SOUTER Lighthouse, a landmark familiar to residents and visitors on the North-East coast on Monday marks exactly 150 years since it began its working life 1871. Now under the care of the National Trust, when it was first built Souter Lighthouse, on South Tyneside, was a technological marvel of its age. The coastline between the River Wear and River Tyne was treacherous to shipping, with submerged rocks and constant smog from local industry, claiming up to twenty ships a year. Trinity House, the organisation still responsible for lighthouses today, recognised that a new lighthouse was needed. Kate Devlin, National Trust collections and house officer at Souter Lighthouse said: We’re proud of the fact that Souter plays an important part in the history of lighthouses.
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Souter Lighthouse will mark its 150th anniversary in January 2021
Trinity House, the organisation which is still responsible for lighthouses today, recognised that a new beacon was needed, and work began to create Souter.
Kate Devlin, National Trust Collections and House Officer at Souter Lighthouse, said: “We’re proud of the fact that Souter plays an important part in the history of lighthouses. It was designed by Sir James Douglass, who was engineer-in-chief to Trinity House, as the first lighthouse purpose-built to use an electric light. This was a huge leap as, at that time, lighthouses were usually lit with oil lamps. This new technology was very exciting and meant a brighter, more reliable light could be produced by an arc lamp.”