Pilot

[paulbarrett1984]

What would a Pilot do in 1881? 

Ta,

Paul. 

[RJ_Paton]

Guide boats/ships.

have a look at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/videonation/articles/l/liverpool_riverpilot.shtml

for a modern version

[behindthefrogs]

In the 19th century "pilot" was the general name for someone who steered a ship.  It had not established the more specialized meaning of guiding ships up rivers and into port.

David

[RJ_Paton]

The Dover pilots who guided ships through the straits of dover to France Holland and between the Thames and the Medway formed an association in 1526.

Pilots in the Cinque Ports were originally high-status seamen who were vital to the Channel passage trade, being hired to conduct ships through the dangerous Dover Straits, to the ports of Holland, Flanders and France, and to the entrances to the Rivers Thames and Medway.

http://www.dover.gov.uk/museum/resource/articles/cinqueportspilots.asp

[Zelley]

We musn't forget that some pilot boats were lost with the loss of one or more crew members

[iroko]

Paul,

A Pilot boards a ship at sea usually off the entrance of a port and gives navigational advice to the vessels Master.
This is an ancient profession and probably is as old as seafaring itself.
There were some `Deep sea Pilots` who would join a vessel off the Cornish coast, using very fast rowing gigs to race each other for the work, and give advice for the passage up the Channel.  Then Pilots off Dover to take ships to the London Ports or the Ports on the Low Countries.
In 1881 it was a thriving business.

Iroko