William Eckford was born in Scotland in 1757 and had seen active service as a gunner in the British Navy before being convicted of sheep stealing and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to transportation for life and he arrived in 1801 on the Earl Cornwallis. He later married Mary Horrell who also arrived on the Earl Cornwallis.
The entrance to Newcastle harbour was treacherous in the early days and many vessels had already been lost. Two crew men from the Boyd were drowned when the vessel ran into difficulties in 1812. The Sally was wrecked soon after. Probably due to his skills, William Eckford was sent to Newcastle and employed as harbour pilot. He remained in Newcastle for many years however received no salary. Instead he was allowed to collect fees. For every vessel in or out of the harbour under 50 tons, 10/-; over 50 tons and under 100 tons, 20/-; over 100 tons and under 150 tons' 30/-; for every additional 50 tons, 20/-.
William Eckford remained in Newcastle until his retirement. His sons Joseph and Peter were born there and his last daughter Mary Ann was born there in 1820. She and a native boy perished at Newcastle in 1826 after a calamitous explosion in the settlement's store house blew the roof off the building. Mary aged 6 and her friend had been playing inside and both died a few days later. The native lad was buried in the Parsonage garden (See the map of Newcastle for the location of the Parsonage). Mary was probably buried in Christ Church burial ground where her father William was interred in 1833.
In June 1828 the sloop Dove was lost off Port Stephens after experiencing strong winds. Seven people lost their lives in this disaster. The famous Lord Liverpool also ran into difficulties in these June squalls, and if not for the skill of Captain Livingstone the cutter would have been lost. William Eckford had attempted to come to the aid of the Lord Liverpool in his leaky old pilot's boat, ('a cockle shell' that should have been replaced eight months previously) but almost drowned in the process. Eckford retired soon after this after many years service as a pilot. Few probably knew the harbour better than William Eckford, however perhaps this near calamity with the Lord Liverpool was the last straw. He was over 70 years old by this time and retired to Maitland where his sons John, Henry, William, James, Joseph and Peter resided. He received a pension of £4/13/9- on retirement. Close me.