River Teign ; the New Harbour Master has taken office

[Capt Popeye]

THe River Teign new Harbour Master has taken office , recently seen being show around by the Deputy HM ; Wellcome Capt RN ; there shure is work to do , hopefully the Trustees will get on top of the works and improovements will now develop

As an asside , has any other Harbour Authority ever had a Woman in post ?

 

[C08]

Beaulieu River used to have a woman HM.

 

[Tomahawk]

I think the Crouch has a female HM ?

 

[pvb]

I think the Crouch has a female HM ?

Indeed it does, Captain Susan Harrison MNM.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Beaulieu River used to have a woman HM.

Stranraer does, Lesley, with a lovely soft Galloway accent that I can listen to all afternoon.

 

[mainsail1]

Beaulieu River used to have a woman HM.

What, has Wendy gone then?

 

[longjohnsilver]

Nearer to home, Ilfracombe has a lady HM

 

[Neeves]

As an asside , has any other Harbour Authority ever had a Woman in post ?

We have them in Oz, surprised you asked the question - especially as you seem to have quite a few.

Jonathan

 

[LittleSister]

It's over 100 years since the legal ban on women holding such positions was removed, and yet some people are still surprised when they do!

Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919
'A person shall not be disqualified by sex or marriage from the exercise of any public function, or from being appointed to or holding any civil or judicial office or post, or from entering or assuming or carrying on any civil profession or vocation, or for admission to any incorporated society (whether incorporated by Royal Charter or otherwise), [and a person shall not be exempted by sex or marriage from the liability to serve as a juror]…'

 

[alexincornwall]

Looe harbour has a female HM and she does a great job

 

[Capt Popeye]

We have them in Oz, surprised you asked the question - especially as you seem to have quite a few.

Jonathan

Hi there Neeves thanks , but I have never come accross one in 60+ years , so all the info is most welcome to me ; must admit I am pleasantly supprised though ; as our Local HM newly appointed I look forward to improovements on , in , around , the river , off etc etc

I thought that it was a Male Dominated world , glad that I was wrong in that assumption , again ! perhaps ?

 

[Neeves]

Hi there Neeves thanks , but I have never come accross one in 60+ years , so all the info is most welcome to me ; must admit I am pleasantly supprised though ; as our Local HM newly appointed I look forward to improovements on , in , around , the river , off etc etc

I thought that it was a Male Dominated world , glad that I was wrong in that assumption , again ! perhaps ?

Mostly here in Oz we, leisure sailors, don't come into contact with a HM as though the HM might have responsibility for 'our' activity' we don't have any need for an inteface. I actually thus have only ever had contact with one HM in over 20 years and that is in Eden, south east corner of Australia. It used to be a whaling town but does have a fishing fleet, has a chip mill whose chips are exported by sea, cruise ship destination (remember them) and is the jumping off point for anyone crossing Bass Strait to Tasmania. If you need to come alongside the pier for fuel, delivered unusually by bowser, or water. The HM was female (and might still be). There is a lovely anchorage in the bay - which the navy also use to discharge ammunition at the end of a patrol (fishery and border protection) and the HM issues warnings (through the volunteer Marine Rescue - who are predominately male.)

In this day and age of equality etc etc there is no reason 'why not' but similarly I suspect its not a common career path.

Its a bit like this forum (and similar forum) - no reason for their not to be female contributors - but they are notable by their absence.

The question to me, supporting this idea of equality, why not and why don't more females take up the opportunities, though I suspect the answers are historic prejudice .

Jonathan

 

[LittleSister]

Its a bit like this forum (and similar forum) - no reason for their not to be female contributors - but they are notable by their absence.

Not a complete absence, thank goodness, but yes - rare. (Quality, not quantity, perhaps? )

 

[Amlov]

Not a complete absence, thank goodness, but yes - rare. (Quality, not quantity, perhaps? )

I suspect the explanation is much simpler and simply reflects the career of the person prior to becoming a HM. In most cases HM candidates are expected to show master or command experience and traditionally these are areas where there has been a very large sex imbalance. Rarely do we see individuals becoming HM having worked up through the port system without significant sea time.
A few years ago only about 3% of the merchant or naval fleets were female, but with current rates nudging up towards 20% in some areas, it is only a matter of time before this is reflected in HM appointments.

 

[LittleSister]

I suspect the explanation is much simpler and simply reflects the career of the person prior to becoming a HM. In most cases HM candidates are expected to show master or command experience and traditionally these are areas where there has been a very large sex imbalance. Rarely do we see individuals becoming HM having worked up through the port system without significant sea time.
A few years ago only about 3% of the merchant or naval fleets were female, but with current rates nudging up towards 20% in some areas, it is only a matter of time before this is reflected in HM appointments.

I agree, but I should have made clearer that I was responding to Neeve's comment -

Its a bit like this forum (and similar forum) - no reason for their not to be female contributors - but they are notable by their absence.