Temple, John Christopher

June 13th, 2007 by JCB
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John Christopher Temple 1940 – 2007

Merseyside and the Liverpool Pilots have lost a true seafarer in retired Liverpool Pilot, John Christopher Temple, who died on 22nd January 2007, after six months of a dreadful illness, which he bore with great dignity.

Born in Liverpool in 1940, just a few months after the beginning of the Second World War, his first association with matters nautical came about when he joined the West Derby Sea Cadets in the early 1950’s. During his time in the Sea Cadets he rowed whalers on the River Mersey, which gave him a close view of the vast array of shipping then to be seen on the Mersey. His connection with the Sea Cadets was something he valued and continued to have throughout his life, giving freely of his time and effort.

Then, he went to sea as a Cadet, with the Federal Steam Navigation Company in 1956, before joining the Liverpool Pilotage Service in 1957. After the usual long apprenticeship on the pilot boats he proudly qualified as a Third Class pilot in April of 1964.

Four years later, in 1968, he became a First Class pilot, and, in due course, in 1988, he became one of the pilots appropriated to the Atlantic Container Line (ACL). He piloted the ACL ships, which were the largest regular container ships visiting the port of Liverpool, with great skill and distinction in all weathers, and not infrequently in very difficult conditions, for fifteen years. He also had the honourable distinction of being the pilot of the Cunard liner ‘Queen Elizabeth II’ on her first visit to the River Mersey watched from both banks of the Mersey by very many thousands of spectators. But he was just as happy piloting the every day ship visiting the Port too, because he loved ship handling and derived great satisfaction from his job. He retired from the job which he loved to do, and did so professionally, in 2003 at the age of sixty-three almost forty years after becoming first Licensed.

It is sad to note in passing, that his younger brother by four years, David, also a Liverpool Pilot, died some years ago at far too young an age.

During many of his later working years John was a staunch supporter, indeed a leading light, in the work of the Merseyside Maritime Museum in organising the acquisition of real ship exhibits for the museum. To this end, with the help of others, including myself, in 1984 he brought the Liverpool diesel-electric powered No. 2, Pilot Boat, the ‘Edmund Gardner’ into the Albert Dock after overseeing its refurbishment in Princes Dock over a long period of very hard work. Then, sometime later, John oversaw the move to her permanent berth in the Canning dry-dock. The ‘Edmund Gardner’ stands there proudly today as a fitting monument not only to the Liverpool Pilotage Service but also to John.

However, his enthusiasm and drive to retain a vibrant maritime history on Merseyside did not begin or end there. The Museum Director at the time put John in charge of the Museum’s Alexandra Towing Company tug ‘Brocklebank’. And, John was the driving force behind the acquisition of the Museum’s first vessel afloat, the ICI barge ‘Wincham’, through the ‘Wincham Preservation Society Trust’. John ensured, with an enthusiastic team of hard-working volunteers, which he led, that both of these vessels have been kept in seagoing condition to this day. It is no exaggeration to say that this would never have been achieved without his unstinting hard work and the giving freely of many, many hours of his spare time both whilst still working and during his retirement until illness prevented him continuing. It is with gratitude that he will be particularly warmly remembered for this on Merseyside, but his efforts will also be well remembered and appreciated in several other UK and near continental ports for his bringing of the tug ‘Brocklebank’ to their celebratory maritime events over the years. He really did have salt water in his veins.

In the latter part of his life, his soul mate, Pamela Brown, shared his time with him amongst which were many enjoyable maritime and other events and then with both of them showing great courage she saw him through those last very difficult months.

At his funeral on a cold February day, in addition to his children, Sarah and James, who he loved dearly, and his dear and close companion Pamela, there were present very many of his retired colleagues and friends, particularly those friends and colleagues from his other maritime activities, who filled the memorial Chapel to overflowing. We will certainly remember him.

Geoff Topp

Liverpool pilot (Retired)