Lancaster Port Commission is the
statutory harbour authority for the
Port of Lancaster in
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
. It is now based at
Glasson Dock.
It was set up by act of parliament to facilitate the role that the port could play in international trade, particularly the
Atlantic slave trade
The Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of Slavery in Africa, enslaved African people to the Americas. European slave ships regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Pass ...
. Many of the early commissioners were active slave traders.
History
Several Lancaster merchants and ship owners asked parliament for support in dealing with problems experienced in operating from
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster (, ) is a city in Lancashire, England, and the main cultural hub, economic and commercial centre of City of Lancaster district. The city is on the River Lune, directly inland from Morecambe Bay. Lancaster is the county town, although ...
.
This led to the passage of the
River Lune Navigation Act 1749 (
23 Geo. 2. c. 12): "An Act for improving the Navigation of the
River Loyne, otherwise called Lune; and for building a Quay or Wharf near the Town of Lancaster in the County Palatine of Lancaster".
This led to the construction of St George's Quay in 1750, and the
Custom House
A custom house or customs house was traditionally a building housing the offices for a jurisdictional government whose officials oversaw the functions associated with importing and exporting goods into and out of a country, such as collecting ...
was completed in 1764.
Robert Foxcroft was appointed chief customs officer and given the title of Collector. H had oversight of a substantial staff including searchers, clerical officers, landing and coast waiters, a surveyor and a weighing porter.
Port Commissioners
*
Abraham Rawlinson, slaver and subsequently MP for
Lancaster
*
Charles Inman, slaver
*
Thomas Hinde, slaver
*
Dodshon Foster (1755-1758), slaver
*
Thomas Satterthwaite(1755-1758), slaver
* Robert Dodson (1764-1767)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lancaster Port Commission
Year of establishment missing