![Message in a Bottle [ Explored ] Thanks all !! | by Pembrokeshire Coast & Countryside photos](http://live.staticflickr.com/5573/30282045375_67f264bfe7.jpg)
Pembrokeshire Coast & Countryside photos
Message in a Bottle [ Explored ] Thanks all !!
Situated approximately 20 miles West of St Ann's Head,
the Smalls is the most remote lighthouse in the UK, with five thousand miles of open Sea to the South West,
this reef becomes a complete wash during heavy storms,
Completed in 1861, and built to replace the original wood and iron structure, which was designed and completed by Henry Whiteside in 1776.
The old lighthouse was said to rock back and fore in heavy storms, there would have been two keepers originally assigned to man the old light, the keepers would spend a month or more, sometimes in horrendous conditions, manning the light till their next shift change.
It's told the first successful SOS message in a bottle was thrown from the old structure, Whiteside and a small work team became stranded for weeks during heavy storms.
the bottle was reportedly noticed on the shoreline, and recovery was sent soon after.
The old lighthouse brought about a change in lighthouse policy in 1801 after a gruesome episode.
One of the two man team, Thomas Howell and Thomas Griffith, were known to quarrel,
and so when Griffith died in a freak accident, Howell feared that he might be suspected of murder if he discarded the body into the sea.
As the body began to decompose, Howell built a makeshift coffin for the corpse and lashed it to an outside shelf.
Stiff winds blew the box apart, though,
and the body's arm fell within view of the hut's window and caused the wind to catch it in such a way that it seemed as though it was beckoning.
Working alone and with the decaying corpse of his former colleague outside Howell managed to keep the lamp lit.
When Howell was finally relieved from the lighthouse the effect the situation had had on him was said to be so extreme that some of his friends did not recognise him.
The rules changed after this tragic event, and rosters of three men to man the light, at any one time was to become the rule.
[Explored 14th October 2016] Thank you all for looking in !! :-)
Message in a Bottle [ Explored ] Thanks all !!
Situated approximately 20 miles West of St Ann's Head,
the Smalls is the most remote lighthouse in the UK, with five thousand miles of open Sea to the South West,
this reef becomes a complete wash during heavy storms,
Completed in 1861, and built to replace the original wood and iron structure, which was designed and completed by Henry Whiteside in 1776.
The old lighthouse was said to rock back and fore in heavy storms, there would have been two keepers originally assigned to man the old light, the keepers would spend a month or more, sometimes in horrendous conditions, manning the light till their next shift change.
It's told the first successful SOS message in a bottle was thrown from the old structure, Whiteside and a small work team became stranded for weeks during heavy storms.
the bottle was reportedly noticed on the shoreline, and recovery was sent soon after.
The old lighthouse brought about a change in lighthouse policy in 1801 after a gruesome episode.
One of the two man team, Thomas Howell and Thomas Griffith, were known to quarrel,
and so when Griffith died in a freak accident, Howell feared that he might be suspected of murder if he discarded the body into the sea.
As the body began to decompose, Howell built a makeshift coffin for the corpse and lashed it to an outside shelf.
Stiff winds blew the box apart, though,
and the body's arm fell within view of the hut's window and caused the wind to catch it in such a way that it seemed as though it was beckoning.
Working alone and with the decaying corpse of his former colleague outside Howell managed to keep the lamp lit.
When Howell was finally relieved from the lighthouse the effect the situation had had on him was said to be so extreme that some of his friends did not recognise him.
The rules changed after this tragic event, and rosters of three men to man the light, at any one time was to become the rule.
[Explored 14th October 2016] Thank you all for looking in !! :-)