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The Nelson Photo News

 

42

A Light In The Night

How often do we look across the harbour and note, casually, the old lighthouse on the Boulder Bank. We have looked at it often, but it was not until recently that we inspected it at closer quarters. It is hard to believe that the cast iron building is 104 years old. It was shipped to Nelson in pieces in 1861 and it was lit for the first time on August 4, 1862. Originally, the lighthouse was under the control of keepers who lived on the bank but when the kerosene fuel was changed for acetylene in 1915, keepers were required no longer. Original cost of the building was £2824.

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The light itself produces only a small flame but this is magnified by big prisms.
Pilot staff, Jim Crapper and Brian Stewart, at the old wharf railway used to bring the heavy gas cylinders up to the bank.

43

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The lighthouse and keepers' cottages before the changeover to an automatic lighting system

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Brian checks to see that there is sufficient gas pressure

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On top of the lighthouse Brian makes another check, this time placing a blind over the sun valve so that Jim, in the lamp room, can note if the light functions.

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Reflectors must be kept gleaming

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Some idea of the interior structure can be gauged from this pic – the sections being bolted together.