View report page

It has been a significant advantage to have trained crews capable of interchange between
any of the launches, and operating two launches from each Station has provided for emergencies
and temporary dislocations.
The pairs of launches stationed on Gravesend and Woolwich respectively were
"HOWARD DEIGHTON" and "ALFRED ROACH"
"ALFRED ROBERTSON" and "FREDERICK WHITTINGHAM"
The Gravesend Boarding Station, as represented by the hulk "Hygeia", has given entire
satisfaction since the refitting.
Of the four launches, only one has an operational speed comparable with present day expectations.
Of the remainder, the "Howard Deighton", which was built in 1931, has gracefully
reached the sunset of her career, while the pair at Woolwich are only presently suitable for the
general inspection work allocated to them.
In no respect are any of the launches less efficient in performance or less attractive in
appearance than on the day they completed acceptance trials and, as far as practicable, structural
deterioration has been minimised by careful and continuous maintenance — running maintenance
by the crews and regular refitting every three years. Three years of continuous service is
a long time for a working harbour craft and some would consider it too long in general
circumstances.
\
The foregoing must, therefore, reflect credit on the crews employed, who are tireless in
their efforts to maintain and safeguard 'their launches' as a token of their pride and loyalty to
the Authority — alas ! qualities too infrequently encountered nowadays.
Service behaviour of this calibre upholds the prestige and dignity of the Authority, curtails
unnecessary running and maintenance costs and inspires confidence in their future role when
operating the new vessel to replace the "Howard Deighton".
A new 'boarding cutter' has been designed to meet present and anticipated future requirements
of the Authority in harmony with progressive trends in facilities aboard and in conjunction
with organised developments within the Port. A sturdy working vessel, to Lloyds and Ministry of
Transport requirements, with an appropriate appearance and approximately 100 ft. long, capable
of service in wintry conditions at the seaward limit of the Authority's jurisdiction. She will have
a single screw with a turn of speed in excess of "Howard Deighton"and generally self-contained
for operational emergencies involving several days.
Within reasonable limits of expenditure and crew, she ought to be a worthy successor to
"Howard Deighton" on the 24 hours continuous service and should be ready for duty in Autumn
1961.
The following article on the proposed new cutter for the Port Health Authority appeared in
"Lloyd's List and Shipping Gazette" for 20th April, I960:—
"A new boarding and medical officers' cutter is to be built for the Port of London Health
Authority Department of the Corporation of London by James Pollock, Sons & Co. Ltd.,
Faversham, and will enter service in May, 1961. She will be a comprehensive heavy-duty
vessel with an overall length of 98 ft., a moulded breadth of 21 ft. and a moulded depth of
10ft. 3 ins. A 5-cylinder Ruston & Hornsby diesel engine of 655 s.h.p. will give a speed of
12 knots.
The cutter will replace the Howard Deighton, built in 1931, and whose owners are the
"Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London". She will be stationed at the
medical officers' boarding station at Gravesend and will be available for 24-hour duty at
every state of the tide, her maximum draught being 8 ft. 3 ins.
She will be equipped with R/T and possibly radar at a future date to fit in with the
general pattern of facilities offered by the Thames Navigation Service. There will be hospital
and ambulance equipment on board, apparatus for receiving and embarking stretcher
patients with an adequate boarding platform well above the freeboard, and seating accommodation
for passengers. The crew will live on board and two heavy duty anchors will be
provided in case the cutter needs to anchor for quarantine purposes. The Health Authority
Department's seaward limit is The Nore and she will be capable of visiting this area in all
weathers."
LECTURES AND PAPERS
Dr. J. Greenwood Wilson
Numerous lectures and talks on the work of the Port Health Authority and allied subjects
were given to various organisation including:—
The Royal Institute of Public Health
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College
Walbrook Ward Club
53