Heritage Open Days - Lighthouse

Thanks to everyone who helped out on the first of the two of our 2 open days for the lighthouse. Pity it was a bit misty - nice view of St Edmund's chapel from above though (here is a picture Phil Thomas managed to capture from the top when it cleared a bit). A few people expressed interest in seeing a copy of Andrew's talks - here we are:

Hunstanton Lighthouse

Coastal navigation has been assisted by open fires or lamps lit with oil since pre-Christian times. There are suggestions that a fire may have been lit on the cliff top from C16. Following a petition, Charles II issued a Royal Warrant in 1663 to enable John Knight to erect a light at Hunstanton, financed by tolls on passing shipping. 2 lighthouses in line built with stone, lime, timber, lead and glass cost £ 210. New Letters Patent in 1710 were granted in favour of Rev. James Everard. The use of coal in C18 suggests that it was an open fire in a metal brazier perhaps on a wooden platform. This burnt down and was replaced in 1776 by an oil lamp with a parabolic reflector at a cost of £ 860. Act of 1836 transferred private lighthouses to Trinity Board and a modern lighthouse was erected in 1844 and served until 1922 when the lighthouse and 2 keepers cottages were sold for £1300 at auction to Charles Alfred le Strange. Trinity House removed the lantern, with all its lighting equipment. Since then, the lighthouse has been used as a holiday home. The accommodation was completely refurbished to a luxury standard in 2016. Pictures can be found on http://www.norfolkcoastholidaycottages.co.uk

The History of Hunstanton Lighthouse – E. M. Calvert - Jarrold 1939

Hunstanton Lifeboats

The first lifeboat and boathouse was supplied in 1824 but a proper service did not begin until the arrival the RNLI’s ‘Licensed Victualler in 1867. This was replaced in 1887 and 1900 when the present boathouse was built. Horses borrowed from local farmers were used to pull the boat on its trailer into the water until tractors with caterpillar tracks were trialled in 1920. The station closed in 1931. During the 1960s many more people began using the sea for leisure activities. An inshore lifeboat service was established in 1979 using inflatable nylon craft and outboard motors. An Atlantic 21 arrived in 1982, replaced with Atlantic 75 in 1998 and Atlantic 85 in 2011. The boathouse was extended in 2010. A hovercraft, Hunstanton Flyer H-003, has been in service since 2003 with a new building completed in 2004 beside the original lifeboat station.

Hunstanton Lifeboats – Nicholas Leach – History Press 2008

Marconi Wireless Listening Station

Built 1906. Guglielmo Marconi began experimenting with wireless waves in his parent’s attic in 1894. He successfully transmitted signals across the Chanel in 1899 and the Atlantic in 1907. He was granted English patent number 7777. Richard John Bayntun Hippisley was born in Somerset in 1865, educated and trained in electrical and mechanical engineering and apprenticed at Thorn Engineering Company. Bayntun followed the interest of his grandfather who was a member of many of Europe’s leading scientific societies and an FRS and his half-uncle who served as Director of Telegraphs in South Africa during the second Boer War. Bayntun and another Radio amateur, Edward Russell Clarke who was a barrister and automotive pioneer started picking up signals from the German Navy on a lower wavelength than that which was currently being received by the existing Marconi stations. This was reported to the Admiralty and they were sent as ‘voluntary interceptors’ to Hunstanton to set up a listening post near to the Marconi wireless station in late 1914. They developed a direction finding (B station). This paid dividends when they were able to pick up signals that the German Fleet was leaving port prior to the Battle of Jutland on 31 May, 1 June 1916. Although the battle was inconclusive and there were twice as many lives lost and tonnage sunk on the British side, the German navy was contained for the remainder of the war.

Bayntun was awarded an OBE (military) in 1918 and a CBE (civic) in 1937

A Murray 2018