Trinity House. Five maritime societies bear the name Trinity House, and are situated in London, Hull, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Leith, and Dundee. Probably all, or most of them, were originally partly religious and partly secular establishments founded by seamen, their chief original objects being probably mutual assistance and the care of aged and infirm seamen. From the 14th century onwards various public duties and privileges were assigned to them by royal charters or acts of parliament, such as providing lighthouses, buoying channels, and licensing pilots; and powers were given to them to levy dues on shipping or cargoes. With one important exception, these duties and powers have been reduced or withdrawn. Dundee House is now only a benefit society. Leith retains its public duties as a pilotage authority, as also do Newcastle and Hull, while the last also looks after the lighthouses and buoys of the Humber. All of them continue to give pensions, or homes and pensions, to members, and some assistance to destitute seafarers.
On the other hand, the London Trinity House, called the Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strand, is entrusted with the management of the general lighthouse and buoyage system of England and Wales, and with a supervising authority over local lights and buoys, and has besides a partial control over the lighting and buoyage systems of Scotland and Ireland. In 1514 this society was incorporated by royal charter of Henry VIII.; and its privileges were confirmed and extended by subsequent charters, particularly by that of James II. in 1685. In 1600 its first lighthouse was built at Caistow, after which date, as lighthouses increased in number, many of them fell into the hands of private individuals by lease, or patent, or act of parliament; but by 6, 7, William IV. chap. 79, private rights in lighthouses were compulsorily purchased by that Trinity House. After 1853 all light-duties, with those of the Scottish and Irish Lighthouse Boards, were paid to the paymaster-general, and went towards the formation of the Mercantile Marine Fund; and all disbursements for lighthouses were to be paid out of that fund after being approved by the Board of Trade. The Merchant Shipping Act of 1854 and subsequent acts laid upon the London Trinity House the additional duty of removing wrecks around the coast when dangerous to navigation. The power of the London Trinity House to appoint and license pilots was enlarged by the Merchant Shipping Act of 1854, and again in 1862. The Pilots' Fund and several special charities are administered by it.
The corporation of the London Trinity House consists of a master, a deputy-master, thirteen acting elder brethren, eleven honorary elder brethren, and an unlimited number of younger brethren. The master and honorary elder brethren are chosen on the ground of eminent social or official position. The younger brethren all belong either to the naval service or the mercantile marine, and are admitted by the court of elder brethren. The deputy-master and acting elder brethren are elected by the court of elder brethren from such of the younger brethren as are possessed of the qualifications of having obtained the rank of commander in the navy four years previously, or having served as master in the merchant service on foreign voyages for at least four years. The Board discharges its duties by means of committees and sub-committees for special purposes. Two elder brethren of Trinity House assist the Court of Admiralty at the hearing of every suit for collision, and occasionally in suits for salvage; but their duty is to guide the court by advice only.