Author: Peter

Souter Lighthouse South Shields (A Special Study)

A marvel of its age
Souter is a special place all year round and was the first lighthouse in the world designed and built to be powered by electricity. Opened in 1871, decommissioned in 1988, the National Trust acquired it and opened it to the public in 1990.

North East heroine Grace Darling's nephew Robert was a lighthouse keeper at Souter for 22 years from 1873 and 1897.
His father, grandfather and great grandfather were all lighthouse keepers at Longstone, near the Farne Islands, and Robert followed the tradition, having been born there.
He lived at Souter with his wife Isabella and their 4 children James, William, Jane and Isabella.
Robert was born in 1846, four years after Grace's early death at the age of 27 so never knew his aunt.
In 1897 Robert was posted to the Chapman Lighthouse on the Thames but returned to the North East to end his career at Longstone Lighthouse, his birthplace.
The coastline between the river Tyne and river Tees is the most dangerous around the British Isles with 43.8 shipwrecks per mile. Goodwin Sands is second with a mere 32 wrecks per mile.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK-IMXdQulo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK-IMXdQulo