Folios 185-186: Wilson Rathborne, Regulating Officer, North Shields. Responds tot...

Folios 185-186: Wilson Rathborne, Regulating Officer, North Shields. Responds tot he letter of 26 September and send a report on the case of John Thompson, currently on board the Lyra tender, and returns the enclosure with the certificate taken from Thompson when pressed. John Thompson, Ordinary Seaman, was pressed by Lieutenant Liddle, Sunderland, on 8 September and detained as being employed as a fisherman without a Protection. He produced the enclosed certificate from Mr Robinson, Collector of Customs, stating he was a fisherman and that an application had been made for an Admiralty Protection, but this has not been received. John Thompson is nearly 19 years old, has been employed as a fisherman for between 4 and 5 years, and is a healthy man well suited for service.

Folios 187-188: enclosure with folios 185-186. Letter dated 23 September 1811 from Jonathon Cockerill, North Shields, to The Admiralty. Sends an Affidavit of William Thurlbeck regarding the employment of John Thompson, a boy who has been recently pressed at Sunderland. It appears that Thompson has assisted in navigation of the Pilot Boats which are occasionally employed in fishing when they are not wanted for the ship. The boy is between 18 and 19 years old, has never been bound as an Apprentice or served at sea other than to man the boats, and is not sufficiently skilled to pilot the vessels. There are no Protections granted to the fishermen at Sunderland, and the men claim exemption from having branches as Pilots from the Trinity House at Newcastle, but he is not old enough to act as Pilot. Requests his discharge, or he could raise one substitute if necessary,

Folio 189: enclosure with folios 187-188. Affidavit dated 23 September 1811 sworn by William Thurlbeck, Sunderland, before Jonathon Cockerill, Master Extraordinary of Chancery, North Shields. States that John Thompson is under 19 years old and has been employed in assisting navigation of the fishing boats of his father, of William Thurlbeck, and of William Thurlbeck's brother, for the last 5 or 6 years. He has always assisted the pilots and Fisherman and has never taken charge of any vessel. He is not an Apprentice and has never had a Protection. William Thurlbeck has a branch as Pilot from the Master and Brethren of Trinity House of Newcastle, and is obliged to have a boy to take care of the boat when towed, and also to assist in fishing.