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Funded and Managed by
City of London Corporation
The London Archives

Trinity House records

Research Guide
north-lee-lighthouse

1. About this guide

This guide explains how to research the surviving records of the Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond.

Trinity House was incorporated by royal charter in 1514. For most of its history, it has had three main functions:

  • General lighthouse authority for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar (Scotland, Northern Island and the Republic of Ireland have separate lighthouse authorities)
  • Pilotage authority for London and forty other districts (known as outports)
  • Charitable organisation for the relief of mariners and their dependants

The records of the Corporation of Trinity House were subject to fire in 1666 and 1714 and bombing in 1940. Though the court minutes survive from 1661, many other series of records are only present from the 19th century.

2. Searching the catalogue

You can search the surviving records on the catalogue under reference code CLC/526. Scroll down to Collection Tree View to see the full list.

3. Online records

None of these records are available online.

4. Lighthouses and lighthouse keepers

Most records of lighthouses and lighthouse keepers were destroyed in the 1940 bombing of Trinity House. Browse CLC/526-05 for a list of surviving records.

Key records include:

  • Light committee minutes, 1941-77 in CLC/526/MS30076
  • Visiting committees' reports on light houses, light vessels, buoys and beacons, 1900 - 1936 in CLC/526/MS30094
  • Engineer's weekly reports on building works for lighthouses and beacons, 1838 - 1839 in CLC/526/MS30095
  • Register of staff appointed, 1914-72 in CLC/526/MS30121
  • 'Station book' listing keepers and crews, 1941-55 in CLC/526/MS30122
  • Registers of pensionable staff in CLC/526/MS30055) for staff born 1870 to 1931

To supplement the missing records, it is advisable to also search the following minutes:

5. Pilots

A pilot is a mariner who guides ships through narrow and difficult waters. Pilots were licensed, not employed, by Trinity House. Records of the examination and licensing of pilots only begin in 1808 as earlier registers are presumed to have been destroyed in the 1940 bombing of Trinity House. Browse CLC/526-06 for a list of surviving records.

Key records include:

  • Registers of pilots' licences (London) 1808-1855, 1865-1986 in CLC/526/MS30172. Registers up to 1929 are indexed by name in our catalogue. Search for the pilot's name followed by the word 'pilots'. Please contact staff for 1930 to 1986.
  • Registers of pilots' licences (outports) 1808-1846, 1810-1876 in CLC/526/MS30174 - These are indexed by name in our catalogue . Search for the pilot's name followed by the word 'pilots'.
  • Lists of pilots already working in outports, 1808 in CLC/526/MS30193
  • Returns of pilotage, 1854 - 1874, 1877 - 1882 in CLC/526/MS30198
  • Pilotage committee minutes, 1809-1969 in CLC/526/MS30158

6. Help for mariners and their dependents

Until 1854, British mariners and their families could petition Trinity House to receive a pension or to enter an almshouse.

Key records include:

These records are all indexed on Findmypast.co.uk. See Trinity House Calendars 1787-1854 (charges apply).

Further records include:

7. Records held elsewhere

Some staff records after 1910 are held still held at Trinity House. Please see the Trinity House website for further information.