Lancaster Port Commission is the Statutory Harbour Authority for the

Port of Lancaster The Port of Lancaster was located at the lowest crossing point on the River Lune and constitutes the central element of maritime Lancaster in north-west England. It dates back to Roman times, but is now based at Glasson Dock. History Early origin ...

. It is now based at

Glasson Dock Glasson Dock, also known as Glasson, is a village in Lancashire, England, south of Lancaster at the mouth of the River Lune. In 2011, it had a population of around 600. History Glasson was originally a small farming and fishing community (whic ...

. It was set up by act of parliament to facilitate the role that the port could play in international trade, particularly the

Atlantic slave trade The Atlantic slave trade, transatlantic slave trade, or Euro-American slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of enslaved African people, mainly to the Americas. The slave trade regularly used the triangular trade route and i ...

. Many of the early commissioners were active slave traders.

History

Several Lancaster merchants and ship owners asked parliament for support in dealing with problems experienced in operating from

Lancaster, Lancashire Lancaster (, ) is a city and the county town of Lancashire, England, standing on the River Lune. Its population of 52,234 compares with one of 138,375 in the wider City of Lancaster local government district. The House of Lancaster was a bran ...

. This led to the passage of the

River Lune Navigation Act 1749 The River Lune Navigation Act 1749 ( 23 Geo. 2. c. 12) is an act of parliament passed by the Parliament of Great Britain. The act recognised the emergence of the Port of Lancaster as a "very considerable" port involved in foreign trade, particula ...

(23 Geo. II, Cap. 12): "An Act for improving the Navigation of the

River Loyne A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

, otherwise called Lune; and for building a Quay or Wharf near the Town of Lancaster in the County Palatine of Lancaster". This led to the construction of St George's Quay in 1750, and the

Custom House A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting c ...

was completed in 1764. Robert Foxcroft was appointed chief customs officer and given the title of Collector. H had oversight of a substantial staff including searchers, clerical officers, landing and coast waiters, a surveyor and a weighing porter.

Port Commissioners

Abraham Rawlinson Abraham Rawlinson (1738–24 May, 1803) was an English politician and merchant. He came from a prominent Quaker family which traded out of the port of Lancaster. Rawlinson served as one of two Members of Parliament for Lancaster from 1780 to ...

, slaver and subsequently MP for Lancaster *

Charles Inman Charles Inman (1810 – April 9, 1899) was an American politician, soldier and farmer, who served two terms in the Tennessee House of Representatives, from 1865 to 1869. A Radical Republican, he typically supported the initiatives of Tennessee's ...

, slaver *

Thomas Hinde Doctor Thomas Hinde (July 10, 1737 – September 28, 1828) was Northern Kentucky's first physician, a member of the British Royal Navy, an American Revolutionary, personal physician to Patrick Henry, and treated General Wolfe when he died in ...

, slaver *

Dodshon Foster Dodshon Foster (1 September 1730 - 2 January 1793) was a merchant who profited from the slave trade. He was involved in the shipping of over 700 slaves during his career.White, p.63 His commercial success was assisted by his connection through marr ...

(1755-1758), slaver *

Thomas Satterthwaite Thomas Satterthwaite (26 March, 1720, in Brighouse – 16 August 1790) was a prominent Quaker in Lancaster, Lancashire who was involved in the slave trade. Early life Thomas was the son of Thomas Satterthwaite (1685-1728) and Mary Ledger. After t ...

(1755-1758), slaver * Robert Dodson (1764-1767)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lancaster Port Commission Year of establishment missing