HM Waterguard Structure

This chart is a reproduction of that included in the C&E Annual Report for 1958. The Board of Commissioners Customs and Excise consists of a Chairman, Deputy Chairman and four other Commissioners, one of whom is Director of Establishments and Organisation.

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C&E MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE - ORGANISATION CHART as at 1970

This chart is a reproduction of that included in the C&E Annual Report for 1970. The chart represents HM Customs and Excise just prior to the reorganisation of 1972.

C&E MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE - ORGANISATION CHART as at 1971

This chart is a reproduction of that included in the C&E Annual Report for 1971. The chart represents HM Customs and Excise as the Board saw it after the reorganisation of 1972.

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WATERGUARD MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES

Like other parts of HM Customs & Excise and HM Coastguard, the Waterguard Service changed and evolved over time, as the work it was required to do changed and evolved. New regulations were introduced and old ones were changed or withdrawn. Traditional trades and cargoes gave way to new ones and new types of transportation were introduced. The work at the ports changed over time as the pattern of that work changed.

In the 19th century HM Coastguard was a Naval Reserve for the Admiralty as well as a Preventive force involved in anti smuggling work for HM Customs. What ever its title, Preventive Water Guard or Waterguard, it was structured as a protective shield around the coast of the Country and apart from the half dozen or so major ports such as Bristol, Liverpool and London, most of the Country was served by Small Ports and Creeks.

In the early 1900's large ocean going passenger Liners, and their passengers, caused the rise of 'passenger ports' such as Southampton, Liverpool and London, with the necessary rise in Waterguard staff to examine the baggage. Later, in the mid 1900's, the rise of air travel, at the expense of the sea going 'passenger liner', and the beginning of the 'inclusive holiday', changed the location of the Waterguard's work once again. The Passenger work moved from the ports to the airports and the Waterguard had to adapt as well by moving the Preventive staff to the airports - to Birmingham, Gatwick, London Heathrow, Luton and Manchester. Finally the EEC changed everything and the Waterguard was no longer required.

Before WWII the Small Ports were usually manned by an Assistant Preventive Officer. After WWII Small Port work was upgraded and the 'Officer in Charge' became a Preventive Officer. The 'Officer in Charge' had to be a 'Jack of all Trades' as in addition to his Customs role he performed 'Agency Work' for other Government Departments, such as HM Immigration and the Board of Trade.

The Management Structure also changed over time, in what appear to be four distinct phases - the structures of 1809-1890, 1891-1921, 1922-World War II and of World War II-1972, are reproduced in detail on separate pages to facilitate faster browsing and for ease of maintenance. They can be viewed by selecting the appropriate 'button'.

Created in 1809 to end smuggling, the Preventive Water Guard employed 'Land Waiters', 'Tide Waiters' and 'Searchers' on customs work. By 1821 there were one thousand, one hundred and four men in the force at a hundred and fifty one stations. Divided into thirty one Districts, with an Inspecting Commander, each Station was commanded by a Chief Officer with a Chief Boatman and Boatmen to keep guard. A similar force was established in Ireland in 1819. (Details of the management structure are still being researched.)

::: 1809-1890 - The Preventive Water Guard :::

Following Lord Goschen's report of 1891, the Waterguard was reorganised with a staff complement of One Inspector, One Assistant Inspector, Six Preventive Surveyors, Twelve Chief Preventive Officers, Three hundred and ten Preventive Officers and One thousand, one hundred and twenty six Boatmen. However the Waterguard was not yet a complete entity as only the seven larger ports had Chief Preventive Officer posts, in the remaining ports Preventive Staff were under the supervision of the local Landing Surveyors and Landing Officers.

::: 1891-1921 - The Goschen Reforms :::

At start of this period Ireland was 'partitioned' and the Waterguard lost its responsibility for much of Ireland. The rest of the Country was sub-divided into 7 Waterguard Divisions based on major ports.

::: 1922-World War II - Post Partiton :::

In 1931 the Waterguard was reorganized into 14 Waterguard Divisions, which at some time before 1945 became 11 Divisions, loosely based on the maritime Collection boundaries.

The Post War period and it's anticipated challenges were to be met by a re-organized Waterguard Service. This was presented to the service in the form of General Order No. 5/1945 which can be seen as a PDF by selecting the 'button' on the right.

::: General Order No 5/1945 :::

During this, its final period, with its HQ in The London Custom House, the Waterguard was sub-divided in to 15 Divisions based on the major ports - Aberdeen, Leith, Newcastle, Hull, Harwich, London, London Airports, Dover, Southampton, Plymouth, Cardiff, Manchester, Liverpool, Belfast and Glasgow. Each of these Divisions was headed by a Waterguard Superintendent and variety of Deputies and Assistants. The day to day work was managed by Chief Preventive Officers and performed by Preventive Officers, Assistant Preventive Officers, Coast Preventive Men and, on the Irish Land Boundary, Land Preventive Men.

::: World War II-1972 - The Final Years :::