Trinity House - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition trinity-house

Definition :

Trinity house, a society at Deptford Strond, incor-porated by Henry VIII. in 1515, for the promotion of commerce and navigation by licensing and regulating pilots, and ordering and erecting beacons, lighthouses, buoys, etc., and stated in the preamble of 8 Eliz. c. 13 to be 'charged with the conduction of the Queen's Majesty's Navy Royal, and bound to foresee the good increase and maintenance of ships, and of all kinds of men trained and brought up to watercraft most meet for Her Majesty's marine service.' Under the Harbours, Docks and Piers Clauses Act, 1847 (q.v.), buoys are to be laid down as may be directed by, and lighthouses, beacons are not to be erected, nor are lights to be exhibited, without permission of Trinity House.

The Trinity House, by the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, repealing and re-enacting the Merchant Shipping Act, 1854, is the chief lighthouse and pilotage authority for England, and the Scots and Irish Boards are to some extent under its control, Pulling's Shipping Code, Introd. xii. As to pilotage, see Pilotage Act, 1913 (2 & 3 Geo. 5, c. 31), ss. 52-55.