1851 census occ. - pilot?

[sueky71]

hi,
whilst searching for my grt grt grandmother (ann davies) i found a possible match on the 1851 census, however her fathers occupation is given as pilot and her mother as pilots wife!
can anyone explain what this would be, as surely it wouldn't mean an aeroplane pilot - would it?

[Ecneps]

Wot in 1851?   

More likely to be river or harbour pilot

this is a good site about the lives of Hartlepool pilots as an example:

http://portcities.hartlepool.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConNarrative.118

Barbara

[sueky71]

thank you barbara
that would make alot of sense as they where in liverpool, on a street which contained many mariners, master mariners and mariners wives.

[Ecneps]

It sounds a very interesting life, hard too.  Here's a site about the Liverpool pilotage services  http://www.liverpoolpilots.com/
and a better one:  http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/collections/edmundgardner/pilotageservice.asp

Barbara

[sueky71]

thanks for the link

[celia]

Sueky
In case your interested see my liverpool pilot look-ups below

Cheers
Celia