Hooker, Ray

July 15th, 2005 by JCB
Posted in Obituaries | No Comments »

Ray Hooker

The death was reported of retired Trinity House Pilotage Service Deputy Engineering Superintendent, Ray Hooker, on 18^th January 2005. He was 72.

Born and educated in Hampshire, Ray Hooker joined Camper & Nicholson’s in 1949, where he learnt his early marine engineering skills. In 1954 he joined Blue Star Line, mostly sailing to South America, and he became a Chief Engineer at the age of 28. In 1966, with the onset of more family commitments, Ray joined the British & Commonwealth Shipping Company, sailing on shorter voyages to South Africa, known as the ‘Bullion Run’. He was a member of the Institute of Marine Engineers.

He joined the Pilotage Department of Trinity House in 1968 as the Inspector of Shipping, and later became the Deputy Engineering Superintendent. He was made redundant (with the rest of the Department) in 1988, after the Government had decided that individual ports would be responsible for their own pilotage service. At the time of that change in status of UK pilotage, Trinity House was responsible for providing pilotage in London and in 40 outport districts.

The role of pilotage performed by Trinity House can be traced back through various Acts of Parliament to the original petition for the Charter granted by Henry VIII in 1514.

After redundancy Ray moved back to Hampshire and continued working with a civil engineering company until retirement. He is survived by his wife, Vera, and his son and daughter, Anthony and Michelle.

Submitted by Paul Ridgeway