Top prize for William Whatley
Congratulations go to William Whatley (former Deck Cadet) who has been selected as the recipient of the Captain John Bury Prize for 2008 - in memory of the late Captain John Bury, Trinity House Elder Brother - which is awarded annually to the Trinity House cadet who has achieved the best performance during his/her cadetship.
Captain John Bury passed away in October 2006, aged 91. This prize, which is funded through donations from his many friends, from his family and from the Corporation of Trinity House Maritime Charity, serves as a fitting memory to Captain Bury, who had a strong respect for the sea, its traditions and its perils. Captain Bury was very much involved in the introduction of what is now known as the IALA Buoyage system, and was in the forefront of the development of the very first Traffic Separation Scheme, in the Dover Strait
William was selected by the judging panel for his consistently good performance throughout the whole of his cadetship. The prize comprises of a cheque for £500 and a suitably inscribed hand blown glass tankard. William has now qualified as an officer of the watch and has found employment with the British Antarctic Survey as Third Officer aboard RRS Ernest Shackleton. He received his award from James Bury - the son of the late Captain Bury - and a Certificate of Recognition from the Deputy Master, Rear Admiral Sir Jeremy De Halpert, at a ceremony at Trinity House on 28 April 2009.
Andrew Watson also commended ...
Former Deck Cadet Andrew Watson has been selected for a special commendation by the judges, who felt he should be commended for the sheer effort that he put into his studies during his time as a Trinity House deck cadet. James Bury has expressed a wish to personally fund a separate, and one-off, award of a pair of binoculars, in recognition of Andrew's efforts. After a short stint as Third Officer aboard THV Patricia, Andrew has found employment as a Third Officer with Maersk.