Hi Princess Poppy,
A Docking Pilot and a River Pilot are much the same and in the past they would probably have been interchangable.
The River Pilot is the person who boards the vessel at the entrance to the river and gives advice to the vessels Master ( Captain) on navigating the river.
The Docking Pilot is nowadays called the Berthing Master and boards the vessel to give advice on the local conditions around the dock or berth.
They would probably be one and the same on the Tyne.
One of the pre-requisits to be a Pilot is that you are a qualified ships Master and that you sailed in command of a ship. You then learn the ways of the river that you are to Pilot. So you see it is not really a changr in proffession but a normal progression. Usually after you have got married and the wife wants you at home more.
The Tyne may have been like the Humber in the far off days and the Pilots life started on the river then after an apprenticship there he would be sent off to sea to learnto be a ships officer before being allowed back on the river.
This was a guild and kept non locals out of the good jobs.
By the way South Shields was a great place as a young officer apprentice. I did my 2nd Mates ticket there.
Iroko
