Those very helpful people in the National Library of Ireland
finally managed to interpret my clues and find the photograph I was after –
Guillemot on Daunt station in 1905 (Photo 991).
As the elegantly
scripted caption indicates, the visiting Commissioners from CIL are actually in
the lantern, doing their inspection. This gives the clearest impression I have
yet seen of the size of the lantern and the internal lamps (Photo 992).
There are two
figures on the left and one on the right. The reflectors of the lamps have
obviously been highly polished – as I am certain they always were and not just
for the inspection visit. Taken along with the view I published back in
January, of a portly Commissioner climbing into the lantern (Photo 993), I now
have a much better feeling for the scale of that 2-ton monster. Hauling it up
the mast (by muscle power in the early days) must have been quite a feat – even
without the Commissioners in there!
Back to the boat
and Simon. He is getting serious with
the stern deck. The wall-papering business is going through a busy phase, so
decking is not high priority. Still he has had time to start cutting and
fitting (Photo 994), but not screwing down, sanding or varnishing!
The old photos are ©
CIL and courtesy NLI.
David
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