Catalogue description Whitehaven Harbour Commissioners

YSH/1 Minutes

YSH/2 Bondholders

YSH/3 Accounts

YSH/4 Harbour Traffic

YSH/5 Correspondence

YSH/6 Plans

Whitehaven Harbour Commission

• Whitehaven, Cumbria
• Whitehaven, Cumberland

The "Board of Trustees of the Town and Harbour of Whitehaven" was set up in 1709 following an Act of Parliament the previous year. This board, under the considerable influence of the Lowther family administered both the harbour and the town, dealing with matters such as water supply and street lighting, as well as levying duties and making improvements to the harbour.

However, in 1894 the Board of Trustees was divided into two bodies following increasing pressure for the incorporation of Whitehaven as a borough. Elections for Whitehaven Town Council were held in November 1894.

The new Board of Harbour Commissioners comprised of four members nominated by Lord Lonsdale, four members nominated by Whitehaven Town Council, three members elected by traders and ship owners, and four members elected by the bondholders. The Board arranged to meet on the first Friday of the month in the Town Hall, and every Friday in the harbour offices. In June 1895 the Board sold the Town Hall - property of the harbour - to the Town Council, and subsequently all meetings were held in the harbour offices. Three committees were created, finance, works and general purpose, and the Commissioners continued to institute bye laws, and undertake harbour improvements. Women could not stand for election as commissioners until 1991.

Though Whitehaven Harbour no longer sees the throughput of trade that it did in its heyday, the Commissioners continue to develop and promote the harbour as a focus for regeneration

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