The Hull Trinity House, locally known as ''Trinity House'', is a seafaring organisation consisting of a charity for seafarers, a school, and a guild of mariners. The guild originated as a religious guild providing support and almshouses for the needy, and established a school for mariners in 1787. By the 18th century it had responsibilities including management of the harbour at Hull, and buoys and pilotage in the

Humber Estuary The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal rivers Ouse and Trent. From there to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between the ...

. After the loss of many of its responsibilities as a result of the Humber Conservancy Act of 1852, the guild continued its work as a charity, and the provision of education, which continues to the present day. The school, now known as

Hull Trinity House Academy Hull Trinity House Academy is a secondary school in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Description The school was established on 2 February 1787 as Hull Trinity House Marine School. Originally an independent school, Hull ...

, is now a secondary boys' school. The charity, ''Hull Trinity House Charity'', supports seafarers and their families; supported by property holdings, it operates rest homes, as well as Welton Waters Adventure Centre.

History

The Trinity House was formally established in 1369, by the adoption of the 'first subscription deed', in which Robert Marshall (Alderman), and around fifty other people founded a guild, the ''Guild of the Holy Trinity'', similar to other religious guilds of the day – it would have masses said, attended at the Holy Trinity Church, buy candles, attend funerals, and aid any sick member of the guild. The subscription fee was 2 shillings. Initially there was no clear connection with maritime trades. In 1457,

Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in Englan ...

granted the rights of ' and ' (duties payable for loading and unloading), enabling the guild to build an

almshouse An almshouse (also known as a bede-house, poorhouse, or hospital) was charitable housing provided to people in a particular community, especially during the medieval era. They were often targeted at the poor of a locality, at those from certain ...

and chapel for thirteen persons impoverished by some misfortune relating to seafaring. It is thought by that the guild amalgamated with a 'Shipmans Guild' in around 1457. The same year the property known as "Trinity House" was acquired from Carmelite friars. (It was rebuilt 1753.) In 1541

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...

re-affirmed the guild's right to charge lowage and stowage for the support of an almshouse with a charter, as well as the rights of a legal entity, such as the ability to sue or hold property. The charter was re-affirmed in 1547, 1554, and 1567. In 1567

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". Eli ...

granted the guild powers to settle disputes between ships' masters and seamen, and to prevent any seamen thought unfit to take charge of a vessel. Under a 1581 charter the guild regulated the use of The Haven (late the ''Old harbour''), and licensed pilots. It also positioned

buoy A buoy () is a floating device that can have many purposes. It can be anchored (stationary) or allowed to drift with ocean currents. Types Navigational buoys * Race course marker buoys are used for buoy racing, the most prevalent form of y ...

s and beacons in the

Humber The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England. It is formed at Trent Falls, Faxfleet, by the confluence of the tidal rivers Ouse and Trent. From there to the North Sea, it forms part of the boundary between ...

for navigation. The right to charge ', a local import duty, was granted in the 1581 charter. By the 1600s most matters of governance and tolls relating to the

Port of Hull The Port of Hull is a port at the confluence of the River Hull and the Humber Estuary in Kingston upon Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. Seaborne trade at the port can be traced to at least the 13th century, originally con ...

were controlled by the Trinity House. In 1625, Ferres, an elder brother of the guild founded an Almshouse, ''Ferres' Hospital''; on his death it was taken over by the guild. In 1680 Charles II appointed the guild as managers of the Haven, and affirmed the right to charge primage, set buoys, appoint pilots and make bylaws. Trinity House Hull

The Trinity House Building was rebuilt in 1753, and a guild house added in 1775. The buildings were of brick, with

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and a ...

fronts, in a Tuscan style. Statues of

Neptune Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and the farthest known planet in the Solar System. It is the fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 time ...

and

Britannia Britannia () is the national personification of Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used in classical antiquity, the Latin ''Britannia'' was the name variously applied to the British Isles, Grea ...

were installed above the main entrance, with the building forming a square around a courtyard, with almshouse rooms around it. In 1835 the guild had several other almshouses around the town. The Trinity House became an important institution in Hull in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, with some influence over civic matters, as well as supporting and opposing bills in parliament relating to the towns trade and port. The guild was cofounder of the Hull Dock Company, provided half the capital for the Humber Dock, and backed the creation of the West Dock Company (see West Dock, Kingston upon Hull). During this period members and institutions of the Trinity house were together with the Hull Corporation and other interests constant presences at visits to the town of royalty, nobles and other important persons. The guild was also the authority for other ports, such as

Bridlington Bridlington is a coastal town and a civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is about north of Hull and east of York. The Gypsey Race enters the North Sea at its harbour. The 2011 ...

and the

Port of Grimsby The Port of Grimsby is located on the south bank of the Humber Estuary at Grimsby in North East Lincolnshire. Sea trade out of Grimsby dates to at least the medieval period. The ''Grimsby Haven Company'' began dock development in the late 170 ...

, and its members were consulted by the state on maritime matters. Waters north of

Whitby Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a maritime, mineral and tourist heritage. Its East Cl ...

were governed by a similar historic institution, Trinity House, Newcastle, which also still exists, but which has always been separate and distinct from its Hull counterpart. During the late 16th, 17th and 18th centuries the guild both supported and opposed bills to construct lighthouses at Spurn and Flamborough; acts of 1766 and 1772 placed lighthouse construction under the jurisdiction of the London

Trinity House "Three In One" , formation = , founding_location = Deptford, London, England , status = Royal Charter corporation and registered charity , purpose = Maintenance of lighthouses, buoys and beacons , he ...

, whilst the Hull guild was responsible for lighting and maintenance. All responsibilities passed to the London guild in 1836. In 1810 a lifeboat was set up at Spurn Point, funded by subscription, with a crew provided by the Trinity House. The lifeboat became the responsibility of the Humber Conservancy Board in 1908. The guild reached the peak of its influence and power in the

Napoleonic era The Napoleonic era is a period in the history of France and Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly, the second being the Legislativ ...

, to the extent that it became the target of criticism and attack in the press. In 1852 the guild lost its monopoly on the Humber with the Humber Conservancy Act. Rights of lowage, stowage, and exclusive rights of pilotage were lost in the 19th century. The guild continued in its charitable and educational efforts after it had lost much of its power as regards shipping and pilotage.

Trinity House School

In 1785 a marine school was founded on the property of the Trinity House. A new building was constructed on the Trinity House site, adjacent to the chapel and the school opened in 1787 with 36 boys and with T.O. Rogers as master. Students were taught reading, writing, accountancy, religion, and navigation for three years after which they were apprenticed. The school moved to a new building in 1842, and was split into lower and upper schools in 1849. By 1856 the school taught 98 boys; by the 1870s the school had 180 pupils. By the second half of the 20th century the school ('Trinity House Navigation School') had become an independent secondary technical school. The school was modernised in 1956. In 1963 it had 180 pupils and was located at its 1842 site. A third floor was added to the school in 1973. The school gained "specialist" status in 2008, and became an academy in 2012. In 2013 the school moved to a new site on George Street, using a refurbished former university building, the Derek Crothall building, formerly part of the

University of Lincoln , mottoeng = Freedom through wisdom , established = 1861 – Hull School of Art1905 – Endsleigh College1976 – Hull College1992 – University of Humberside1996 – University of Lincolnshire and Humberside2001 � ...

(ex Humberside Polytechnic) (ex Hull Nautical College until sometime in the 1980s). In 2014 the site of the old school was approved for demolition. The site of the old school is now a car park/events area called Zebedee's Yard.

Notes

References

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External links