Sidgwick, Len

June 13th, 2007 by JCB
Posted in Obituaries | No Comments »

LEN SIDGWICK  31.05.1927 - 20.02.2007

Len Sidgwick was born in Middlesbrough in 1927. From an early age he had an interest in the sea, probably inherited from a Master Mariner Grandfather. He also had a love for football and as a boy played alongside Don Revie for Middlesbrough Swifts but, fortunately for the Tees Pilotage Service, he embarked on a maritime career.

In 1943 he commenced a long association with the Missions to Seamen when he worked with Chaplain Bob Precious whilst waiting to commence his apprenticeship with the Tees Pilots. On completion of that apprenticeship he served aboard Unilever’s “Fort Remy” then United Africa’s “Leonian” and Lagosian”. He gained his 2^nd. Mate’s certificate in 1949 and then put in time aboard the “Farndale” and on Crosthwaite Tees tugs until called upon to commence pilot training. In April 1950, at the age of 22, he set a Tees record that will always be his of being the youngest person to hold a Pilot’s licence. He became a 1^st. class Pilot in 1956 at the age of 28.

From the very start of his career Len took a full and active interest in all aspects of the Tees Pilotage Service. Many readers will remember him as a regular delegate and speaker at Conference. In 1960 he became a member of the Tees Pilots’ Committee and soon after was elected Chairman. He was invited onto the board of the Tees Pilotage Authority in 1963 and became a director of the Tees Pilots’ Cutter Company that same year. Len carried out all these duties with the utmost integrity. Whilst always looking after the interests of the Pilots he never lost sight of the long-term interests of the port and other port services. Although a choice pilot himself he recognised the divisiveness of the system and was a prime mover in it being abandoned on the Tees. A firm believer of openness and honesty he was proud to be a founder member of the Tees Liaison Panel where free, and generally friendly, discussion further enhanced the good relationship enjoyed by all the river services. Len was Chairman of the Tees Pilots’ Committee throughout the difficult period of pilotage reorganisation following the 1987 Act, when his diplomacy and guidance were major factors in the conclusion of an agreement satisfactory to both Pilots and Port. He was at the helm when the ground was laid for the smooth amalgamation of the pilotage for the ports of Tees and Hartlepool, again without impairing the respect and harmony between Pilots and the Port Authority. Fifteen years after his retirement T & H Pilots, present and future, will continue to benefit from Len’s many years of astute Chairmanship.

Len was rarely without a smile, a joke and a positive outlook. He supported most Service activities and events – was always available to make up the cricket team, played international football into his mid-fifties in the European Pilots’ Football Tournament and, when the need arose, enlivened many a social event when a piano happened to be close to hand! Outside of pilotage he found time for Round Table where he became Chairman, 41 Club where he also became Chairman, a founder member of Cleveland Rotary Club where he was twice President and Probus where he was Chairman yet again. Len was a raconteur of some note and he gave freely of his time to take on after-dinner speaking engagements covering pilotage and other maritime topics. Any remuneration offered for this was donated to the Missions to Seamen or the Arthritis Research Campaign.

Somehow Len also found time to pilot ships. He was a natural, confident ship handler and always seemed to strike up a rapport with his Captains. He was acknowledged by fellow pilots on training trips as being especially supportive and informative. Early in his career he piloted the largest ship to berth in Stockton, later he berthed the first 100,000 tonner to enter the Tees and, before he retired, he was pilot aboard the 230,000 ton “Phillips Enterprise” which is the largest vessel to enter the Tees. He retired in 1992 at the age of 65 having completed 42 years as a licenced pilot.

All who were fortunate enough to be acquainted with Len, be it through work or play, will mourn his passing. He would have been unable to achieve all he did in so many different fields without the support, encouragement and, no doubt, occasional restraint of a very understanding wife. Len and Kath, married in 1948, sadly just failing to celebrate their diamond-wedding anniversary. He was head of a very close and loving family and he will be sorely missed by Kath, children Alison and Martin and his five grandchildren.