeting. We allowed it might be improved to make a good dry Harbour for coasting vessels, but not fit for pilot boats to get readily in and out to board ships, which would always be fearful to come near when the wind blew upon the shore, and it is allowed that when the waves run high with westerly gales, that ships cannot be boarded till they get in smoother water, under the eye of Point of Linas.
"Monday, 19th, we went with two hired men to assist Mr. Berry who made a survey round the Point of Linas, from Linas Bay to the intended Pilots' Harbour, where we had a great deal of company, and the pilots with their punts, leads and lines, &c., and sounded Pilots' Bay and entrance into the intended Harbour, and found it steep and 10 fathoms deep, with a soft bottom at half a cable's length from the shore, as in the small chart, therefore not liable to be filled up with the washing of gravel from the sea, as we perceived Moelfre to be, so that it appeared to us, as well as to our great company, that a Pilots' Harbour might be made here, to answer the important purpose of saying lives and property, by labour only without any masonry. We had ale brought and drank success to Pilots' Harbour, 'which all the neighbourhood, great and small, seemed to be well wishers to its going forward.
"Tuesday, 20th, not finding any come by water to assist on this occasion, as advised by gentlemen here, we got Mr. Folk Jones, the riding officer, who had accompanied us in all our proceedings, to go with us to the owner of the land, Henry Morgan, Esq., at Amlwch, and sent in our deputation, and Mr. Berry's survey of the Point of Linas and the Harbour we wanted to make. He ordered us what liquor we chose to drink, and sent word by Mr. Jones, that he was not against public useful improvements, and if Mr. Jones would come with a fair copy of the drawing and proposals, of what we wanted, and stay a night with him, he would then consider it and give an answer.
"Wednesday, 21st. The Ormes head lying so much nearer than the Point of Linas, we went to look at the eastwards of both of them, to see if they afforded such convenience of making a Harbour, as Mr. Berry has pointed out, but found none, therefore made the best of our way home.
"(Signed) William Hutchinson. Henry Berry.William Quinney. 1779
The following arrangements, which came into force on the 1 st October 1781, seem to have been the outcome of the Committee's investigations and efforts in 1779: -
Pilots will be stationed at the Point of Linas, the N.E. point of the Island of Anglesea, and the N.W. point of Beaumaris Bay, lying about five leagues to the eastward of Skerries Lighthouse, and may be easily distinguished by being a high, bold, steep point, projecting into the sea from Pilots' Harbour, on the west side above 600 yards and all Beaumaris Bay open to the cast.
A house painted white is built on the Point for the pilots, with a flagstaff and colours to hoist occasionally by day, and two small reflecting lamp lights lighted in the upper windows by night, one facing N.W. and other East, also two mooring buoys in the Bay on each side of the Point, for the pilots' sailing boats to ride.
Opposite the house on the cast side in Pilot's bay, a slip is made from high to low water mark, with a grab to heave up and launch occasionally, a six oar'd boat to board ships.
All ships wanting pilots for Liverpool or the adjacent ports, may steer boldly for this Point, hoist their colours by day and show lights or fire guns by night, run close inshore and bring to, either in Williams' or Pilots' Bay, within the race of the strong tides off the Point, according to the winds, that they may be boarded in smooth water, with the greater safety both to them- selves and pilots, either with their sailing or rowing boats, stationed on both sides of the Point. The shore there is steep, and good anchorage may be found when the wind is off shore.
That the Committee's hopes, relative to the development of Pilots' Harbour were realized, seems certain, for at the end of the year 1784, in reply to a communication from the Right Honorable Lord Bulkeley, offering to re-open negotiations for the use of Priestholm Island for the pilots, they stated that the improvements made at the Point of Lynas answered every purpose which Priestholm Island was intended to serve.
For twenty years before there was any authorized pilotage, it was the custom for pilot boats to lie in Amlwch Harbour, waiting to board vessels when they approached, and the practice was to some extent, but for another reason, indulged in after a regularized system of pilotage was inaugurated. The pilot boat cruising in the vicinity of Point Lynas, preparatory to taking the boarding station, when the boat on turn immediately preceding her had boarded all her pilots, was at times beached in Amlwch, when wind, tide and other circumstances permitted, which action afforded the crew a rest, from what would otherwise have been constant vigilance and activity maneuvering the boat in the open sea.
But what was a relief to the pilots, proved to be an annoyance to a certain cleric residing there, who regarded the presence of pilot boats in the Harbour as a trespass, and wrote informing the Pilot Committee that the pilot boats were being moored above high water mark, and requested that he should be paid the sum of half-a-guinea per annum, as compensation.
The Committee, in a facetious frame of mind replied that, although they were conversant in maritime affairs, they were at a loss to understand how boats of a great draught of water, could be run up above high water mark. And with regard to his claim for recompense, it would be necessary for him to produce evidence that he was entitled to collect tonnage rates from vessels using Amlwch Creek, which they very much doubted he would be able to do, adding, that had the Harbour been one from which the pilot boats could get to sea with northerly winds, steps would have been taken when the Liverpool Pilotage Act of 1766 was under consideration, to empower the committee to develop the Harbour so that the pilot boats could remain afloat at low water.