VPRS 18307 Signal Station Log

Full description

A signal station is a place on shore from which signals are made to ships at sea. Until the development of radio, signal stations played a critical role in the commercial operations of fleets and navigational safety.

Breakwater Pier was constructed from 1859 to 1861 and was designed to allow access to the tide gauge house on one level and the railway on the other. It was modified over time, from a timber breakwater, to the site for the tide gauge house, to a railway pier where it played a key role in the wool and grain trade. The pier was remodelled in 1954 to allow it to take tankers

Volume one (6/4/1975 - 2/4/1984) of this series differs in its recordings to other volumes in this series. This particular volume records observations made at the Pier including:

- sightings of vessels
- reports and observations of events on the water
- messages received from Harbour Control
- reports of sunken boats or boats adrift
- whether the river open or closed
- other messages received at the signal station.

The remaining volumes in this series each comprise of information relating to inward and outward movements and removals of ships.

For inward movements the registers, separated out into columns, include the following information:

- pilot name
- time of arrival
- berth
- heads
- gelli.
- berth time
- leave bay
- remarks

Outward movements appear on the bottom half of each page and record the following:

- berth
- end
- remarks

Information relating to removals is recorded in the final lines of each page and comprises of the following details:

- from
- to
- time
- remarks

Researchers should note almost all entries have been crossed out. It is not clear why information has been struck out.