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22 May 05
Robert More Son Of A Pilot Reopens The Pilot House
 On
Saturday 21 May Robert More - son of Willie More a former pilot at wick
declared the Pilot House open again. Robert's father Willie More had
been a pilot at Wick and used the Pilot House while waiting on boats to
require assistance to come into port. George More and others
in his family had been fishermen for many years and was glad to have the
opportunity whilst still in his forties to become a pilot and be able to
stay at home and no longer have to be away for several months with the
fishing fleet following the herring around the coast. The Pilot
House reopening is due to the driving force of Iain Sutherland former
chairman of the Wick society and who in association with
"Freends" have steadily moved from one project after another - Trinkie
& North Baths - to name but two. He is also working on excavating an
old Mill on the outskirts of Wick. Iain has been working at getting
the Pilot House ready and had completed repainting the outside, cleaning
up the inside which is in surprisingly good condition. A coal fire
was burning for the day and it was the first time many younger folk had
seen smoke coming from the Pilot house chimney and only older folk could
remember that sight.
 A
new weathercock is in place as the old one had rusted away. The roof
of the Pilot House is worth a close look to see the pattern of slates made
by the original builder. Only only the chimney side has been
repaired at some point. The roof is a testament to the builder as it
has stood the weather at Wick well since 1901. The new life of the
Pilot House will be as base on Saturday afternoons and perhaps more if
other volunteers join in to show folk Wick from above the harbour.
Other visitor related businesses will be encouraged to leave their
information at the Pilot House for small donation. Donations will be
the only source of income for the Pilot House as Iain and his "Freends"
prefer not to apply for grants for the work they do. It looks like
another success story for yet another project in Wick brought about by
hard work and "Can Do" attitude that is still prevalent in Wick. Reopening Of The Pilot
house, Wick
The Pilot house will formally be opened to the public on Saturday 21
May 2005 at 2.00pm to 5.00pm and marks a return to use after many years.
There will be a small ceremony at which tea will be served and to begin
with it will open every Saturday afternoon in the summer and every day
during Gala Week. As suitable volunteers become available the
building will be open more often. It will contain a small exhibition
of piloting in Wick for 150 years, and the custodians are looking for
copies of photographs showing the pilots carrying out their duties.
Photographs of Willie Thain, James Bain, Alec Mackay, and Willie More will
be on display. also on display will be charts and maps of Wick Bay
and artefacts connected with piloting, which have been donated in the last
few months. When the Pilot House is open Iain Sutherland
will give conducted tours of about half an hour duration and numbers are
limited to ten per group. there will be no charge for the tours but
donations are expected as this will be the only source of income to pay
for the upkeep and the completion of the restoration. As the whole
bay is visible from the Pilot House the tours will be given from there.
The Pilot house will also exhibit tourist leaflets on behalf of local
businesses for which a small donation is expected. |
