Chester Memories: Stuart Wood retires after 41 years at the helm

By Chester Chronicle on Jul 1, 09 08:01 AM in 1900-1999

A CHESTER mariner has retired after spending more than 41 years working for the Liverpool Pilot Service.

Head Mersey river pilot Stuart Wood, 64, retired on June 19.

Stuart set his heart on a career at sea at an early age and has sailed dinghies since he was nine.

Later in life, he was involved in building the replica 1870s pilot schooner Spirit of Merseyside (now Spirit of Fairbridge).

After a seven-year apprenticeship, he received his pilot's licence in 1968, just before getting engaged to his now wife, Sally.

The couple live in an old sandstone cottage in Bickerton.

They have a son, Simon, a daughter, Sarah and two grandchildren with another on the way.

Stuart's career spanned the end of Liverpool's great liner and traditional cargo ship era into containerisation and high technology.

"I'm thrilled to have lasted long enough to see the liners come back here," he said.
"When I started there were still liners like Circassia and Cilicia on the India run, Apapa and Aureol for West Africa.

"The White Empresses went to Canada, Sylvania went to New York and occasionally we saw the great green goddess, Caronia.

"And it was always a thrill to deal with the Elders Fyffes banana boats for obvious reasons!"

But Stuart didn't have an easy start - he suffered from seasickness until a "wiry Welshman" called Taffy Williams told him he was fed up of him doing nothing.

"We were in the Bay of Biscay and he gave me a bottle of water and a packet of Jacobs crackers and ordered me to get working," Stuart remembered.

"Well, it cured me and I've never had a problem since."

In his four decades there have been some severe changes in the Mersey's fortunes, but Stuart has no regrets.

"Nobody said it was going to be easy, but pilots get the self-determination to cope," he said.

"Shipping is all about ups and downs, but we're well armed, as a group, to go into the hard times.

"Trade into Liverpool has improved and the size and technical complexity of ships is growing.

"Although we're not the biggest, the Liverpool Pilot Service is the premier pilot service in the UK."

What would he advise any keen youngster wanting to seek a career as a ship's pilot?
"I'd say, 'What are you waiting for? Go for it'. I've loved every minute."

The picture shows Stuart Wood on the Cruise Liner terminal at the Pier Head.