Fantastic piece of historical archive video making. And incredible timing with the tour culminating in the helicopter arrival, well done to the film maker. You have preserved a significant moment and created a lasting credit to all lighthouse keepers. Fantastic work.
Thank you very much, much appreciated. I just got annoyed that we were being made redundant and it seemed like nobody was interested in preserving our way of life in any form for the future. So, I got a video camera, and started to record as much as possible, it started slowly, then kind of snowballed. Thanks again, Cheers and stay safe.
I love these tours so much. There’s no way most of us would ever get to experience the atmosphere of a lighthouse. You capture it perfectly. Thanks for doing it.
@@PeterHalil I have a friend who comes from Peacehaven and his accent and pronunciation is identical to yours. If I close my eyes it could be him speaking. You're not from round that way are you?
@@davesaunders3334 Hi Dave, not sure where my accent really comes from, I was born a Cockney in Stepney, London. Moved to East Anglia when I was 8, then the Royal Navy, so I guess it must be a blend of all of that? cheers
I am 73 years old and have been waiting for the best part of it for your scintillating insight into life in a light house. Thank you. I strongly feel it must have been a fascinating place for people to have spent part at least of their lives in.
Thank you for your kind words. I'm now 70 and wish I could be doing my Lighthouse years all over again. Lots more to come out but a fair amount will be the inside of empty buildings, the reason being that not every Keeper wanted a camera pointed at them. I did do a good one on the Needles Lighthouse that includes Christmas and New Years celebrations on board, so hopefully I will be posting that in the not too distant future.
Hi my dad was a lighthouse keeper in the 40,s on bishop Rock. They used to make rag rugs to amuse themselves and for a but of extra money for families at home.
Thanks, if you look on my site there is a 50 minute movie I made of life in a wave washed lighthouse which tries to show what our keepers lives were like. As can be seen from the film, it takes a while to get used to the din of the fog horn!
@taofledermaus, I love that I come across your comments every now and then on videos much different to the content you do, but are nonetheless interesting to both of us I guess 🤣
Thanks again Peter for another fantastic lighthouse tour. I can only imagine the obstacles the masons and engineers had to overcome so far out at sea to build this magnificent edifice in 1858.
Mind boggling to think of the tremendous work it took to get all the furniture, appliances, cooking utensils, bedding, etc out there and installed. I can barely comprehend how many trips it must have taken and all the hardship associated with it all. I've always wondered what these offshore lights truly looked like inside. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you again. Being from the western US where there are no large bodies of water, I find your videos really interesting. Your walkthrough and interview videos are a valuable record.
fernleystephens2436 I have taken boat trips out to Bishop Rock Lighthouse and admired the other thanks to St. Mary's Boatman's Association, while holidaying on Scilly. Thanks for the tour of the inside.
Superb film. Really enjoyed it , its such a shame that trinity house automated all its lighthouses as that would be such a good job living and working in those off shore towers.
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this video. Excellent work explaining and describing each level. Outstanding. I used to be a nuclear missile maintenance officer in an underground silo and I see so many similarities. This being the world's smallest island with a building on it makes it even more fascinating.
Hi Peter, I’m so pleased to have found this. When I was a little girl in the 80s I wrote to Trinity House and they put me in touch with one of the lighthouse keepers at Bishop Rock who wrote to me. Sadly I can’t remember the name of the lighthouse keeper but it could have been yourself of one of your colleagues. I was a lonely child and the fact that someone had taken the trouble to write to me has stayed with my for my entire life. I have always wondered about ‘my lighthouse keeper’ and what became of him and wish I had stayed in touch.
Hi Lindy, I don't think it was me that you wrote to. If you really feel the need to try to track him down, then I suggest contacting the Association Of Lighthouse Keepers who can be found at alk.org.uk/ It may be a long shot but there is a bigger pool of ex Lighthouse Keepers to draw from there. Anyway, you have found my you tube channel and I'm pleased that my videos have reached people like yourself. I'm also glad that your request reached a Keeper that took the time to respond to you. Hope you are OK in these troubled times, there will be many more Lighthouse videos, some longer than others. Here's hoping you like those as well. Take care and stay safe.
Peter Halil thank you so much for responding. Finding this video of the lighthouse where he wrote his letters has certainly reignited my curiosity so I might pursue the lead that you’ve given me. I am in the process of writing a book for my children which is loosely based on my communications with a lighthouse keeper so your videos are going to be a really useful source of information. I’ll certainly follow your channel with interest! Thanks, Linda
Superb footage, and well done for capturing it and sharing with us. I hadn't appreciated how tight it is inside or just how intrusive the generator noise is, a twinge of sadness knowing that this was at the time of automation. I have always admired the Bishop from afar as my family are from the Scillies, some going back in time were involved with the boat relief. I have an uncle on St Agnes who used to keep a look out on the light and would report if anything appeared wrong, I believe he mentioned that the main doors were ripped away by the waves once. I also fondly remember the Trinity House Bo105 helicopter which was based at St Mawgan for a while, even the sound of it on your film brought back memories. Thank you again Peter.
Hi, thanks for your kind words and so glad the footage tugged at your memories. I lived in the Trinity cottages on the Scillies for a while and did a one and only winched boat relief, the rest were helicopter. I have a photo of me plus one without me in it of the damaged doors on the Bishop. The picture was taken at the Lighthouse Museum in Penzance (since closed) don't know where all the museum stuff went to or the Bishop doors, take care.
@@PeterHalil sorry for delay, that museum at Penzance was a great little place, shame like many small museums that it closed. I believe some of the exhibits went to the National Maritime Museum at Falmouth, but haven't been there to confirm.
Incredible! One of the most extra-ordinary jobs in the world. Thanks for making and sharing this very important documentation because that will shows it's outmost importance in the future.
Thank you for posting. I live in the USA, but I'm from Canada. I remember going to the islands where my grandfather was a keeper on big fish island in Nova Scotia. The lighthouse was nothing like this one. But have times changed
@@PeterHalil if you look at the southern tip of Nova Scotia find a town called wedgeport it's right in the inlet to the tusket river. He also helped pease island. What country was your light?
@@dwaynepothier6161 Thanks I've found it ok. My lighthouses are all in England and Wales. This one, the Bishop rock is South of Lands end in Cornwall and offshore from the Isles of Scilly.
Another excellent preservation video - Its so amazing to show much effort went into keeping that light burning, and how now solar and gps have changed the lighthouses and sea navigation.
Makes no sense that GPS has destroyed the existence of the lighthouse. They are notoriously fickle and work only half the time. Getting a signal is almost impossible in a storm so how does a ship find its way when the GPS equipment keeps losing its signal. Isn't the $500 unit you buy off the shelf the same used in a fishing boat?
I sincerely enjoyed watching your video from beginning to end. I've seen the outside of New England lighthouses from Maine to Rhode Island, watched a winter storm batter Minot's Ledge Light on the Massachusetts coast, but your presentation was totally fascinating to watch. I had no idea how complicated the workings of a modern-day lighthouse were until I saw your presentation. Thank you very much for a clear description of living conditions in a lighthouse. Again, it is fascinating.
Great video. Thanks. My Uncle Colin was a Keeper on the Bishop Rock, in 1988 for my 13th birthday, I was flown out to the BR as he was heading out for his month on, I was invited onto the helipad, but declined as terrified of heights. ( I deeply regret not going out now, just stayed in the helicopter).
Thanks Brian, glad you like the video, I know what you mean about heights, although I was OK if there was a railing or a safety net. At least you were one of the few that got to see the bishop out to sea from a unique angle. Your Uncles name rings a bell but I don't think we ever met, but could be wrong on that. Take care.
Just caught this now, I also would like to say thank you for recording this. It's been so long since I've seen a video flimed from the 1990's with such clear picture and explanations. I hope your doing well and thanks again!
So beautiful to see this film, and lovely to know you were at South Stack. I've loved lighthouses all my life and as a child we used to do the South Stack tour by the keepers a lot - loved it. I still remember as a child pushing the lantern around on the mercury and being amazed! Maybe it's your fault I love lighthouses! :o) Your photo with the lantern is beautiful. Now, we are near the *beautiful* Plover Scar lighthouse (1847 - managed at one point by the Parkinson family and Mrs Parkinson was filmed managing the light in 1948!). Plover Scar was *so* fortunate to have been critically hit by shipping in 2016 and as a result was repaired. Prior to the collision, she was in a very poor state and, although a wonderful repair was done, I was so sad it wasn't a full restoration because her lanturn is now shuttered with metal plates and a solar powered light sits on the outside of her lantern. *However*: without the accident they were looking to pull her down she was in such a sad state, so we have to be thankful for small (or huge ship-shaped!) mercies that will allow her to be there for another hundred or so years. At high tide she sits two-thirds of her deep in water so the engineering is amazing that she has stayed there since 1847... and I would personally hug the ship-Captain who hit her, as she is beautiful to see and I'm so glad she's now going to be there for a long time!
Thank you Ani, so glad you enjoy my videos, I must have shown hundreds around South Stack on a tour so that's brought back some memories. Thank you also for telling us about the Plover Scar Lighthouse, I never knew that Lighthouse existed till your memories when I hastily Googled it! Isn't it strange how many ships collide with Lighthouses that are pretty much hard to miss!...visually I mean, take care.
Great footage of this magnificent structure. I'll be forwarding this to my dad who was a keeper back in the late 60's / early 70's. He served on The Bishop as well as the Longships, Wolf and several others. Coincidentally, my 2nd cousin, 3x removed served on the very same rocks but at the start of the 20th century. Thank you for sharing.
@@PeterHalil My 2nd cousin (3x removed) was called Richard Trenoweth Grenfell (1881-1943). Sadly, he was killed in an air raid while he was Principal Keeper of the St Catherine's light on the Isle of Wight. My dad is called Michael G (surname withheld as he is a very private person) and is still very proud to have served on the rocks. I think he left about 1972. He has some great stories, my particular favourite is how he kicked HRH Prince Philip up the arse, 'cos he didn't swing himself clear enough as he was being winched off (The Wolf, I think). My dad just gave him a little physical encouragement and got called "you bastard!" for his efforts. Some gratitude!!
@@kevg3320 I was stationed on st Catherines for a few years and have visited the graves of the keepers killed in that air raid. Your dad seems to have left before i joined, so our paths never crossed.
Fantastic video Peter! This was really interesting to see. Quite educational too. Videos like this help to preserve the past and show people what life (for some) was like. Thank you very much for sharing this! I’m impressed by the complexity of the place also!
Thank you, glad you liked it. I did loads of videoing over the dieing years of us keepers so hopefully will put them out in time, once I learn more about editing. Only a few movies with us keepers in trying to show our passing way of life mainly because an awful lot of them were camera shy, the nature of the beast I guess.
I really love these videos Peter.. Ive spent the last 3 Sunday mornings going through your walk through videos.. I never thought id see inside so many lighthouse.. Wonderful..
Thanks for the tour round Bishop rock Lghthouse,it was very enjoyable, I've always liked lighthouses,they do a great job in keeping ships safe out at sea.
Hi Peter, thank you for this brilliant video. The history of Bishop Rock has always fascinated me, I believe that my (4 or 5 times) great grandfather was one of the longest serving keepers on this light. Thank you for showing all the levels, it does give you some insight into just how crampted and claustrophobic these places are. Going up and down those steep, narrow stairs must've been a pain. Also, my father's family lived (and still live) in the house attached to the old light on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly which this replaced. Also, thank you for showing the old museum - I have fond memories of visiting it as a young lad. It is such a shame and we are all the poorer for such places being closed. Hope you're well, and thanks again.
Hi Dave, Thank you very much for that. I bet your Great(4 or 5) times Great Grandfather would have had some tales to tell? You have a Famous surname from those parts as well. Yes, it was a crying shame about our Museum, some people have no souls it seems. Don't even mention what is going on at Newquay Airport? Thanks again, hope you are well. Take care and stay safe.
Excellent thanks I was raised on Merseyside and visited perch rock lighthouse as a kid and often wondered how that compared with other lighthouses..really informative video bud
Id love to have a nose around perch rock lighthouse but ive been in bidston lighthouse which is very cool especially with its bookshop inside. Its well worth a visit.
Great video! Peter your time being a lighthouse keeper did you see any strange lights out at sea like UFOs and or did you hear of any other keepers talk about strange sightings ?
Thank you and no I never saw anything like that, and no other Keeper has ever mentioned it to me either. That said, we are only looking out of tiny windows and I never asked any other Keepers those questions, take care and Merry Christmas
Greetings from NZ Peter & thanks for recording this brilliant video. Most impressed with that magnificent 1st order lense. Must have been hard yakka on watch during early years when it ran a paraffin vapor light ! Your tour reminded me of my visit to the seawashed Rotersand lighthouse in Germany. Most appreciated to view inside Bishop Rock pre automation !
Thank you Paul and hello New Zealand. Yes the Bishop Rock was certainly impressive and that lens was huge, and yes looking after two paraffin lights and all the cleaning that entails must have been hard work. Cheers and stay safe
Thanks for such a well made record. As a child I made a number of trips to this lighthouse, in the boat of a friend of my Aunt, who lived on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. They were mostly sightseeing tours but I'm fairly sure, on one occasion, that something was delivered to the keeper. Would have been around 1960, no helipad then.
I saw your comment in *_RAN Sailing_* about your career as a Lighthouse Keeper, and out of curiosity found your interesting Channel. I'm glad you made that comment, so I subscribed for more fascinating walks and views of places far from my home in South East Asia.
Just flew out here in Microsoft Flight Simulator as there's a fantastic recreation of the lighthouse and Scilly Isles and St Marys airfield. I got curious and then discovered this video which really brings a lot to my enjoyment in the sim. Cheers!
If I’m ever sent to the station I will be sure to :) watching this video the ones I have visited don’t seem to be too different in terms of appearance apart from there is more wiring and electronic cubicles, and there’s only 1 generator. The banana bunks are still in use and surprisingly comfortable 😁
Fascinating look at the inside of a lighthouse. Many years ago I had to winch the keeper off Bishop Rock, we couldn’t land on it like they do now, Wessex 5, we where too big and heavy. Very interesting as you are hovering 150ft up. Pilot has no visual reference, and the crew man, is glancing between 15ft below to instantly 150ft below. We had... several attempts ... before we managed to get the keeper off. He was not happy with our efforts... but as he had broken ribs he had no choice but to be flown off.
great, that brings back several memories. I was a chockhead in the Navy before being a Keeper and did 2 years a piece on HMS Victorious and Ark Royal flight decks. After the Lighthouses I was a Refueler of 22 squadron rescue helicopters at RAF Valley up here on Anglesey, also did the fixed as well, but I've always loved the helos .Cheers you boys did a very tricky job in some atrocious conditions, take care
@@999rooneydog Small world, I was also at Culdrose and Yeovil and of course up here 22 were all Seakings. I was in the Navy 64 to 72 and Lighthouses 74 to 97. The next video I'm editing as we speak should be about the Skerries up here on Anglesey and has a sequence when 22 popped in for a practice in a Wessex.
I've discovered that I did go back on a trip and filmed it again with most of the automation done, but I think the lens may still have been intact so will eventually try and put that up on here.
Hello Peter Hope you are keeping well?. Just to thank you for a marvellous and unique set of videos documenting life before automation. How marvellous you filmed the people and the interiors of these fascinating buildings. The advent of You Tube has allowed many to enjoy your videos and personal insights. I am surprised that the Northern Lights board did not invite you to film the inside of some of their lights.... particularly, Skerryvore. It was good PR for Trinity. I wish you a long and happy retirement. Leo K
Hello Leo, Thank you for your very kind words. To my eternal shame, the Northern Lighthouse board did invite me to film inside some of their Lighthouses too. But, I was just in over my head, trying to get as much as I could done before my ever looming redundancy caught up with me. Then it was trying to find another job etc etc. I'm hoping to put out feelers again at sometime to be able to film up in their Lighthouse Museum at least, we shall see if that is possible. Not sure if anybody will allow me offshore to film now, my Trinity House says NO to the 2 lights that I missed. Thanks again, stay safe.
Thank you for documenting the lifehouse ,it's truly a remarkable history and one that should be preserved. It's sadden that's men no longer take care of it the way that it once did. I'm sure it's more lonely now without the men present. Thank you
Thank you, it saddened me to be made redundant with all the other Keepers and I didn't want us all to pass into History without leaving a trace of our lives behind, take care.
Wonderful. I have photos I took in the 60s of mail being delivered at Bishop Rock, and also keepers being exchanged.. before the buoy mentioned in the video was there to stabilise the launches.
Brill, it would be great to see those. You also might find that they didn't always use the bouy because the boatmen that looked after the Keepers were so expert at what they did.
I'll try to dig out the photos. I's as sure as I can be that there was no buoy there in the 1960s. I took quite a few trips out there over the course of nearly a decade or so, starting around 1964-ish, and a buoy would have been of great help to the launch pilots on some of the rougher trips. I well recall the frustration of watching them and the keepers trying to get the line in place in poor weather. I'm not sure how to get the photos to you...?
I love the way the fuel tanks were designed to get through the narrow stairwells, that and the 'portapotty' windows version that had to be emptied with great care unless you wanted to go back to your bendy bunk damp and smelly.
Amazing video and yet sad at the same time, I couldn't help feeling as if the automation crew had somehow invaded and taken over this beautiful building, I feel for all the keepers who maybe spend much of their time living in memories now, respect to all of you past and present 👍
@@PeterHalil What a shame.... were the engines Listers? I bet they've had more reliability issues with the solar gear than they ever did the gen sets!!
@@PeterHalil I don't suppose that you've written a book or anything about your experiences have you, or know of any particularly good ones by your colleagues?
@@chrisbond8821 I haven't written a book yet, but I kept journals of my latter lighthouse years, so one day perhaps when I finish with the editing lark. At the moment though I'm editing most days as it's a slow old process, also any book would probably take longer as I'm a one finger typist! There are a couple of old books out there, if you can find them cheap in a secondhand bookstore. Ceaseless vigil by WJ Lewis and the other which is a thin booklet type paperback of only 93 pages by a Scottish Keeper, which has a full explanation of the Flannan Isles mystery in it, No more parafin oilers by Ian Cassells, which is quite cheap on ebay, cheers.
Another good one Peter. I wonder what it would be like, to spend a period on a remote and Post-automated Lighthouse? Is ALL sign of manned operation and habitation removed? I wonder what the atmosphere would be like - again after Automation. I'd love to try it; though I don't do ladders now. The nearest I could imagine, would be my time as a Railway Signalman, in a remote Box for 12hrs haha. Thanks for posting. Jack.
Ha Ha so you were a Lighthouse Keeper of sorts, just guiding passing trains and not ships ! Yes I often wonder what the places would be like now too, take care mate.
Stayed in the old light house keepers cottages in sennen cove about the time this was filmed waking up to the views of the lighthouses each morning was an amazing view
I'm assuming again!... the doorway from the engine room to the outside walkway is big enough and it is right under the crane, alternatively they came already in the structure as you suggested.
Hi Peter, did you ever stay at the lighthouse keepers cottages on St Marys or did you go home on leave? We go there every August and always enjoy our annual boat trip out to the Bishop. I have found out how heavy it weighs (over 5500 tonnes) and now understand how it has endured the pounding from all of the waves. All the best, Darren
Hi, I lived in one of the Lighthouse Keepers cottages on St Marys when I was stationed on the Bishop Rock. You obviously know how beautiful the Scillies are if you Holiday there so often. take care and stay safe.
Peter, Thank you for posting this fascinating video. I have always been interested in lighthouses and often wondered what it would be like to be a lighthouse keeper. Your video gives me a pretty good idea of what you had to do day to day. How did you keep from getting bored?
Excellent video, so sad to see so much removed during automation. In most lighthouses here in Ireland all the machinery from the diaphone fog signals were scrapped as automation took place.
I find it almost criminal the way they just bin stuff. I hope to share more as I get into the editing lark. I have footage of me in a beautiful engine room on a land station, where I'm doing the cleaning chores, next time you see this on the video that I took it was when they were destroying the place. I suppose the engines went somewhere to be used again, but the rest was just scrapped.
@@PeterHalil Unfortunately we no longer have any fog signals since 2011 when Irish Lights discontinued them. We really miss the comforting sound. Thanks for your reply, I'm really looking forward to your other videos.
@@glcork I've never heard fog horns in real life, but empathise with your experience of missing the comforting sound. Over 30 years ago I lived in semi-rural Western Australia and had the comforting sound of Alumina ore (Bauxite) trains sounding their melodic warnings several kilometres away, echoing behind a line of hills each night as I was getting to sleep. It was something I enjoyed as part of an otherwise very quiet soundscape.
@@BrassLock Thanks for the text. Fog signals were quite similar in that you could hear it echo quite some time after it sounding, bouncing off the hills and travelling on for miles. Just like your own experience many people found fog signals comforting and peaceful while lying in bed, once of course you weren't too close to the lighthouse!
This is AMAZING. Totally comprehensive and methodical! I would love to live there alone :) Though I imagine the constant droning of the generators not to mention deafening blasts of the horns would probably go a long ways toward erasing the "romance" of the place after a very short time. The mercury vapor concentration in the lens room must have been phenomenal, would have been interesting to test the blood levels of the men after their months long work. Dare I ask what happened to all the trash the keepers accumulated during their time there?
The trash like everything in those days went out the window, but in the latter years it was all bagged up in the base of the tower to come ashore for disposal...plus if it was safe to get out on the rocks on some stations, some were burnt. The noise becomes background noise, even the fog horns you learn to sleep through. When cleaning the lens etc we had the outside door open for ventilation, but yes it would have been a good idea to test us for mercury poisoning.
@@PeterHalil Actually, I doubt that the level of mercury in your bodies would have been all that bad. People worry rather more than necessary about 'normal' uses of mercury. There would be considerable ventilation up there too. It would certainly be detectable but then so is it detectable in everyone. You can have mercury barometers inside heated homes without any significant risk after all. The key thing is did you have to top up the mercury on any sort of regular/monthly basis? That might indicate if there ever was a problem.
@@corrigenda70 We didn't top it up on a regular basis, in fact I only saw it done once in all my time... I still remember a Science lesson in School where the teacher poured us a blob each on our desks to play with!
Great video Peter. I am just reading Seashaken Houses but this really brings home the level of confinement you all endured. The book reveals that the last version of this Lighthouse was built around the previous one, which explains the depth of the windows on the lower levels. The noise from the generators seems incessant but I’d imagine it would be far more noticeable when it stopped? The thing that seems especially difficult to comprehend is that the weight and bulk of diesel and fresh water seems too much to transport via helicopter and then to be manhandled to lower levels? Is there still an occasional resupply of large volumes brought in by boat and pumped across in calm weather?
Hi Nick, Everything comes by Helicopter and is gravity fed down from the top. The Helicopter pilots seem to handle it all very well, make it look easy, which I'm sure it isn't. Nothing can come by boat now as there is nobody there and the art of boat work has been lost, stay safe.
Neat vid. What did you typically do all day while manning this? I assume mostly just read books unless something had to be addressed (which was probably not all that often)?
Fantastic piece of historical archive video making. And incredible timing with the tour culminating in the helicopter arrival, well done to the film maker. You have preserved a significant moment and created a lasting credit to all lighthouse keepers. Fantastic work.
Thank you very much, much appreciated. I just got annoyed that we were being made redundant and it seemed like nobody was interested in preserving our way of life in any form for the future. So, I got a video camera, and started to record as much as possible, it started slowly, then kind of snowballed. Thanks again, Cheers and stay safe.
It was so good you were able to get some video footage for posterity! Amazing tour, thanks for sharing!
Cheers, glad you liked it.
I love these tours so much. There’s no way most of us would ever get to experience the atmosphere of a lighthouse. You capture it perfectly. Thanks for doing it.
Thank you Dave for your kind words, glad you like them, I enjoyed making them, cheers and stay safe
I agree Dave triple wow!
@@PeterHalil I have a friend who comes from Peacehaven and his accent and pronunciation is identical to yours. If I close my eyes it could be him speaking. You're not from round that way are you?
@@davesaunders3334 Hi Dave, not sure where my accent really comes from, I was born a Cockney in Stepney, London. Moved to East Anglia when I was 8, then the Royal Navy, so I guess it must be a blend of all of that? cheers
@@larryteager6382 Thank you Larry, glad you enjoy my videos too. Take care and stay safe.
I am 73 years old and have been waiting for the best part of it for your scintillating insight into life in a light house. Thank you. I strongly feel it must have been a fascinating place for people to have spent part at least of their lives in.
Thank you for your kind words. I'm now 70 and wish I could be doing my Lighthouse years all over again. Lots more to come out but a fair amount will be the inside of empty buildings, the reason being that not every Keeper wanted a camera pointed at them. I did do a good one on the Needles Lighthouse that includes Christmas and New Years celebrations on board, so hopefully I will be posting that in the not too distant future.
Well done on preserving the history of this light house on video.
Thank you, I will slowly bring out more that I managed to do.
Hi my dad was a lighthouse keeper in the 40,s on bishop Rock. They used to make rag rugs to amuse themselves and for a but of extra money for families at home.
That was fascinating to watch. Not sure if I would ever get used to the generators running and the fog horn blasting to get a hour's sleep though!
Thanks, if you look on my site there is a 50 minute movie I made of life in a wave washed lighthouse which tries to show what our keepers lives were like. As can be seen from the film, it takes a while to get used to the din of the fog horn!
I see we are men of similar interests lol
Peter Hall my dad was a keeper as a baby I learnt to sleep through fog horns and nothing wakes me now
@taofledermaus, I love that I come across your comments every now and then on videos much different to the content you do, but are nonetheless interesting to both of us I guess 🤣
Thanks again Peter for another fantastic lighthouse tour. I can only imagine the obstacles the masons and engineers had to overcome so far out at sea to build this magnificent edifice in 1858.
Cheers mate, take care and stay safe.
Fascinating! This is such valuable stuff - a proper historical record from the days before automation put an end to keepers' work. Cheers :-)
Glad you liked it, more to come later hopefully.
Thanks Peter. Lighthouses have always fascinated me.
You are welcome, and you may have guessed already but they fascinate me too, take care
Mind boggling to think of the tremendous work it took to get all the furniture, appliances, cooking utensils, bedding, etc out there and installed. I can barely comprehend how many trips it must have taken and all the hardship associated with it all. I've always wondered what these offshore lights truly looked like inside. Thanks for sharing.
You are welcome, yes indeed, and to think everything was man handled back in the day. Cheers and stay safe
Very interesting video. I never knew there was so much stuff in a lighthouse!! I could live there - no problem!!
Me too!, thanks, glad you found it interesting, stay safe.
Thank you again. Being from the western US where there are no large bodies of water, I find your videos really interesting. Your walkthrough and interview videos are a valuable record.
Glad you like them Buzz, take care.
fernleystephens2436
I have taken boat trips out to Bishop Rock Lighthouse and admired the other thanks to St. Mary's Boatman's Association, while holidaying on Scilly. Thanks for the tour of the inside.
Thank you very much Fernley, glad you liked the tour inside and welcome to my channel. Take care and stay safe.
Superb film. Really enjoyed it , its such a shame that trinity house automated all its lighthouses as that would be such a good job living and working in those off shore towers.
Thank you, I agree about it would be great still to employ people to go out on the Tower Rocks.
Yeah.. For better maintenance... From 🇵🇭
Digitizing these old tapes for prosperity is a great way to show life of a bygone era - very interesting to see how people coped living in Lighthouses
This was such an awesome find I can’t stop watching your videos thank you so much for them
Thank you very much, and welcome to my videos and channel. Cheers and take care.
Thank you very much for preserving these fascinating moments with detailed narrations for future generations to see.
All the best.
Thank you very much for your kind comments. Glad you found my channel. Cheers and stay safe.
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed this video. Excellent work explaining and describing each level. Outstanding. I used to be a nuclear missile maintenance officer in an underground silo and I see so many similarities. This being the world's smallest island with a building on it makes it even more fascinating.
Grief, that sounds an interesting job, glad you enjoyed our efforts, take care and stay safe.
Hi Peter, I’m so pleased to have found this. When I was a little girl in the 80s I wrote to Trinity House and they put me in touch with one of the lighthouse keepers at Bishop Rock who wrote to me. Sadly I can’t remember the name of the lighthouse keeper but it could have been yourself of one of your colleagues. I was a lonely child and the fact that someone had taken the trouble to write to me has stayed with my for my entire life. I have always wondered about ‘my lighthouse keeper’ and what became of him and wish I had stayed in touch.
Hi Lindy, I don't think it was me that you wrote to.
If you really feel the need to try to track him down, then I suggest contacting the Association Of Lighthouse Keepers who can be found at alk.org.uk/
It may be a long shot but there is a bigger pool of ex Lighthouse Keepers to draw from there. Anyway, you have found my you tube channel and I'm pleased that my videos have reached people like yourself. I'm also glad that your request reached a Keeper that took the time to respond to you.
Hope you are OK in these troubled times, there will be many more Lighthouse videos, some longer than others. Here's hoping you like those as well. Take care and stay safe.
Peter Halil thank you so much for responding. Finding this video of the lighthouse where he wrote his letters has certainly reignited my curiosity so I might pursue the lead that you’ve given me. I am in the process of writing a book for my children which is loosely based on my communications with a lighthouse keeper so your videos are going to be a really useful source of information. I’ll certainly follow your channel with interest! Thanks, Linda
What a heartwarming storie very nice thanks Lindy!
Superb footage, and well done for capturing it and sharing with us.
I hadn't appreciated how tight it is inside or just how intrusive the generator noise is, a twinge of sadness knowing that this was at the time of automation. I have always admired the Bishop from afar as my family are from the Scillies, some going back in time were involved with the boat relief. I have an uncle on St Agnes who used to keep a look out on the light and would report if anything appeared wrong, I believe he mentioned that the main doors were ripped away by the waves once.
I also fondly remember the Trinity House Bo105 helicopter which was based at St Mawgan for a while, even the sound of it on your film brought back memories. Thank you again Peter.
Hi, thanks for your kind words and so glad the footage tugged at your memories. I lived in the Trinity cottages on the Scillies for a while and did a one and only winched boat relief, the rest were helicopter. I have a photo of me plus one without me in it of the damaged doors on the Bishop. The picture was taken at the Lighthouse Museum in Penzance (since closed) don't know where all the museum stuff went to or the Bishop doors, take care.
@@PeterHalil sorry for delay, that museum at Penzance was a great little place, shame like many small museums that it closed. I believe some of the exhibits went to the National Maritime Museum at Falmouth, but haven't been there to confirm.
Incredible! One of the most extra-ordinary jobs in the world. Thanks for making and sharing this very important documentation because that will shows it's outmost importance in the future.
Thank you very much for your kind words, much appreciated. Take care and stay safe
Thank you for posting. I live in the USA, but I'm from Canada. I remember going to the islands where my grandfather was a keeper on big fish island in Nova Scotia. The lighthouse was nothing like this one. But have times changed
Thanks for your comments, I shall now have to Google Big fish island lighthouse to see where your Grandfather served, take care.
@@PeterHalil if you look at the southern tip of Nova Scotia find a town called wedgeport it's right in the inlet to the tusket river. He also helped pease island. What country was your light?
@@dwaynepothier6161 Thanks I've found it ok. My lighthouses are all in England and Wales. This one, the Bishop rock is South of Lands end in Cornwall and offshore from the Isles of Scilly.
The attention to details is phenomenal in your videos Peter. Another incredible tour of a beautiful lighthouse
Thank you for your very kind words, glad you found my channel. Take care, cheers
Thank you Peter. A little piece of history. What a remote location, standing against the full force of the Atlantic.
Thank you and yes another piece of History gone. Stay safe.
Thanks for sharing this fascinating piece of our maritime history. Countless lives saved by brave men.
Thanks for your comments and I loved every minute (well almost Ha! ) of my job.
Another excellent preservation video - Its so amazing to show much effort went into keeping that light burning, and how now solar and gps have changed the lighthouses and sea navigation.
Makes no sense that GPS has destroyed the existence of the lighthouse. They are notoriously fickle and work only half the time. Getting a signal is almost impossible in a storm so how does a ship find its way when the GPS equipment keeps losing its signal. Isn't the $500 unit you buy off the shelf the same used in a fishing boat?
Very interesting tour! Thank you very much for sharing this with us.
Glad you liked it, thanks.
Thanks again Peter,they are really something these lighthouses perched upon a bit of rock,waves crashing😊
Thank you, I think so too.
I sincerely enjoyed watching your video from beginning to end. I've seen the outside of New England lighthouses from Maine to Rhode Island, watched a winter storm batter Minot's Ledge Light on the Massachusetts coast, but your presentation was totally fascinating to watch. I had no idea how complicated the workings of a modern-day lighthouse were until I saw your presentation. Thank you very much for a clear description of living conditions in a lighthouse. Again, it is fascinating.
Thank you, glad you liked it. It was a dream job for me, one where I loved going to work.
Great video. Thanks. My Uncle Colin was a Keeper on the Bishop Rock, in 1988 for my 13th birthday, I was flown out to the BR as he was heading out for his month on, I was invited onto the helipad, but declined as terrified of heights. ( I deeply regret not going out now, just stayed in the helicopter).
Thanks Brian, glad you like the video, I know what you mean about heights, although I was OK if there was a railing or a safety net. At least you were one of the few that got to see the bishop out to sea from a unique angle. Your Uncles name rings a bell but I don't think we ever met, but could be wrong on that. Take care.
Just caught this now, I also would like to say thank you for recording this. It's been so long since I've seen a video flimed from the 1990's with such clear picture and explanations. I hope your doing well and thanks again!
Thank you for the kind words Sweet Mammoth, glad you like the videos. Take care and stay safe.
Fascinating. Thank you for doing this.
Thank you Jason, glad you liked it, take care.
Amazing video and tour.
Thanks for posting.
Cheers, glad you liked it. Stay safe
So beautiful to see this film, and lovely to know you were at South Stack. I've loved lighthouses all my life and as a child we used to do the South Stack tour by the keepers a lot - loved it. I still remember as a child pushing the lantern around on the mercury and being amazed! Maybe it's your fault I love lighthouses! :o) Your photo with the lantern is beautiful.
Now, we are near the *beautiful* Plover Scar lighthouse (1847 - managed at one point by the Parkinson family and Mrs Parkinson was filmed managing the light in 1948!). Plover Scar was *so* fortunate to have been critically hit by shipping in 2016 and as a result was repaired. Prior to the collision, she was in a very poor state and, although a wonderful repair was done, I was so sad it wasn't a full restoration because her lanturn is now shuttered with metal plates and a solar powered light sits on the outside of her lantern. *However*: without the accident they were looking to pull her down she was in such a sad state, so we have to be thankful for small (or huge ship-shaped!) mercies that will allow her to be there for another hundred or so years. At high tide she sits two-thirds of her deep in water so the engineering is amazing that she has stayed there since 1847... and I would personally hug the ship-Captain who hit her, as she is beautiful to see and I'm so glad she's now going to be there for a long time!
Thank you Ani, so glad you enjoy my videos, I must have shown hundreds around South Stack on a tour so that's brought back some memories.
Thank you also for telling us about the Plover Scar Lighthouse, I never knew that Lighthouse existed till your memories when I hastily Googled it! Isn't it strange how many ships collide with Lighthouses that are pretty much hard to miss!...visually I mean, take care.
Great footage of this magnificent structure. I'll be forwarding this to my dad who was a keeper back in the late 60's / early 70's. He served on The Bishop as well as the Longships, Wolf and several others. Coincidentally, my 2nd cousin, 3x removed served on the very same rocks but at the start of the 20th century. Thank you for sharing.
Great to hear, what are the names of your Dad and cousin.
@@PeterHalil My 2nd cousin (3x removed) was called Richard Trenoweth Grenfell (1881-1943). Sadly, he was killed in an air raid while he was Principal Keeper of the St Catherine's light on the Isle of Wight. My dad is called Michael G (surname withheld as he is a very private person) and is still very proud to have served on the rocks. I think he left about 1972. He has some great stories, my particular favourite is how he kicked HRH Prince Philip up the arse, 'cos he didn't swing himself clear enough as he was being winched off (The Wolf, I think). My dad just gave him a little physical encouragement and got called "you bastard!" for his efforts. Some gratitude!!
@@kevg3320 I was stationed on st Catherines for a few years and have visited the graves of the keepers killed in that air raid. Your dad seems to have left before i joined, so our paths never crossed.
Fantastic video Peter! This was really interesting to see. Quite educational too. Videos like this help to preserve the past and show people what life (for some) was like. Thank you very much for sharing this! I’m impressed by the complexity of the place also!
Thank you, glad you liked it. I did loads of videoing over the dieing years of us keepers so hopefully will put them out in time, once I learn more about editing. Only a few movies with us keepers in trying to show our passing way of life mainly because an awful lot of them were camera shy, the nature of the beast I guess.
I really love these videos Peter.. Ive spent the last 3 Sunday mornings going through your walk through videos.. I never thought id see inside so many lighthouse.. Wonderful..
Thank you very much for the kind words, glad you enjoy my videos, cheers. Stay safe and take care.
Thanks for posting. I have sailed past the light many times and wondered what life was like for the keepers - well, now I know!
Thanks, safe sailing.
Thanks for the tour round Bishop rock Lghthouse,it was very enjoyable, I've always liked lighthouses,they do a great job in keeping ships safe out at sea.
Thank you, glad you liked it, cheers.
Hi Peter, thank you for this brilliant video. The history of Bishop Rock has always fascinated me, I believe that my (4 or 5 times) great grandfather was one of the longest serving keepers on this light. Thank you for showing all the levels, it does give you some insight into just how crampted and claustrophobic these places are. Going up and down those steep, narrow stairs must've been a pain. Also, my father's family lived (and still live) in the house attached to the old light on St Agnes, Isles of Scilly which this replaced.
Also, thank you for showing the old museum - I have fond memories of visiting it as a young lad. It is such a shame and we are all the poorer for such places being closed.
Hope you're well, and thanks again.
Hi Dave, Thank you very much for that. I bet your Great(4 or 5) times Great Grandfather would have had some tales to tell? You have a Famous surname from those parts as well. Yes, it was a crying shame about our Museum, some people have no souls it seems. Don't even mention what is going on at Newquay Airport? Thanks again, hope you are well. Take care and stay safe.
Thanks for posting this video, fascinating insight , very enjoyable.
Glad you liked it, more to come hopefully.
Fascinating, I really enjoyed the tour. Thanks so much 👍👍👍
Glad you liked it, take care and stay safe.
Thanks for uploading and especially thanks for filming in the first place.
Cheers, I enjoyed my videoing and to be honest it kept my mind focused away from my pending redundancy.
Amazing tour.
Glad you liked it.
I have always wanted to explore this lighthouse but it was impossible for general public, thanks for posting this.
Now that I'm a member of the Public, I wouldn't be allowed to visit it either. Thank you for your comments. Stay safe.
Terrific video, thanks for putting this together.
Thanks for the kind comments, and I'm glad you liked it, more to follow hopefully.
Fascinating video. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you liked it.Cheers.
Amazing. What a piece of art.
wonderful tour. thanks for sharing.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
Excellent thanks I was raised on Merseyside and visited perch rock lighthouse as a kid and often wondered how that compared with other lighthouses..really informative video bud
Thanks, I live on Anglesey, so not too far from Merseyside, cheers.
Id love to have a nose around perch rock lighthouse but ive been in bidston lighthouse which is very cool especially with its bookshop inside. Its well worth a visit.
@@anthonyheath7675 sounds like a plan sometime, cheers
Great video! Peter your time being a lighthouse keeper did you see any strange lights out at sea like UFOs and or did you hear of any other keepers talk about strange sightings ?
Thank you and no I never saw anything like that, and no other Keeper has ever mentioned it to me either. That said, we are only looking out of tiny windows and I never asked any other Keepers those questions, take care and Merry Christmas
This was just the video I needed to watch, thank you
Thank you Mateo, glad you liked it, stay safe
Really fascinating viewing, felt i was there with you, amazing. thankyou
Thank you June, much appreciated, so glad the video worked the way I intended. Stay safe and take care.
Greetings from NZ Peter & thanks for recording this brilliant video. Most impressed with that magnificent 1st order lense. Must have been hard yakka on watch during early years when it ran a paraffin vapor light ! Your tour reminded me of my visit to the seawashed Rotersand lighthouse in Germany. Most appreciated to view inside Bishop Rock pre automation !
Thank you Paul and hello New Zealand. Yes the Bishop Rock was certainly impressive and that lens was huge, and yes looking after two paraffin lights and all the cleaning that entails must have been hard work. Cheers and stay safe
Thanks for such a well made record. As a child I made a number of trips to this lighthouse, in the boat of a friend of my Aunt, who lived on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. They were mostly sightseeing tours but I'm fairly sure, on one occasion, that something was delivered to the keeper. Would have been around 1960, no helipad then.
Thank you, I was editing one of my Keeper interviews and he was on about all the "Goodies" that were sent up from the tourist boats.
I saw your comment in *_RAN Sailing_* about your career as a Lighthouse Keeper, and out of curiosity found your interesting Channel. I'm glad you made that comment, so I subscribed for more fascinating walks and views of places far from my home in South East Asia.
great, where in south east asia?
@@PeterHalil Chiang Mai, Thailand. A city far from the ocean, so your videos are quite a contrast to my daily experience!
Just flew out here in Microsoft Flight Simulator as there's a fantastic recreation of the lighthouse and Scilly Isles and St Marys airfield. I got curious and then discovered this video which really brings a lot to my enjoyment in the sim. Cheers!
Cheers Daniel, can you sim out in a helicopter and try to land on the roof?
Great stuff, and no music !,, hooray. Thanks
So it's not just me?..Ha, thanks
Ik very happy to see they restored abandoned light house..
I had no idea they were that complex, great tour.
Cheers for that, glad you liked it.
The Bishop Rock Lighthouse. Thanks for recording it.
You are welcome, I enjoyed doing it, hope you found it interesting.
Great video👍🏻 hope to visit this station during my time as a lighthouse technician.
Great perhaps you can give an update of what it looks like now inside?, cheers.
If I’m ever sent to the station I will be sure to :) watching this video the ones I have visited don’t seem to be too different in terms of appearance apart from there is more wiring and electronic cubicles, and there’s only 1 generator. The banana bunks are still in use and surprisingly comfortable 😁
Awesome video! It is so sad that no one will ever be able to be a lighthouse keeper here again.
Thank you, yes sad indeed, so I'm glad that I was in the position to capture something for myself and others to see.Take care.
Love it so much Thank you
Thank you, glad you loved it, take care
Fascinating look at the inside of a lighthouse.
Many years ago I had to winch the keeper off Bishop Rock, we couldn’t land on it like they do now, Wessex 5, we where too big and heavy.
Very interesting as you are hovering 150ft up. Pilot has no visual reference, and the crew man, is glancing between 15ft below to instantly 150ft below.
We had... several attempts ... before we managed to get the keeper off. He was not happy with our efforts... but as he had broken ribs he had no choice but to be flown off.
great, that brings back several memories. I was a chockhead in the Navy before being a Keeper and did 2 years a piece on HMS Victorious and Ark Royal flight decks. After the Lighthouses I was a Refueler of 22 squadron rescue helicopters at RAF Valley up here on Anglesey, also did the fixed as well, but I've always loved the helos .Cheers you boys did a very tricky job in some atrocious conditions, take care
Peter Halil I was an aircrewman at Culdrose, ended up on Seakings. I’ll dig out my flying log book and see if I can find the date :)
@@999rooneydog Small world, I was also at Culdrose and Yeovil and of course up here 22 were all Seakings. I was in the Navy 64 to 72 and Lighthouses 74 to 97. The next video I'm editing as we speak should be about the Skerries up here on Anglesey and has a sequence when 22 popped in for a practice in a Wessex.
Thanks very much...I really enjoyed your vlog.Been to the Scillies twice now,and always wondered what the BR lighthouse was like..👍🍺
Thank you, glad you liked it, take care.
Great video. Thanks for uploading it.
Again. A really interesting video. thanks. That last helicopter shot was great.
Interesting. I can imagine it would look very different now. Thanks for filming this.
I've discovered that I did go back on a trip and filmed it again with most of the automation done, but I think the lens may still have been intact so will eventually try and put that up on here.
Hello Peter
Hope you are keeping well?. Just to thank you for a marvellous and unique set of videos documenting life before automation.
How marvellous you filmed the people and the interiors of these fascinating buildings.
The advent of You Tube has allowed many to enjoy your videos and personal insights.
I am surprised that the Northern Lights board did not invite you to film the inside of some of their lights.... particularly,
Skerryvore. It was good PR for Trinity.
I wish you a long and happy retirement.
Leo K
Hello Leo, Thank you for your very kind words. To my eternal shame, the Northern Lighthouse board did invite me to film inside some of their Lighthouses too. But, I was just in over my head, trying to get as much as I could done before my ever looming redundancy caught up with me. Then it was trying to find another job etc etc. I'm hoping to put out feelers again at sometime to be able to film up in their Lighthouse Museum at least, we shall see if that is possible. Not sure if anybody will allow me offshore to film now, my Trinity House says NO to the 2 lights that I missed. Thanks again, stay safe.
Awesome video! I love this !
Thank you very much Martha, glad you liked it. Take care and stay safe
Thank you for sharing these amazing stories.
Where is the radio you use if you see Jaw's 🦈
Another great film Peter
Thank you Myles, much appreciated.
I can vividly remember seeing Bishops Rock 🪨 Lighthouse!!
Thank you for documenting the lifehouse ,it's truly a remarkable history and one that should be preserved. It's sadden that's men no longer take care of it the way that it once did. I'm sure it's more lonely now without the men present. Thank you
Thank you, it saddened me to be made redundant with all the other Keepers and I didn't want us all to pass into History without leaving a trace of our lives behind, take care.
Really awesome work thanks for sharing.I need to get me a light house
Thank you, I couldn't afford one so I live opposite a lovely harbour and beach instead.
Awesome video.. Thank you very much!
Thanks glad you liked it.
Wonderful. I have photos I took in the 60s of mail being delivered at Bishop Rock, and also keepers being exchanged.. before the buoy mentioned in the video was there to stabilise the launches.
Brill, it would be great to see those. You also might find that they didn't always use the bouy because the boatmen that looked after the Keepers were so expert at what they did.
I'll try to dig out the photos. I's as sure as I can be that there was no buoy there in the 1960s. I took quite a few trips out there over the course of nearly a decade or so, starting around 1964-ish, and a buoy would have been of great help to the launch pilots on some of the rougher trips. I well recall the frustration of watching them and the keepers trying to get the line in place in poor weather. I'm not sure how to get the photos to you...?
@@n7dr14 thanks, if you manage to find them you can always email them to me to peterandisla@tiscali.co.uk cheers mate, take care
I'll send them in the next couple of days.
@@n7dr14 Cheers mate
I love the way the fuel tanks were designed to get through the narrow stairwells, that and the 'portapotty' windows version that had to be emptied with great care unless you wanted to go back to your bendy bunk damp and smelly.
Ha Ha, yes we had to be very careful! and one of the morning jobs was to bleach the potties.
Amazing video and yet sad at the same time, I couldn't help feeling as if the automation crew had somehow invaded and taken over this beautiful building, I feel for all the keepers who maybe spend much of their time living in memories now, respect to all of you past and present 👍
Thank you for your kind comments, much appreciated.
I liked your video.Always wanted to now what it was like inside a light house thanks.
Brilliant, informative video👍
Thanks, glad you liked it.
So if the diesel generators were removed as part of the automation, what powers the lighthouses now?
Hi, I think that Trinity House went down the LED lights and Solar panels route for their lighthouses
@@PeterHalil What a shame.... were the engines Listers? I bet they've had more reliability issues with the solar gear than they ever did the gen sets!!
@@chrisbond8821 I think a lot of the Lighthouse engines were Listers , but I've no idea what happened to them, cheers
@@PeterHalil I don't suppose that you've written a book or anything about your experiences have you, or know of any particularly good ones by your colleagues?
@@chrisbond8821 I haven't written a book yet, but I kept journals of my latter lighthouse years, so one day perhaps when I finish with the editing lark. At the moment though I'm editing most days as it's a slow old process, also any book would probably take longer as I'm a one finger typist! There are a couple of old books out there, if you can find them cheap in a secondhand bookstore. Ceaseless vigil by WJ Lewis and the other which is a thin booklet type paperback of only 93 pages by a Scottish Keeper, which has a full explanation of the Flannan Isles mystery in it, No more parafin oilers by Ian Cassells, which is quite cheap on ebay, cheers.
Another good one Peter. I wonder what it would be like, to spend a period on a remote and Post-automated Lighthouse? Is ALL sign of manned operation and habitation removed? I wonder what the atmosphere would be like - again after Automation. I'd love to try it; though I don't do ladders now. The nearest I could imagine, would be my time as a Railway Signalman, in a remote Box for 12hrs haha. Thanks for posting. Jack.
Ha Ha so you were a Lighthouse Keeper of sorts, just guiding passing trains and not ships ! Yes I often wonder what the places would be like now too, take care mate.
Yes I suppose so. A bit of a lonely life for some, but I liked it.
@@jackharrison6771 Me too, not everybody can take being alone, take care.
Stayed in the old light house keepers cottages in sennen cove about the time this was filmed waking up to the views of the lighthouses each morning was an amazing view
Brilliant. Really interesting but also sad that it’s all automated now
Thank you, yes it is sad, have a Merry Christmas,take care.
@@PeterHalil Sup Pete?
Very interesting.
You sounded like you wanted to bucket and chuck it one last time.
Only if I'm allowed some certain Politicians down below when I chuck it, Ha Ha
Thats crazy how that was made there. Huge respect to those that made it. Would love to know how they did that
me too, now where is Hollywood when you need it.Ha, take care
My question is how did they get them Engine's/generators into the lighthouse? Did they have to build them in the lighthouse?
I'm assuming again!... the doorway from the engine room to the outside walkway is big enough and it is right under the crane, alternatively they came already in the structure as you suggested.
Fascinating thank you!
Thank you, glad you liked it.
Hi Peter, did you ever stay at the lighthouse keepers cottages on St Marys or did you go home on leave? We go there every August and always enjoy our annual boat trip out to the Bishop. I have found out how heavy it weighs (over 5500 tonnes) and now understand how it has endured the pounding from all of the waves. All the best, Darren
Hi, I lived in one of the Lighthouse Keepers cottages on St Marys when I was stationed on the Bishop Rock. You obviously know how beautiful the Scillies are if you Holiday there so often. take care and stay safe.
Peter,
Thank you for posting this fascinating video. I have always been interested in lighthouses and often wondered what it would be like to be a lighthouse keeper. Your video gives me a pretty good idea of what you had to do day to day. How did you keep from getting bored?
That's the million dollar question, most Keepers had a hobby, some fished one even made video's! Ha. Thanks for your comments.
Excellent video, so sad to see so much removed during automation. In most lighthouses here in Ireland all the machinery from the diaphone fog signals were scrapped as automation took place.
I find it almost criminal the way they just bin stuff. I hope to share more as I get into the editing lark. I have footage of me in a beautiful engine room on a land station, where I'm doing the cleaning chores, next time you see this on the video that I took it was when they were destroying the place. I suppose the engines went somewhere to be used again, but the rest was just scrapped.
@@PeterHalil Unfortunately we no longer have any fog signals since 2011 when Irish Lights discontinued them. We really miss the comforting sound. Thanks for your reply, I'm really looking forward to your other videos.
@@glcork I've never heard fog horns in real life, but empathise with your experience of missing the comforting sound. Over 30 years ago I lived in semi-rural Western Australia and had the comforting sound of Alumina ore (Bauxite) trains sounding their melodic warnings several kilometres away, echoing behind a line of hills each night as I was getting to sleep. It was something I enjoyed as part of an otherwise very quiet soundscape.
@@BrassLock Thanks for the text. Fog signals were quite similar in that you could hear it echo quite some time after it sounding, bouncing off the hills and travelling on for miles. Just like your own experience many people found fog signals comforting and peaceful while lying in bed, once of course you weren't too close to the lighthouse!
@@glcork Ha! Ha!, yes I can quite imagine you didn't want to be _too_ close.
This is AMAZING. Totally comprehensive and methodical! I would love to live there alone :) Though I imagine the constant droning of the generators not to mention deafening blasts of the horns would probably go a long ways toward erasing the "romance" of the place after a very short time. The mercury vapor concentration in the lens room must have been phenomenal, would have been interesting to test the blood levels of the men after their months long work. Dare I ask what happened to all the trash the keepers accumulated during their time there?
The trash like everything in those days went out the window, but in the latter years it was all bagged up in the base of the tower to come ashore for disposal...plus if it was safe to get out on the rocks on some stations, some were burnt. The noise becomes background noise, even the fog horns you learn to sleep through. When cleaning the lens etc we had the outside door open for ventilation, but yes it would have been a good idea to test us for mercury poisoning.
haha, pretty much what I thought happened to it.
@@PeterHalil Actually, I doubt that the level of mercury in your bodies would have been all that bad. People worry rather more than necessary about 'normal' uses of mercury. There would be considerable ventilation up there too. It would certainly be detectable but then so is it detectable in everyone. You can have mercury barometers inside heated homes without any significant risk after all. The key thing is did you have to top up the mercury on any sort of regular/monthly basis? That might indicate if there ever was a problem.
@@corrigenda70 We didn't top it up on a regular basis, in fact I only saw it done once in all my time... I still remember a Science lesson in School where the teacher poured us a blob each on our desks to play with!
Great video Peter.
I am just reading Seashaken Houses but this really brings home the level of confinement you all endured. The book reveals that the last version of this Lighthouse was built around the previous one, which explains the depth of the windows on the lower levels.
The noise from the generators seems incessant but I’d imagine it would be far more noticeable when it stopped?
The thing that seems especially difficult to comprehend is that the weight and bulk of diesel and fresh water seems too much to transport via helicopter and then to be manhandled to lower levels? Is there still an occasional resupply of large volumes brought in by boat and pumped across in calm weather?
Hi Nick, Everything comes by Helicopter and is gravity fed down from the top. The Helicopter pilots seem to handle it all very well, make it look easy, which I'm sure it isn't. Nothing can come by boat now as there is nobody there and the art of boat work has been lost, stay safe.
Neat vid. What did you typically do all day while manning this? I assume mostly just read books unless something had to be addressed (which was probably not all that often)?
This is awesome!
Wonderful footage ,thank you so much for sharing. What did you do after finishing in such an unusual job? It must of been hard to follow!
Very interesting tour. The constant noise level would lead to deafness for sure.
Thank you, and when I look back on these videos, it was a constant noise.