Life as a lighthouse keeper's wife - Louise Medlicott

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Welcome to Season 3 of Keeping
Watch, a fortnightly podcast for
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lighthouse and light vessel enthusiasts
brought to you by the ALK, the
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Association of Lighthouse Keepers.
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I'm Ed Peppett and together with
my co host Melanie Charles, We'll
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be talking with former lighthouse
keepers, a keeper's wife, a television
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presenter, a museum curator, and
the host of another lighthouse
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podcast, and plenty more besides.
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So take a little time out and enjoy
this packed season of Keeping Watch.
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Now you may remember that in the last
episode, Mel and I talked with former
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keeper Gordon Medlicott about his 32
year career in the lighthouse service.
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After our conversation with Gordon
was concluded, Mel kept the recorder
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running, and spent the next hour chatting
with Gordon's wife Lou about what it
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was like to be married to and raise
a family with a lighthouse keeper.
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We'll hear Lou's story shortly.
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But first, fresh from a short
break in Tenerife Mel was keen to
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tell me about her holiday from a
lighthouse enthusiast's perspective.
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Mel, you've just got back from Tenerife.
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I know, it was so glorious and I'm
already missing the warmth and the
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sunshine, less the roads that seem
to be completely vertical and you
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can't actually see where you're going.
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Did you go to Tenerife with lighthouses
in mind or were they A very welcome extra.
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Uh, they were definitely a welcome extra.
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So our theory is why be in the UK
in January, February, when you could
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be somewhere that's got sunshine.
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So we headed off to Tenerife, hired
a car and explored some lighthouses.
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Fantastic.
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Which I think based on the the lamp
article in this winter, the beautiful and
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the ugly, we should start talking about
differences in lighthouse architecture
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because I think that the lighthouse
at Porto de la Cruz is horrific.
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Now, you sent me a photograph of
it and you described it as the
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ugliest lighthouse in the world.
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It's not that bad, I mean it's modern,
it's a sort of lattice structure, it's
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very rectangular, it's got some sort
of weird red and white striped sort of
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installation, it looks like it's sort
of inside the structure, presumably
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that's some sort of staircase is it?
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Yeah, so it's an external staircase
and I think for wind protection
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they've just put like that diagonal
white bit of concrete up so that you
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don't get blown off the lighthouse.
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But I kind of feel like it's
like one of those box kites
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that someone's just upended.
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Oh, yes.
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It looks very much like a box kite.
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And then right on the top, there's
a little wart that has the lantern.
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Yeah, I must be honest, the
more you describe it, the more
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I see where you're coming from.
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Well, I can understand.
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It doesn't have the sort of history
and any links to the old traditions.
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It was built in 95.
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It's considered to be modern art,
but For me, it just doesn't have
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any of the beauty and romance
of, like, a Stevenson Lighthouse.
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Yeah, I think that's just where
I was that bit disappointed.
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It wasn't Hell that the
lighthouse we went to after that.
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It was also, Very modern.
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It was Punter Dan Hiddler go which is
probably not how you pronounce it I
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dare I dare say not but you gave it a
good go No, you've just what's at me a
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picture of that one and I have to say
now come on that is modern architecture
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You may not like it, but it is that
some thought has gone into that some
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design has gone into that It looks like
a sort of Doctor Who You Space Citadel.
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Michael describes it as
Superman's Tower of Solitude.
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But I did like this one better.
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I think I was just most disappointed
by the sort of lack of lantern
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room because it also had a waft
on top where the light was.
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And we were there for
sunset, so we waited.
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So it's about a mile to walk out to it.
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And then as we were walking back
towards the car, the light came on
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and it was, just felt like somebody
was using one of those touch lamps.
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Yeah, I know what you mean.
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I know what you mean.
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And that was it.
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Okay, so, you weren't bowled
over, I think it's fair to say,
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by the lighthouses of Tenerife.
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Well, that was the North Coast, so they
were the two that we did on that day,
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and yeah, they were very modern, very
different, but the first one, I think,
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will go down as, It's my least favourite.
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But we did do one on the south
coast the next day and it was wild
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because we basically felt like you
drove through a ghost town because
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there's nobody there and there was
this sand that had been blown up the
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beach and it had come over the wall
and was encroaching into the road.
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So it was like, like the town was
getting slowly eaten up by the sand
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and just disappearing There were these
surfers, and it was really jagged
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volcanic rocks and wild, and the wind
was like blowing you away, and like that.
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Classic.
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lighthouse location and that one had A
red and white banding it had a keeper's
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cottage where you know, three sides of
the building the paint had blown away
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I just had the one side that had some
yellow paint remaining and i'm like
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this is what I think lighthouses should
be So that was a nice one to sort of
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finish our holiday with excellent, but
it sounds as though overall you wouldn't
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You Recommend a visit to Tenerife
solely for lighthouse exploration.
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No, if someone's looking to bag
lighthouses, I would suggest Madeira.
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Not only because I think they have much
more traditional classic lighthouses,
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but because in Portugal, lighthouses
are open to the public on Wednesdays.
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Any Wednesday you turn up to a
lighthouse in Portugal, there
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will be someone to let you in.
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That's interesting.
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So do you think in the light of your visit
to Tenerife, it would be a good idea to
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open up to our listeners the Award for the
least attractive lighthouse in the world.
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I think absolutely.
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I think we will get a host of different
structures that people wouldn't
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believe are being called lighthouses
because I remember in your book and
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you looking at some that are being
described as lighthouses but they are
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nothing more than a light on a stick.
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A lot along the River Severn and the
River Avon that that qualify in that
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category and were box ticking exercises
there were about 25 of them on both sides
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of the seven, for example, uh, on both
the Welsh side and the English side.
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And I was so, so glad to have ticked
the last one off, knowing that my next
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lighthouse was going to be a proper one.
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I do start to have sympathy
for some of our ALK members.
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I'm, I'm thinking of Kendra Thewie
in particular, who, who, has written
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a definition of what constitutes
as a lighthouse and I used to think
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oh everybody's allowed their own
interpretation but if there is a
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definition which rules out some of
these lights on top of poles that I
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experienced on the river seven I don't
think that would be any bad thing at all.
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Exactly so that's why I think it
will be really exciting if some
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of our listeners send in their
version of the ugliest lighthouse.
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I like it.
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I'm looking forward to the wheelie bins
and box kites from around the world.
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This is very true.
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I have one piece of very
hot lighthouse news.
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Oh, I love it.
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Which even you don't know
about and isn't definite.
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So for goodness sake,
don't get carried away.
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But I can almost hear the screams and
the excitement and the cheering that
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provisionally With a tailwind behind
us, and with everything going right,
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we will be allowed access into Dungeon
S New Lighthouse at the AGM weekend.
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Oh my god, that's insane!
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It is insane.
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I have to say Jill has absolutely
done a blinder as the secretary of
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the Association of Lighthouse Keepers,
because once we got permission to
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get inside North Fuland at the AGM
weekend, it was sort of open season
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and no holes barred, and she just then
sent a letter to Trinity House saying,
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well, if we can do that, we'll do it.
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What would be incredibly helpful would
be if we can have access and unlisted
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a fair few and they've come back
to say Dungeness is a possibility.
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It's not definite, but it looks like
the Monday of the ALK AGM weekend
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Will be both lighthouses at Dungeness.
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I love it.
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I've never been inside Well, no,
I have been to them I took my mom
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and we drive all the way out to
have a look probably about 2015.
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It'll be nice to, 10 years later,
be able to turn around, take
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my mum again and get inside.
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Oh, that would just be amazing.
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Jill, I will have to buy
you a beer at the AGM.
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But that's just sort of
the power of the ALK.
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We're all just so enthusiastic and quite
willing to be a bit cheeky and say,
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well, do you want to let me have a look?
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So, well, if ever you need an
incentive to join the Association
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of Lighthouse Keepers, it's a
very low cost annual fee anyway.
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But for anyone Who is interested to come
on the Kent weekend, where you'll be
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allowed inside North Falkland Lighthouse,
inside South Falkland, Ramsgate Harbour,
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Margate Harbour, and certainly the old
lighthouse at Dungeness, and potentially
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the new lighthouse at Dungeness.
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For goodness sake, get your debit card
out and Go to the website and join.
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ALK.
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org.
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uk Now my only other lighthouse news
is two or three years ago I came across
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this incredibly haunting female vocalist
called Anna B. Savage and I heard a song
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called Baby Grand and it was about two
people in a room with a piano and it's
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the most beautifully haunting thing.
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Melody and Anna B Savage just has the
most unusual but beautiful voice and I
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love this song and I kept playing it.
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Anyway, having discovered her, she
has just last week released her new
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album and the single from it is called
Lighthouse and oh my goodness me.
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I just keep playing it
and playing it on repeat.
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I can't stop playing it.
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And I encourage you to
go and listen to it too.
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And there you go.
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There's my plug for my recent discovery.
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Anna B. Savage.
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Her new album is called
You and I Are Earth.
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And the second track is called Lighthouse.
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That's perfect.
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And on that note, we have such
a treat this week, don't we?
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Because after we finished you and I
talking with Gordon Medlicott, you carried
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on talking to his wife Lou, and you
captured the most fascinating conversation
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about life as a lighthouse keeper's
wife, as a mother bringing up children.
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I really enjoyed doing the podcast.
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with Louise.
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I think, of course, we are really
interested in what Lighthouse
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Keeper's lives are like, but we
never quite get that glimpse of
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what it's like to be married to one.
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And Louise and Gordon's
story is just so sweet.
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She is so lovely.
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And I admit that I am somewhat
jealous that she got to
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experience Keeper's life adjacent.
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And I would quite happily interview
her again when we meet, probably
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at the Art Life weekend in March.
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Well, let's do that.
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I think you did such a
good job talking with her.
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So, shall we listen?
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Yeah, absolutely.
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If you're interested in lighthouses
and their history, why not join the
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Association of Lighthouse Keepers?
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You don't have to have been
a lighthouse keeper to join.
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Membership is open to everyone.
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As a member, you'll receive our
full colour quarterly magazine.
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And you can join our frequent
organized visits to lighthouses
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in all parts of the UK.
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As well as other Lighthouse related
events and activities throughout the year.
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Membership costs just 25 for single
membership or 30 for joint membership.
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Junior members pay just 10.
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For more information
or to join, visit alk.
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org.
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uk now.
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My name is Louise Medleycott,
and I'm the wife of Gordon 32
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years as a lighthouse keeper.
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So where did you two meet?
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We childhood sweethearts, I
suppose you would call it.
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We lived opposite each other from What
age were you when you came to the streets?
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God, I don't know.
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11 or 12.
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Oh wow.
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Yeah.
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And then we started going out with each
other probably when we were about 16, 17.
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Yeah, teenagers, yeah.
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Yeah, teenagers.
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Yeah.
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And then Gordon, daft thing,
there he was, he went away to sea.
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Uh, so he, he could be away for weeks
or months, couldn't he, or whatever.
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And then, of course, we got
married, which comes, and as I
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say, we lived opposite each other.
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As my mother used to say, he was
the only in the land that could take
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his girlfriend home in the interval
of the television, and maybe even
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before the programme starts again.
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We were that close, you see.
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Yes, that's how it all began.
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Aww, that's sweet.
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And 61 years later, we're still together.
228
00:15:18,569 --> 00:15:20,380
Wow, so 61 years married?
229
00:15:20,449 --> 00:15:20,919
Yes.
230
00:15:20,979 --> 00:15:21,219
Yes.
231
00:15:21,220 --> 00:15:21,604
Yes.
232
00:15:21,885 --> 00:15:22,285
This year.
233
00:15:22,295 --> 00:15:23,185
Yeah, this year.
234
00:15:23,945 --> 00:15:27,285
We, we had a card from the King last year.
235
00:15:28,325 --> 00:15:29,445
Oh, yes.
236
00:15:29,635 --> 00:15:30,454
The King's card.
237
00:15:30,455 --> 00:15:31,124
Yeah.
238
00:15:31,125 --> 00:15:31,915
Yeah, congratulations.
239
00:15:32,105 --> 00:15:34,655
Actually, it's still the, it's
still the anniversary year now.
240
00:15:34,665 --> 00:15:35,095
Yes, yeah.
241
00:15:35,095 --> 00:15:35,345
Yeah.
242
00:15:35,385 --> 00:15:36,065
Till July.
243
00:15:36,114 --> 00:15:37,184
We're still in the anniversary year.
244
00:15:37,185 --> 00:15:38,744
Yes, we are.
245
00:15:38,745 --> 00:15:39,025
There you go.
246
00:15:39,395 --> 00:15:39,655
Yes.
247
00:15:40,095 --> 00:15:43,935
So, when Gordon joined the service,
what did you do to fill your time?
248
00:15:44,185 --> 00:15:49,110
Um, Well, I had a young baby,
um, Paula was just coming up one.
249
00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:53,420
Uh, the only thing was, I was
living in a village that we'd only
250
00:15:53,420 --> 00:15:56,430
been there for two years, so I
didn't know an awful lot of people.
251
00:15:56,809 --> 00:15:59,929
Uh, probably the first year was
the hardest time, because, like
252
00:15:59,929 --> 00:16:03,430
I said, living in a different
village, no family around me.
253
00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:05,690
Uh, and just a few friends.
254
00:16:06,100 --> 00:16:09,570
Uh, more friendly with the young
girl next door, who we're, funny
255
00:16:09,570 --> 00:16:11,500
enough, we're still friends.
256
00:16:11,730 --> 00:16:15,450
After 60 years, she was our first
nova, and we still go out to
257
00:16:15,450 --> 00:16:16,790
lunch with her, which is nice.
258
00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:20,009
Although she doesn't live anywhere
near us, but we, we keep in touch.
259
00:16:20,410 --> 00:16:24,460
But that was probably the hardest
time, uh, just doing things.
260
00:16:24,690 --> 00:16:28,710
But then, after about another 12
months, we moved back to Liverpool.
261
00:16:28,930 --> 00:16:30,859
So I was back with my family then.
262
00:16:30,860 --> 00:16:32,940
And, uh, And I had
everybody around me, so.
263
00:16:33,370 --> 00:16:36,640
And I got used to Gordon being
away, being in the Merchant Navy.
264
00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:40,080
So, I think that's probably
what made it easier for me.
265
00:16:40,300 --> 00:16:43,130
Uh, and of course I made my own life, um.
266
00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:44,950
And of course you had the
second child, didn't you?
267
00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:48,150
Yeah, I had the second one
then, so he had his hands full.
268
00:16:48,860 --> 00:16:52,630
And I got involved with the local church,
and I started to play a group there.
269
00:16:53,460 --> 00:16:58,850
Um, and that took up time as well, working
with all the mums and doing things.
270
00:16:58,860 --> 00:17:03,050
So we had a play group and that, that
was there a couple of times a week.
271
00:17:03,050 --> 00:17:05,050
So again, just things like that.
272
00:17:05,290 --> 00:17:07,770
I'd go and visit Gordon's
mum and go and visit my mum.
273
00:17:08,029 --> 00:17:11,099
So your days soon got filled up
with different things besides
274
00:17:11,099 --> 00:17:14,079
children and housework, right?
275
00:17:14,160 --> 00:17:18,099
And then when Gordon used to come home
it was Dad's time then with the girls.
276
00:17:18,629 --> 00:17:20,680
Yeah, they've always been a daddy's girl.
277
00:17:20,750 --> 00:17:22,500
And we transferred to a shore station.
278
00:17:22,560 --> 00:17:23,409
Yes, yeah.
279
00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:24,889
So you followed?
280
00:17:25,839 --> 00:17:27,390
Did you follow to the shore station?
281
00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:28,550
Yeah, we did on that one.
282
00:17:28,550 --> 00:17:30,640
We went to Heartland Point Lighthouse.
283
00:17:31,039 --> 00:17:33,050
We were there for about three
and a half years, weren't we?
284
00:17:33,190 --> 00:17:33,210
Yeah.
285
00:17:33,819 --> 00:17:35,520
The girls were about, um,
286
00:17:37,905 --> 00:17:38,625
Bathroom.
287
00:17:39,965 --> 00:17:40,655
Ooh.
288
00:17:40,895 --> 00:17:41,885
They were both pre school anyway.
289
00:17:41,885 --> 00:17:43,725
Yeah, they were both pre school age.
290
00:17:43,784 --> 00:17:45,825
Paula went to school while she was there.
291
00:17:46,165 --> 00:17:46,685
Um.
292
00:17:46,874 --> 00:17:48,105
Anne started while she was there.
293
00:17:48,115 --> 00:17:48,534
Yeah.
294
00:17:48,955 --> 00:17:52,504
And Anne just about made school,
didn't she, before we left again.
295
00:17:52,505 --> 00:17:52,904
Yeah.
296
00:17:52,905 --> 00:17:55,745
Yeah, but we enjoyed life
on the Lighthouse Station.
297
00:17:55,764 --> 00:17:56,254
I did.
298
00:17:56,254 --> 00:17:59,254
We made nice friends with the
other young couple that were there.
299
00:17:59,804 --> 00:18:00,415
Um.
300
00:18:00,534 --> 00:18:05,314
Yes, it's, uh, you make,
um, everlasting friends.
301
00:18:05,374 --> 00:18:05,814
Yeah.
302
00:18:05,815 --> 00:18:06,274
Um.
303
00:18:06,274 --> 00:18:07,004
Um.
304
00:18:07,895 --> 00:18:13,795
The ex colleague we had, the colleague
that was there when we arrived at
305
00:18:13,795 --> 00:18:17,205
the lighthouse has now passed on.
306
00:18:18,519 --> 00:18:22,259
His, um, wife, we still, we
still are in contact with.
307
00:18:22,729 --> 00:18:25,070
So, it's sort of a lifelong friendship.
308
00:18:25,100 --> 00:18:25,459
Yeah.
309
00:18:25,899 --> 00:18:27,659
And they, they had their children.
310
00:18:28,449 --> 00:18:29,679
They had their children on the lighthouse.
311
00:18:29,679 --> 00:18:31,800
So, we had four children
then on the lighthouse.
312
00:18:31,810 --> 00:18:31,830
Yeah.
313
00:18:31,839 --> 00:18:34,179
You know, so that helped as well.
314
00:18:34,200 --> 00:18:40,340
Um, and, um, I mean, there wasn't a lot
to do on the lighthouse, you, there was
315
00:18:40,340 --> 00:18:42,100
only the people you were with, isn't it?
316
00:18:42,759 --> 00:18:45,490
They used to get visitors come
down, that was the one thing,
317
00:18:45,500 --> 00:18:46,890
because it was a visitor's station.
318
00:18:47,110 --> 00:18:50,499
So, in the summertime, there was
a lot of people around, so you did
319
00:18:50,499 --> 00:18:52,030
have to watch the children more.
320
00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:55,500
We had an area around the
back that was fenced off.
321
00:18:55,590 --> 00:18:57,970
It's supposed to be private,
but the word private didn't mean
322
00:18:57,970 --> 00:18:59,360
anything when there was visitor ban.
323
00:18:59,689 --> 00:19:02,279
They didn't come in your house
and walk up your stairs, you know.
324
00:19:02,550 --> 00:19:04,289
And we said, did you not
see the prides on it?
325
00:19:04,479 --> 00:19:05,929
Oh, I didn't think it meant anything.
326
00:19:05,930 --> 00:19:10,147
I said, this is, I said, would you walk
like it if somebody walked into your home?
327
00:19:10,147 --> 00:19:11,449
Oh, no, no, I'm sorry.
328
00:19:11,450 --> 00:19:12,603
It's alright.
329
00:19:12,603 --> 00:19:17,654
Because you live in a public building, or
a considered public building, But I think
330
00:19:18,264 --> 00:19:19,495
that was the right to walk in and out.
331
00:19:19,495 --> 00:19:20,154
Yeah, yeah.
332
00:19:20,304 --> 00:19:21,495
It was very strange.
333
00:19:21,554 --> 00:19:24,324
But it was, it was a
lovely spot we were in.
334
00:19:24,324 --> 00:19:24,745
It was.
335
00:19:24,814 --> 00:19:29,659
Um, apart from , there was nothing
in the, the lighthouse ground.
336
00:19:29,659 --> 00:19:32,870
It was just a concrete ground where
the water around it, no garden, but
337
00:19:32,870 --> 00:19:34,969
the rice opposite was Lund Island.
338
00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:36,980
I mean, to see the view.
339
00:19:37,310 --> 00:19:41,330
And then we could go down to the beach,
couldn't we on the other side, bitty.
340
00:19:41,330 --> 00:19:43,939
But we did take the kids down
and we'd have a little bit of a
341
00:19:43,939 --> 00:19:45,770
pool that could play about it.
342
00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:47,840
And that was basically
all there was for them.
343
00:19:47,840 --> 00:19:47,899
Yeah.
344
00:19:48,290 --> 00:19:51,050
So it was quite isolated for the children.
345
00:19:51,139 --> 00:19:54,830
Um, the only time they had their
friends was when they were in school.
346
00:19:55,370 --> 00:19:55,790
Uh.
347
00:19:56,294 --> 00:19:59,425
It's too far for them to come down,
because all the children lived on farms.
348
00:19:59,475 --> 00:19:59,945
Yeah.
349
00:19:59,945 --> 00:20:02,205
So the old school bus come
and dropped everybody off.
350
00:20:02,814 --> 00:20:06,394
So when we had a birthday party, it
was always great fun, because they, we
351
00:20:06,394 --> 00:20:10,084
used to allow eight children, because
you don't get so many in the house.
352
00:20:10,465 --> 00:20:13,604
So their birthdays are only
two years and five days apart.
353
00:20:13,924 --> 00:20:17,054
So these children used to come
down to the lice house, and it
354
00:20:17,054 --> 00:20:18,495
was always great fun, wasn't it?
355
00:20:18,794 --> 00:20:21,945
And dad used to take them home in the
car afterwards with their balloons
356
00:20:21,945 --> 00:20:22,834
and their sweets and everything.
357
00:20:23,455 --> 00:20:26,854
But I think it was such an excitement
for them as well to come to a lighthouse.
358
00:20:27,324 --> 00:20:29,764
But we used to walk into
the village, didn't we?
359
00:20:29,764 --> 00:20:31,395
Because we had no car at the beginning.
360
00:20:31,784 --> 00:20:34,764
Um, the nearest village is five miles.
361
00:20:35,074 --> 00:20:38,554
So you used to have one little one in
the pram, one standing on the back of it.
362
00:20:38,554 --> 00:20:41,435
And we used to push into the village,
didn't we, for the five miles.
363
00:20:42,105 --> 00:20:44,119
Because, um, if you
wanted bread, of course.
364
00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,240
And things like that,
that's where we'd go.
365
00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:49,680
They provided a taxi, uh, once a week.
366
00:20:50,050 --> 00:20:53,140
And the three women on the lighthouse
would go in the taxi and go to Biddeford.
367
00:20:53,795 --> 00:20:57,075
We'd do our shopping, and then we'd
all meet up in the cafe, and we'd
368
00:20:57,075 --> 00:20:58,945
have coffee and cake and whatever.
369
00:20:59,195 --> 00:21:02,395
Men would look after the
children, and then we'd come back.
370
00:21:02,415 --> 00:21:04,604
So that was our one
day to do our big shop.
371
00:21:04,615 --> 00:21:09,025
So, if you wanted our milk, we
went up to the farm, and it came
372
00:21:09,025 --> 00:21:10,294
out of the car into a bottle.
373
00:21:10,295 --> 00:21:11,974
It did, literally.
374
00:21:11,975 --> 00:21:13,494
It didn't get anything done with it.
375
00:21:13,494 --> 00:21:15,378
It was still warm when we got it.
376
00:21:15,378 --> 00:21:15,669
Yeah.
377
00:21:16,110 --> 00:21:20,435
Fresh milk, fresh eggs, fresh
vegetables, fruit, all from the
378
00:21:20,435 --> 00:21:21,540
farm, just round the corner.
379
00:21:21,730 --> 00:21:24,179
So it was like your bread and
bits like that you would have
380
00:21:24,180 --> 00:21:25,839
to go into the village for.
381
00:21:25,840 --> 00:21:29,510
Um, but we had a nice, um,
way with the people on the
382
00:21:29,510 --> 00:21:31,260
farms and the village people.
383
00:21:31,660 --> 00:21:35,039
Um, we joined in with
things where we could.
384
00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:39,510
We joined in the carnival, the
local carnival, once a year, and
385
00:21:39,679 --> 00:21:43,649
the village held a big carnival
with decorated floats and so on.
386
00:21:43,649 --> 00:21:45,959
And we decided to do
Bill and Ben the flowers.
387
00:21:45,959 --> 00:21:48,979
I think it was the first time,
the first time the lighthouse
388
00:21:48,979 --> 00:21:51,949
had, um, had submitted a float.
389
00:21:51,950 --> 00:21:57,290
And we borrowed the local farmer's,
uh, pickup truck, and we decorated
390
00:21:57,439 --> 00:22:00,305
it as, um, Bill and Ben's garden.
391
00:22:00,395 --> 00:22:03,404
We had the greenhouse in the back.
392
00:22:03,405 --> 00:22:06,025
And we had two big washing
baskets, weren't there, that
393
00:22:06,045 --> 00:22:07,545
we made into plant pots.
394
00:22:07,855 --> 00:22:09,554
So Bill and Ben were in each one.
395
00:22:09,605 --> 00:22:10,695
And then there was weed.
396
00:22:11,174 --> 00:22:15,694
But Daphne and I sat doing
leaves all on the things.
397
00:22:15,995 --> 00:22:20,325
And they did like a scene around the
lorry, didn't we, for the garden.
398
00:22:20,725 --> 00:22:24,569
Daphne's father had a wonderful garden and
he'd give us all greenery and everything.
399
00:22:24,770 --> 00:22:25,899
And we won, didn't we?
400
00:22:25,899 --> 00:22:28,205
We did, we came in first.
401
00:22:28,205 --> 00:22:29,941
It was great.
402
00:22:29,941 --> 00:22:34,070
And it was nice because, like I said,
they accepted the people in the lighthouse
403
00:22:34,070 --> 00:22:35,450
and they were friendly, weren't they?
404
00:22:35,959 --> 00:22:42,650
Especially the farm there was to
us, Daphne and Uh, and funny enough,
405
00:22:42,650 --> 00:22:46,679
you wouldn't believe it, they, they
used to charge people to come and
406
00:22:46,740 --> 00:22:49,929
park near the lighthouse because
you had to come onto their farm.
407
00:22:50,649 --> 00:22:56,429
And it's now 50 years since we lived
there and they are still on that gate.
408
00:22:57,770 --> 00:23:01,949
Because we went back a while back,
didn't we, on a memory lane trip.
409
00:23:02,010 --> 00:23:05,189
And Daphne, Diane is still on the gate
collecting money to let people park.
410
00:23:06,915 --> 00:23:09,365
It's amazing isn't it when you
think about it after 50 years.
411
00:23:09,755 --> 00:23:12,415
Yeah, so we had a good
life on the lighthouse.
412
00:23:12,765 --> 00:23:16,215
Um, I learned a lot when I lived
there because I was a town person.
413
00:23:16,595 --> 00:23:19,145
I'm a Chassis person as you can tell.
414
00:23:19,615 --> 00:23:22,994
And it was very strange in
that way that all of a sudden I
415
00:23:23,015 --> 00:23:24,665
spent a lot of time on my own.
416
00:23:25,495 --> 00:23:28,414
But both the other ladies were
country people, so I learned how
417
00:23:28,414 --> 00:23:32,435
to make jam, how to make marmalade,
chutney, how to press a tongue.
418
00:23:33,094 --> 00:23:35,245
That was the most
amazing thing, wasn't it?
419
00:23:35,554 --> 00:23:36,364
A big cow's tongue.
420
00:23:36,365 --> 00:23:38,559
A big cow's tongue.
421
00:23:39,199 --> 00:23:44,669
We had how to, oh, when we did crabs,
crabs and lobsters, and lobsters,
422
00:23:45,370 --> 00:23:49,090
the principal keeper's sons used
to come home every now and again.
423
00:23:49,090 --> 00:23:51,709
They love fishing, but they used
to bring all the fishing back
424
00:23:51,709 --> 00:23:53,000
and we all ended up with it.
425
00:23:53,509 --> 00:23:58,230
Uh, so I learned a lot of things like
that and I, I, I enjoyed it, you know.
426
00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:01,200
I've always, I always used to do sewing.
427
00:24:01,230 --> 00:24:02,710
I used to do a lot of that there.
428
00:24:02,730 --> 00:24:04,490
I made all the kids clothes.
429
00:24:04,490 --> 00:24:04,520
Yeah.
430
00:24:04,850 --> 00:24:06,930
They always ended up just the
same when they were down there,
431
00:24:07,270 --> 00:24:08,240
because it was so much easier.
432
00:24:08,899 --> 00:24:11,060
Uh, used to take things to pieces.
433
00:24:11,730 --> 00:24:15,439
Uh, things you'd buy to cut
the cost again, you know.
434
00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:16,840
It was done on lower wages.
435
00:24:17,210 --> 00:24:19,359
And then I'd make shorts
and t shirts for them.
436
00:24:19,630 --> 00:24:23,000
I know when they see it now, they
say, He dressed us both the same, Mum.
437
00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:25,030
I say, It was easier that way, wasn't it?
438
00:24:25,980 --> 00:24:26,730
Yeah.
439
00:24:26,820 --> 00:24:28,530
And then we got a little car.
440
00:24:28,709 --> 00:24:32,840
We got 200 off Trinity for being
disturbed when we moved to the lighthouse.
441
00:24:32,900 --> 00:24:33,499
Is that all we got?
442
00:24:33,500 --> 00:24:34,909
Disturbance money?
443
00:24:34,909 --> 00:24:35,769
Disturbance money.
444
00:24:35,839 --> 00:24:39,820
So we went to the local garage and he
dug this car out the back somewhere.
445
00:24:39,820 --> 00:24:40,490
He bought a car?
446
00:24:40,690 --> 00:24:40,810
Yeah.
447
00:24:41,010 --> 00:24:42,720
And we had this, he was 14 years old.
448
00:24:44,850 --> 00:24:45,090
. Yeah.
449
00:24:45,090 --> 00:24:46,200
And we had this little car.
450
00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:47,880
So life changed a lot then.
451
00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:51,450
So we both learned to drive with
the local gentleman and we looked
452
00:24:51,450 --> 00:24:53,070
after the RF camp, didn't he?
453
00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:56,770
And it's so strange when you
went, uh, for a driving lesson,
454
00:24:57,130 --> 00:24:58,900
he would arrive at the lighthouse.
455
00:24:59,375 --> 00:25:03,044
with somebody already in the driving
seat and you get in the back and then
456
00:25:03,044 --> 00:25:06,662
we drive all the way to Bidderford,
which was 20 miles, am I right?
457
00:25:06,662 --> 00:25:06,979
20 miles away.
458
00:25:06,979 --> 00:25:08,725
Yes, 20 miles to Barnsford.
459
00:25:08,794 --> 00:25:10,375
Oh yeah, then we go to Barnsford.
460
00:25:10,414 --> 00:25:11,115
Put it in on the table.
461
00:25:11,294 --> 00:25:15,215
I'm sorry, 20 miles to Barnsford, then
I get out and go shopping for an hour
462
00:25:15,664 --> 00:25:18,495
and then I come back and the young
lady who was driving will get us out,
463
00:25:18,504 --> 00:25:22,594
she goes shopping and I do my hour
driving and then I drive back home.
464
00:25:22,695 --> 00:25:25,024
So we've both got two
hours driving lessons.
465
00:25:25,470 --> 00:25:28,700
And it was great, you know, he
got a shopping spree as well.
466
00:25:29,430 --> 00:25:31,770
And we both, I don't know what
you did, but that's what I did.
467
00:25:31,860 --> 00:25:32,420
Did you go out?
468
00:25:32,420 --> 00:25:34,500
I think it was a similar thing, yeah.
469
00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:38,060
So we both learned to drive and
both passed on our first time.
470
00:25:38,340 --> 00:25:40,059
So we had our little car.
471
00:25:40,110 --> 00:25:42,240
So that changed our life quite a lot then.
472
00:25:43,219 --> 00:25:44,080
Gave us independence.
473
00:25:44,129 --> 00:25:45,129
Yeah, yeah.
474
00:25:45,479 --> 00:25:49,520
Because to be isolated down
on the peninsula was, um,
475
00:25:51,580 --> 00:25:52,740
it was very isolating.
476
00:25:53,010 --> 00:25:54,860
You were very alone down there.
477
00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:55,680
And for what?
478
00:25:55,720 --> 00:25:56,820
With the car, of course, sure.
479
00:25:58,085 --> 00:26:00,365
Yeah, because he was off every third day.
480
00:26:00,645 --> 00:26:01,775
He was off for 24 hours.
481
00:26:01,985 --> 00:26:04,125
So we used to just pack
up lunches or whatever.
482
00:26:04,345 --> 00:26:06,035
Because the kiddies
weren't at school then.
483
00:26:06,375 --> 00:26:09,385
And then off we'd go and
we'd spend the day somewhere.
484
00:26:09,554 --> 00:26:11,795
And we did the same
when the fog came down.
485
00:26:11,835 --> 00:26:15,095
Because the fog signal was
right outside our lounge window.
486
00:26:15,155 --> 00:26:15,595
Oh, wow.
487
00:26:15,645 --> 00:26:16,804
And we got three blasts.
488
00:26:16,955 --> 00:26:19,005
Yes, every 75 seconds or so.
489
00:26:19,115 --> 00:26:20,225
Oh gosh, she remembers.
490
00:26:20,275 --> 00:26:20,695
Yes.
491
00:26:21,695 --> 00:26:24,122
I feel like it's
imprinted in those brains.
492
00:26:24,122 --> 00:26:28,105
Yes, because when that goes, you can't
make a conversation, you really can't.
493
00:26:28,455 --> 00:26:29,815
God, and Mother came to stay.
494
00:26:29,815 --> 00:26:30,845
She never came again.
495
00:26:32,435 --> 00:26:34,755
Because the foghorn was blah,
and she came out and she said,
496
00:26:34,814 --> 00:26:36,619
Can you not please turn off that?
497
00:26:36,619 --> 00:26:38,704
And you said, No, Mother, I can't.
498
00:26:38,705 --> 00:26:42,995
You learn, you'll sleep and you'll
go into a deeper sleep kind of thing.
499
00:26:43,005 --> 00:26:43,674
Yeah, yeah.
500
00:26:43,675 --> 00:26:47,100
Plus the fact that Not only
the noise of the fog signal.
501
00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:48,250
The engine was going.
502
00:26:48,260 --> 00:26:50,800
We lived in a flat above the engine room.
503
00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:57,020
So when the engines were running for the
fog signal, the heat from them actually
504
00:26:57,060 --> 00:26:58,860
permeated up through into the flat.
505
00:26:58,959 --> 00:26:59,600
Oh wow.
506
00:26:59,999 --> 00:27:01,550
The flat became quite oppressive.
507
00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:03,294
So it was, it was quite a mess.
508
00:27:03,645 --> 00:27:06,545
If there was fog for any length of
time, it was just simpler to leave.
509
00:27:06,555 --> 00:27:11,025
So we just packed up and used to go, used
to get soup, sandwiches and off we, if
510
00:27:11,025 --> 00:27:12,705
it was daylight hours like, you know.
511
00:27:12,985 --> 00:27:15,715
But, um, yes, mother in
law never came again.
512
00:27:16,354 --> 00:27:18,485
Not that, not that I didn't
like my mother in law, I got
513
00:27:18,485 --> 00:27:19,834
on very well with her actually.
514
00:27:20,174 --> 00:27:23,654
But, uh, no, she never
came again, did she?
515
00:27:23,655 --> 00:27:27,725
Uh, yeah, so, it, uh,
It was an experience.
516
00:27:27,725 --> 00:27:29,084
I'm more than glad I had.
517
00:27:30,155 --> 00:27:31,625
I enjoyed the time I was there.
518
00:27:31,625 --> 00:27:36,064
And we made nice friends with
Daphne and Tony, and Mrs. Smith.
519
00:27:36,675 --> 00:27:42,175
Mr. Smith was at the very old
school, uh, it took him a while
520
00:27:42,175 --> 00:27:43,745
to get used to us, didn't it?
521
00:27:43,745 --> 00:27:44,195
Don't go there.
522
00:27:45,905 --> 00:27:47,515
I'm guessing he was the principal keeper.
523
00:27:47,565 --> 00:27:51,025
Yes, he was, yes, but his wife
was really, really nice, but he
524
00:27:51,025 --> 00:27:55,044
was a, he was old school and he,
everything had to be done that way.
525
00:27:55,345 --> 00:27:58,355
But yes, we, and he was good
with the kids, wasn't he?
526
00:27:58,505 --> 00:27:58,535
Yes.
527
00:27:58,555 --> 00:27:59,335
In his own way.
528
00:27:59,345 --> 00:27:59,855
He was, yeah.
529
00:27:59,935 --> 00:28:02,775
Um, yeah, so I enjoyed my time there.
530
00:28:03,115 --> 00:28:06,175
But then, uh, Did you ask for a move then?
531
00:28:06,215 --> 00:28:08,234
Because we said it was
too isolated, didn't we?
532
00:28:08,235 --> 00:28:12,005
We asked for a transfer because the
children were becoming isolated.
533
00:28:12,914 --> 00:28:16,844
Because they were, um, not in
contact with their school friends,
534
00:28:16,885 --> 00:28:20,054
because of the distance and the
isolation of the lighthouse.
535
00:28:20,465 --> 00:28:26,520
Um, they become very introverted,
so we decided It would be beneficial
536
00:28:26,740 --> 00:28:28,919
if we moved back into society.
537
00:28:29,409 --> 00:28:33,389
So we decided, Gordon said in
future, I will do the moving.
538
00:28:33,629 --> 00:28:34,319
I'll go offshore.
539
00:28:34,319 --> 00:28:35,810
Yeah, so we decided we were to leave.
540
00:28:36,219 --> 00:28:37,989
Um, but we went back to Liverpool.
541
00:28:38,355 --> 00:28:42,675
Uh, stayed with Gordon's mum
for six months, because we
542
00:28:42,675 --> 00:28:43,905
had trouble finding a house.
543
00:28:43,905 --> 00:28:45,425
That was the problem, wasn't it?
544
00:28:45,425 --> 00:28:47,555
There was gazumping going on.
545
00:28:48,305 --> 00:28:49,275
I don't know if you've ever heard.
546
00:28:49,275 --> 00:28:50,005
Yeah, I have.
547
00:28:50,625 --> 00:28:52,674
So every time we thought
we got a house, we hadn't.
548
00:28:52,675 --> 00:28:56,884
So in the end, we ended up in Wigan,
through a friend of Gordon's mum,
549
00:28:57,125 --> 00:28:59,775
who set, brought us a book on houses.
550
00:28:59,845 --> 00:29:02,085
And that's, we've been there 51 years now.
551
00:29:02,525 --> 00:29:06,225
And Gordon did all the moving around,
and we just stayed in one place.
552
00:29:06,235 --> 00:29:09,475
It was, um The children
found it harder I think.
553
00:29:09,705 --> 00:29:13,575
Yeah, what did they feel, think about,
uh, dad being a lighthouse keeper?
554
00:29:13,745 --> 00:29:16,885
When we were on the lighthouse they
wanted to live in a proper house and I
555
00:29:16,885 --> 00:29:17,915
said, what do you mean a proper house?
556
00:29:18,085 --> 00:29:19,405
One without a light on top.
557
00:29:19,405 --> 00:29:25,044
So she's right, that was the way that now
they'll do anything to go on a lighthouse.
558
00:29:25,044 --> 00:29:27,164
They're both as bad, aren't
they, with lighthouses?
559
00:29:27,164 --> 00:29:29,034
Yeah, they both want
to live near the water.
560
00:29:29,475 --> 00:29:35,325
Yes, but they um, When Paula was
little, before we'd moved to live in the
561
00:29:35,325 --> 00:29:39,075
lighthouse, she missed her daddy very much
because all of a sudden he disappeared
562
00:29:39,115 --> 00:29:43,184
because he went out to the Channel Islands
and he had to leave about five o'clock
563
00:29:43,185 --> 00:29:44,555
in the morning to get to the airport.
564
00:29:44,555 --> 00:29:48,374
So all of a sudden he'd gone and
she fretted terribly for him.
565
00:29:48,384 --> 00:29:49,965
She just didn't know where he'd gone.
566
00:29:50,465 --> 00:29:53,295
And it was Gordon's mother said
to me, take her to the airport,
567
00:29:53,295 --> 00:29:54,765
let her see where her dad goes.
568
00:29:55,095 --> 00:29:59,015
So I took her to Speak Airport, and at
that time you could stand on the runway.
569
00:29:59,095 --> 00:29:59,565
Yeah.
570
00:29:59,595 --> 00:30:01,665
Because there were only small
planes that came in, wasn't there?
571
00:30:02,135 --> 00:30:05,595
And this plane lands, and all of
a sudden she could see his wife,
572
00:30:05,675 --> 00:30:07,965
Cap, and she just said, My daddy!
573
00:30:08,005 --> 00:30:08,845
And she took off.
574
00:30:09,685 --> 00:30:13,485
And all these men who were businessmen
go, No, somebody knows where she's going.
575
00:30:13,785 --> 00:30:16,905
And after that, she was fine,
but she waved to every plane
576
00:30:16,905 --> 00:30:17,935
that she saw after that.
577
00:30:18,285 --> 00:30:19,955
And everybody thought her dad was a pilot.
578
00:30:20,115 --> 00:30:21,575
And I said, No, he's a lighthouse keeper.
579
00:30:23,285 --> 00:30:24,845
But that was just a thing.
580
00:30:25,145 --> 00:30:25,995
But she threatened.
581
00:30:26,015 --> 00:30:28,975
And no, because Anne
never knew any different.
582
00:30:28,975 --> 00:30:32,375
And You'd always been going
away one after the other.
583
00:30:32,445 --> 00:30:34,275
Yes, she was born in the service, yeah.
584
00:30:36,005 --> 00:30:40,325
Paula, no, she got used to her dad
being home before he'd gone into it.
585
00:30:40,335 --> 00:30:42,325
So it didn't make a difference.
586
00:30:42,965 --> 00:30:44,395
But they grew up with this.
587
00:30:44,405 --> 00:30:46,305
School knew everything about Dad.
588
00:30:46,365 --> 00:30:47,835
They knew when he was coming home.
589
00:30:47,835 --> 00:30:49,205
They knew when he was going back.
590
00:30:49,225 --> 00:30:51,655
Because everything used to
be written down in school.
591
00:30:51,825 --> 00:30:54,990
So when we used to go up, you
know, to school to see, Know all
592
00:30:54,990 --> 00:30:56,290
about you, Mr. Medley Coffman.
593
00:30:57,960 --> 00:30:59,030
There's nothing you can't tell us.
594
00:30:59,030 --> 00:31:01,530
And I thought, well,
there isn't, you know.
595
00:31:01,945 --> 00:31:05,395
But yes, the girls, they're
proper daddy's girls, always
596
00:31:05,395 --> 00:31:07,945
have been, are, still are, yes.
597
00:31:08,025 --> 00:31:09,805
Mum's only there when they want something.
598
00:31:10,025 --> 00:31:11,674
Oh yeah, oh yeah.
599
00:31:11,675 --> 00:31:13,955
Or we have this thing when
they say, he's my dad.
600
00:31:14,015 --> 00:31:14,945
No, it's my dad.
601
00:31:14,945 --> 00:31:17,195
And Paul says, he's my dad
before he was your dad.
602
00:31:18,355 --> 00:31:20,545
Yeah, they're very dad's girls, yeah.
603
00:31:20,955 --> 00:31:22,125
Yeah, they're good girls.
604
00:31:22,185 --> 00:31:24,885
Would they have wanted to join
the service if it had continued?
605
00:31:25,090 --> 00:31:27,750
I don't think so.
606
00:31:27,900 --> 00:31:28,300
What's that?
607
00:31:28,350 --> 00:31:30,400
Going to the service if it continued.
608
00:31:30,940 --> 00:31:33,380
Because they never allowed women
with light eyes to keep them.
609
00:31:33,390 --> 00:31:33,930
No.
610
00:31:34,020 --> 00:31:34,360
No.
611
00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:39,450
Because of the On the lighthouses,
there's just no way, because they'll
612
00:31:39,480 --> 00:31:43,400
all keep us to sleep in the same
room, uh, on their banana beds.
613
00:31:43,490 --> 00:31:45,170
There's never been, uh, women.
614
00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:49,100
The only ones that have been is on
land stations, isn't it, you know?
615
00:31:49,690 --> 00:31:51,370
Yeah, the husband and wife teams.
616
00:31:51,380 --> 00:31:53,560
Yes, very few and far between.
617
00:31:53,580 --> 00:31:56,640
So it's not, it's not a service
where you would ever have
618
00:31:56,640 --> 00:31:57,850
lady lighthouses, would it?
619
00:31:58,300 --> 00:32:03,020
Um, well, we did it to a point.
620
00:32:03,020 --> 00:32:12,080
Uh, as In the very, very early stages
of automation, which was remote control,
621
00:32:13,730 --> 00:32:21,370
um, or semi automation, they, Trinity
House, withdrew two keepers, after a
622
00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,750
stage that was, well, uh, modernized.
623
00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:28,930
They withdrew two keepers and their
families, leaving principal keeper
624
00:32:29,090 --> 00:32:33,810
and his wife, and the station was
then designated man and wife station.
625
00:32:34,500 --> 00:32:39,730
Now because they couldn't
leave a single keeper employed.
626
00:32:40,235 --> 00:32:43,435
That to be two so they employed the wife.
627
00:32:43,735 --> 00:32:46,225
Yeah, as a female assistant.
628
00:32:46,485 --> 00:32:49,845
So yes, we had female assistant keepers.
629
00:32:49,845 --> 00:32:51,521
That's about as near as it went.
630
00:32:51,521 --> 00:32:54,774
But they tended to be the
wives of serving keepers.
631
00:32:54,775 --> 00:32:56,725
So they were not in general service.
632
00:32:56,735 --> 00:32:58,535
So they certainly didn't go offshore.
633
00:32:59,915 --> 00:33:01,605
And there were only few and far between.
634
00:33:01,765 --> 00:33:03,475
There were, there were very few of them.
635
00:33:03,485 --> 00:33:03,845
Yeah.
636
00:33:04,425 --> 00:33:10,490
Because they Automation or the
modernization of stations was progressing.
637
00:33:11,540 --> 00:33:12,730
to a different system.
638
00:33:12,850 --> 00:33:15,440
And the, the few that you got,
you got, you got that way.
639
00:33:15,440 --> 00:33:19,400
We should have called them Mrs.
Lighthouse Mrs. P Mrs. P. K. Because
640
00:33:19,400 --> 00:33:21,240
they got quite bossy, didn't they?
641
00:33:21,370 --> 00:33:23,730
Yeah, Mrs. P. K. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
642
00:33:23,730 --> 00:33:25,920
So, yes, that way, no.
643
00:33:25,950 --> 00:33:29,230
And I don't think the girls were
really in that way of thinking.
644
00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:31,250
No, no, it's strange.
645
00:33:31,290 --> 00:33:34,400
And, uh, it's like you say, they
got used to their dad being away.
646
00:33:35,280 --> 00:33:37,420
It was harder when it was two months away.
647
00:33:37,460 --> 00:33:39,660
I think that was the
hardest part for them.
648
00:33:39,910 --> 00:33:43,230
And of course that was why they
were young as well, as little ones.
649
00:33:43,720 --> 00:33:45,820
So we only saw them
four months of the year.
650
00:33:45,820 --> 00:33:48,110
So that was quite a big difference.
651
00:33:48,190 --> 00:33:51,920
But of course once that changed,
uh, Months and months about.
652
00:33:52,140 --> 00:33:57,100
It goes a lot quicker, you know, but,
uh, yeah, they used to write the bits of
653
00:33:57,100 --> 00:33:58,770
letters and things, didn't we, you know?
654
00:33:58,930 --> 00:33:59,420
Yeah.
655
00:34:00,550 --> 00:34:02,580
Yeah, as I say, they just grew up with it.
656
00:34:02,890 --> 00:34:06,290
Um, as I said, I never knew
any different with Gordon.
657
00:34:06,290 --> 00:34:07,350
He'd always gone away.
658
00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:09,600
It's really no different
than being a service wife.
659
00:34:09,650 --> 00:34:09,930
Yeah.
660
00:34:09,930 --> 00:34:10,419
Yeah.
661
00:34:10,420 --> 00:34:14,810
Um, whether it's Army, Navy or Air
Force, um, families are separated.
662
00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:17,510
And they go on with lives.
663
00:34:17,700 --> 00:34:18,840
They manage to cope.
664
00:34:19,340 --> 00:34:21,960
Um, you learn new skills.
665
00:34:21,980 --> 00:34:22,350
Yeah.
666
00:34:22,390 --> 00:34:24,120
You know, just, just to cope.
667
00:34:24,380 --> 00:34:24,710
Yeah.
668
00:34:24,720 --> 00:34:29,480
Um, even if it's in tight Being in a
lighthouse on the land station as a
669
00:34:29,480 --> 00:34:31,680
family station, it's tight accommodation.
670
00:34:32,070 --> 00:34:35,410
It's the same as service
wives, service families.
671
00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:37,440
You just learn to cope with it.
672
00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:38,279
Yeah, yeah.
673
00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:42,110
Um, with the support of
Your neighbours, you know.
674
00:34:42,290 --> 00:34:43,960
But they were always funny, you know.
675
00:34:44,660 --> 00:34:47,080
As soon as you'd come home,
they couldn't wait to tell them
676
00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:48,150
if I'd done anything wrong.
677
00:34:48,150 --> 00:34:51,140
Did mum tell you that she bumped the car?
678
00:34:51,580 --> 00:34:53,260
Did mum tell you she did this?
679
00:34:53,260 --> 00:34:55,780
Yeah, she'd written a report card for you.
680
00:34:55,780 --> 00:34:56,409
Oh yeah.
681
00:34:56,410 --> 00:34:59,470
They forget, like, I speak to them,
or write to them, and you already
682
00:34:59,470 --> 00:35:00,575
knew all these things, you know.
683
00:35:00,575 --> 00:35:03,140
But they couldn't wait to
tie it off on me, you know.
684
00:35:03,430 --> 00:35:05,280
Talk about dropping mum
in, it wasn't, innit?
685
00:35:06,335 --> 00:35:09,365
Yeah, I've always had a good
relation with the girls, I'm
686
00:35:09,555 --> 00:35:10,995
very close with both of them.
687
00:35:11,175 --> 00:35:11,895
Yeah.
688
00:35:11,995 --> 00:35:14,285
And of course they are
with their dad, so, yes.
689
00:35:15,005 --> 00:35:17,485
And his granddaughter, well, yes.
690
00:35:17,855 --> 00:35:20,405
He, well, he had her from a little baby.
691
00:35:20,575 --> 00:35:20,905
Yeah.
692
00:35:21,105 --> 00:35:26,665
Uh, for the first couple of
years, and then I retired.
693
00:35:27,255 --> 00:35:30,785
And then when she was five, he thought
she'd go to school and that was it.
694
00:35:30,785 --> 00:35:33,945
And I said, well, I'm home now, I'll
take her to school and bring her home.
695
00:35:33,945 --> 00:35:36,035
So we had her to high school.
696
00:35:36,435 --> 00:35:39,655
And then when she went to high school,
she decided she'd come to us and wait
697
00:35:39,655 --> 00:35:41,075
for her mum to go home from work.
698
00:35:41,075 --> 00:35:42,695
So we had her through high school.
699
00:35:43,155 --> 00:35:46,995
And then when she went to college, on
the day she didn't go, she'd come to us.
700
00:35:48,065 --> 00:35:50,865
It was only when she went to
university that we lost her, didn't we?
701
00:35:51,095 --> 00:35:52,895
Yeah, because she moved
down to, um, Portsmouth.
702
00:35:52,895 --> 00:35:55,414
She couldn't have gone far
enough away like Portsmouth.
703
00:35:55,414 --> 00:35:55,694
Yeah.
704
00:35:55,915 --> 00:35:57,785
So we don't see quite as much of her.
705
00:35:57,875 --> 00:36:00,245
But then again, she's Grandad's girl.
706
00:36:00,395 --> 00:36:00,745
Yeah.
707
00:36:01,065 --> 00:36:01,565
Yes.
708
00:36:01,865 --> 00:36:03,585
Well, I'm new and he's Grandy.
709
00:36:05,315 --> 00:36:08,500
Yeah, I've been a nana, I've
been a nana and I'm now a new.
710
00:36:08,500 --> 00:36:10,975
Yeah, so, yeah, so we've been very lucky.
711
00:36:11,225 --> 00:36:13,905
Um, we've had a good life, haven't we?
712
00:36:13,955 --> 00:36:16,465
And we enjoyed the service as well.
713
00:36:16,915 --> 00:36:19,635
Um, we made the best of everything.
714
00:36:19,665 --> 00:36:23,255
When he was home, we tried to go away for
weekends when the girls were big enough.
715
00:36:23,255 --> 00:36:23,275
Yeah.
716
00:36:23,950 --> 00:36:25,674
Oh, it was made somewhere else.
717
00:36:25,674 --> 00:36:26,249
I didn't buy it.
718
00:36:26,500 --> 00:36:29,800
And the girls came on holiday
with us till they were about 18.
719
00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:31,750
Then they thought they were
too big, then after that.
720
00:36:32,810 --> 00:36:39,080
Yeah, so, no, we had a good life,
um, Trinity has always been fair
721
00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:40,190
with us, I think, haven't they?
722
00:36:40,380 --> 00:36:40,780
Yes.
723
00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:42,230
I thought they were good bosses.
724
00:36:42,945 --> 00:36:43,955
Yeah, yeah.
725
00:36:44,445 --> 00:36:48,435
As I said, when I lived on the lighthouse
in Devon, and I had this stupid
726
00:36:48,475 --> 00:36:50,155
fridge that was a paraffin fridge.
727
00:36:50,205 --> 00:36:51,485
Never seen one in my life.
728
00:36:51,585 --> 00:36:51,985
Yeah.
729
00:36:52,085 --> 00:36:56,325
And they came to do their inspection,
and went, yeah, so then you need,
730
00:36:56,325 --> 00:36:57,915
and I said, I'd love a new fridge.
731
00:36:58,315 --> 00:37:01,215
I think he was surprised as well when
he said it was a paraffin fridge.
732
00:37:01,595 --> 00:37:03,615
The next thing, a nice new fridge arrived.
733
00:37:03,615 --> 00:37:07,785
But as Gordon used to say, if they keep
the wives happy, it keeps the husbands
734
00:37:07,785 --> 00:37:09,325
happy, and they stay in the job, you know.
735
00:37:10,230 --> 00:37:15,710
So I never had any problems, same
with Gordon when, uh, he went,
736
00:37:15,740 --> 00:37:18,360
well one time, the print, um, Mr.
737
00:37:19,050 --> 00:37:24,140
Jaeger, he was a wonderful man, he was
in the Clark, and he rang every day
738
00:37:24,170 --> 00:37:27,170
to make sure, because he, they thought
you died at one time, didn't they,
739
00:37:27,170 --> 00:37:29,170
love, a rumour, a rumour went round.
740
00:37:29,460 --> 00:37:31,670
I'll tell you, if you
want to tell me, go on.
741
00:37:31,670 --> 00:37:33,350
Yeah, yeah, oh no, definitely.
742
00:37:33,665 --> 00:37:41,235
That story Louise has just referred
to, uh, I was on a, I'd been requested,
743
00:37:41,295 --> 00:37:50,945
I was actually on duty at, um, South
Stack and, um, the keeper at St.
744
00:37:50,975 --> 00:37:52,555
B's up in Cumbria.
745
00:37:53,160 --> 00:37:57,550
I was due for his annual leave,
and it was tradition that one
746
00:37:57,560 --> 00:37:59,530
of the serving keepers went up.
747
00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:03,380
Now, there wasn't a spare
keeper to go and relieve him.
748
00:38:04,260 --> 00:38:10,400
So, the junior keeper at South Stack was
the man designated to go, and that was me.
749
00:38:11,350 --> 00:38:17,325
So, I was told, Go to St. Bees and
relieve the keeper for his annual leave.
750
00:38:19,315 --> 00:38:24,955
So I duly packed a bag and I then ran
the office and I said, I'm going to
751
00:38:24,955 --> 00:38:31,215
St. Bees, uh, may I call us home on
the way, because it's school holidays,
752
00:38:31,685 --> 00:38:37,035
and pick up my two school, two school
age children and take them with me.
753
00:38:37,895 --> 00:38:42,915
And lo and behold, permission was granted,
because it's a big family station.
754
00:38:43,635 --> 00:38:48,130
And, uh, Although it was a man and
wife station, it was a family station,
755
00:38:48,150 --> 00:38:49,640
so there was plenty of accommodation.
756
00:38:50,560 --> 00:38:54,440
And it was a secure station, a
huge boundary wall around it, even
757
00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:55,710
though it sat on the clifftop.
758
00:38:56,370 --> 00:39:00,090
And, um, I had been there before,
so it was a beautiful location.
759
00:39:01,350 --> 00:39:06,280
So I actually arrived home in
the evening from South Stack, and
760
00:39:06,280 --> 00:39:08,250
during the evening meal I collapsed.
761
00:39:09,015 --> 00:39:12,175
And, uh, Lou had to call
the doctor in an ambulance.
762
00:39:13,045 --> 00:39:15,125
And, uh, I was taken to hospital.
763
00:39:16,145 --> 00:39:22,725
And I said to Lou, because I'm on, in
transit, you must call the superintendent
764
00:39:23,255 --> 00:39:25,545
and tell him I've been taken to hospital.
765
00:39:27,245 --> 00:39:31,775
And so she called the central
office, which where the off
766
00:39:31,775 --> 00:39:33,915
duty superintendent was.
767
00:39:34,595 --> 00:39:39,895
And, uh, because it was a sort of late
night time, evening, and she said,
768
00:39:40,085 --> 00:39:43,705
Please tell the superintendent, to
the watchman that answers the phone,
769
00:39:44,195 --> 00:39:46,225
please tell the superintendent that Mr.
770
00:39:46,225 --> 00:39:50,555
Medleycott has been admitted to
hospital and they've found him a bed.
771
00:39:51,575 --> 00:39:57,535
Okay, so the superintendent the next day
reports for duty, he sees the message on
772
00:39:57,535 --> 00:40:03,387
his desk, Mr. Medleycott, was admitted
to hospital and has been found dead.
773
00:40:03,387 --> 00:40:08,045
And so, he then told my district
depot where I was stationed.
774
00:40:10,555 --> 00:40:13,185
And the rumour then went
through the workforce like
775
00:40:13,195 --> 00:40:16,525
wildfire that Gordon had died.
776
00:40:17,335 --> 00:40:24,490
So, They, because I worked in a local,
a small depot at Holyhead, I knew that
777
00:40:24,500 --> 00:40:29,380
all the staff there and all the, uh,
the yard staff that worked on the boys
778
00:40:29,430 --> 00:40:38,710
and so on, and the, um, secretary there
was very distressed and she, Kathy, and
779
00:40:38,720 --> 00:40:41,990
she starts the collection for flowers.
780
00:40:42,240 --> 00:40:42,760
Oh no!
781
00:40:43,550 --> 00:40:44,080
So.
782
00:40:44,440 --> 00:40:46,460
The Mr. Jake around me, didn't he?
783
00:40:46,790 --> 00:40:48,810
So, meanwhile.
784
00:40:50,475 --> 00:40:57,235
The, um, the main office, um, clerk
who looked after the lighthouses
785
00:40:57,415 --> 00:41:03,995
in the district, the main office,
he heard this rumour and he, he
786
00:41:04,045 --> 00:41:05,565
sussed out what was going on.
787
00:41:05,575 --> 00:41:11,365
So he phoned, Louise at home and asked
what the situation was and she told him
788
00:41:11,425 --> 00:41:13,775
I was in hospital and I was improving.
789
00:41:14,485 --> 00:41:20,445
So then he phoned the hospital
and spoke to the nurse and the
790
00:41:20,565 --> 00:41:27,105
doctors and then he he found out the
truth position that I hadn't died.
791
00:41:28,205 --> 00:41:30,175
So, but he was concerned.
792
00:41:30,175 --> 00:41:32,235
He was a very very very nice man.
793
00:41:32,235 --> 00:41:33,795
He rang every day.
794
00:41:34,115 --> 00:41:35,525
He phoned the hospital every day.
795
00:41:36,295 --> 00:41:42,025
And he also phoned My principal keeper
at South Stack, and he said to him,
796
00:41:42,575 --> 00:41:47,595
Take a taxi and go into the hot,
into the depot and squash this rumor.
797
00:41:48,275 --> 00:41:55,135
He said, I'm in contact with the hospital
every day, and I get the updates on Mr.
798
00:41:55,135 --> 00:41:57,005
Medgar, and he's improving tremendously.
799
00:41:58,695 --> 00:42:04,045
So, you can imagine the sort of
reception I got when I got back to work.
800
00:42:04,045 --> 00:42:08,385
And this is what we were saying
about secrets, because you just
801
00:42:08,595 --> 00:42:10,145
go around like nobody does.
802
00:42:10,235 --> 00:42:10,895
You would think that.
803
00:42:11,165 --> 00:42:14,675
Because lighthouses are in
isolation, they wouldn't get any
804
00:42:14,705 --> 00:42:16,835
news, outside news, they did.
805
00:42:16,835 --> 00:42:17,825
They did, yeah.
806
00:42:17,825 --> 00:42:19,675
They did, and they got it done fast.
807
00:42:20,075 --> 00:42:20,385
Yeah.
808
00:42:20,385 --> 00:42:20,774
Yeah.
809
00:42:20,775 --> 00:42:22,705
And so then you would
just return like Jesus?
810
00:42:24,535 --> 00:42:25,645
You came back like Jesus.
811
00:42:26,315 --> 00:42:28,455
I did, yeah, yeah.
812
00:42:28,795 --> 00:42:30,495
Yeah, you can imagine
the comments going there.
813
00:42:30,495 --> 00:42:31,375
Yeah, yeah.
814
00:42:32,055 --> 00:42:32,905
Oh, yeah.
815
00:42:32,965 --> 00:42:35,595
So, you know, I nearly got
to read my own obituary.
816
00:42:35,595 --> 00:42:40,655
He does odd things to
frighten me now and again.
817
00:42:40,655 --> 00:42:44,065
Like he, he did a rescue
on South Stathlice House.
818
00:42:44,065 --> 00:42:45,395
I don't know if you know about that.
819
00:42:45,395 --> 00:42:45,985
No.
820
00:42:46,285 --> 00:42:49,695
There was, children came
down to the lighthouse to say
821
00:42:49,875 --> 00:42:51,515
that their teacher had fell.
822
00:42:51,985 --> 00:42:54,645
They were, were they
traversing, do you call it?
823
00:42:54,825 --> 00:42:55,255
They did.
824
00:42:55,345 --> 00:42:57,275
They were out of bound
school or something.
825
00:42:57,635 --> 00:43:02,355
So, without thinking, he still got his
slippers on, he climbed some way down this
826
00:43:02,355 --> 00:43:08,315
mountain at South Stack, found the man in
the water, and he held him for an hour.
827
00:43:10,765 --> 00:43:12,425
Whoever was on, was it Mac on top?
828
00:43:12,445 --> 00:43:13,675
I don't know, was it Mac?
829
00:43:13,685 --> 00:43:15,745
He got in touch with the
Coast Guard and everything.
830
00:43:15,975 --> 00:43:16,905
So they came.
831
00:43:17,455 --> 00:43:22,020
Uh, he had a rising tide and he
shattered his pelvis, I think was it?
832
00:43:22,020 --> 00:43:22,394
Yeah.
833
00:43:22,395 --> 00:43:25,365
So Gordon, that's what Gordon said, as
the waves come and he was screaming.
834
00:43:25,365 --> 00:43:26,695
So Gordon's trying to keep him up.
835
00:43:26,875 --> 00:43:27,435
Yeah.
836
00:43:28,975 --> 00:43:32,825
And, uh, they took him up by
helicopter and you got pulled
837
00:43:32,825 --> 00:43:33,605
up on a rope, didn't you?
838
00:43:33,605 --> 00:43:34,495
I did.
839
00:43:34,495 --> 00:43:35,775
So with your slippers on?
840
00:43:35,865 --> 00:43:36,175
Yeah.
841
00:43:36,415 --> 00:43:39,195
But I heard then, of course,
he's in hospital, you only
842
00:43:39,195 --> 00:43:40,615
get half a tail, don't you?
843
00:43:41,065 --> 00:43:43,215
Uh, and you start worrying yourself sick.
844
00:43:43,555 --> 00:43:46,915
And then about two weeks later,
he decides to do it again.
845
00:43:47,385 --> 00:43:50,035
This time it was, uh, about five men.
846
00:43:50,515 --> 00:43:51,365
Yeah, John Cunningham.
847
00:43:51,415 --> 00:43:56,004
John Cunningham, one of the
country's best climbers, wasn't he?
848
00:43:56,085 --> 00:43:56,525
Lost his life.
849
00:43:57,145 --> 00:43:58,974
Somebody helped, well,
that's somebody far worse.
850
00:43:58,975 --> 00:44:01,315
Oh, that was, that's, that's
actually a separate story.
851
00:44:01,315 --> 00:44:03,715
Yeah, but then again, but
there's two rescues within, Yeah.
852
00:44:04,400 --> 00:44:04,650
A fortnight.
853
00:44:04,650 --> 00:44:08,550
And I said to him, look, never mind,
if these people want to jump in, don't
854
00:44:08,600 --> 00:44:10,430
be jumping in after them anymore.
855
00:44:10,710 --> 00:44:12,240
I don't want any more heroes.
856
00:44:12,775 --> 00:44:17,815
And he got the Royal Humane Society Award
for bravery, uh, for his first rescue.
857
00:44:18,275 --> 00:44:20,525
Yes, my hero, my hero.
858
00:44:21,145 --> 00:44:22,315
Oh, absolutely.
859
00:44:22,705 --> 00:44:24,065
You two are like couple goals.
860
00:44:24,065 --> 00:44:25,255
It's very sweet.
861
00:44:26,545 --> 00:44:27,979
We go on all right, don't we love that?
862
00:44:27,980 --> 00:44:32,120
Well, thank you so much
for your time, Lou.
863
00:44:32,520 --> 00:44:35,010
I, yeah, I could quite happily
stay all day, but I know,
864
00:44:35,050 --> 00:44:36,250
you know, lunch is coming.
865
00:44:36,580 --> 00:44:37,976
Oh, is it?
866
00:44:37,976 --> 00:44:39,070
Yeah, it is.
867
00:44:39,080 --> 00:44:41,860
So, uh, we will wrap up and
thank you so much for your time.
868
00:44:41,860 --> 00:44:42,560
You're welcome.
869
00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:44,600
It's nice when you reminisce, isn't it?
870
00:44:44,600 --> 00:44:48,440
We don't do it, we don't do it very often.
871
00:44:53,210 --> 00:44:56,940
So there you are, over two episodes
you've heard about life in the lighthouse
872
00:44:56,940 --> 00:45:00,270
service from both a keeper and his wife.
873
00:45:00,890 --> 00:45:05,570
It's rare to hear about a lighthouse
keeper's family and what life was like for
874
00:45:05,570 --> 00:45:10,640
a keeper's wife, so we're very grateful
to both Gorton and Louise Medlicott.
875
00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:15,380
Mel and I are due back at Bidston
Lighthouse next month and we hope
876
00:45:15,380 --> 00:45:16,870
to catch up with them both then.
877
00:45:18,110 --> 00:45:20,990
Next time, Halloween
may be a long way off.
878
00:45:21,480 --> 00:45:25,680
But we talk about the ghosts and
apparitions that have come to be
879
00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:28,450
associated with certain lighthouses.
880
00:45:31,950 --> 00:45:36,040
In the meantime, do please remember
to follow or subscribe to this podcast
881
00:45:36,100 --> 00:45:38,190
on your podcast platform of choice.
882
00:45:38,750 --> 00:45:41,750
And do please mention it to
friends and family who might
883
00:45:41,750 --> 00:45:43,380
be interested in listening.
884
00:45:43,380 --> 00:45:45,380
One other favour.
885
00:45:45,740 --> 00:45:48,920
We hear from a lot of lighthouse
enthusiasts you Who tell us
886
00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:52,560
that they don't even know what a
podcast is or how to listen to one.
887
00:45:53,330 --> 00:45:56,540
If there's a technophobic
lighthouse lover in your family
888
00:45:56,540 --> 00:45:58,490
or friend group, help them out.
889
00:45:59,130 --> 00:46:00,040
They'll thank you for it.
890
00:46:00,370 --> 00:46:01,050
I promise.
891
00:46:03,610 --> 00:46:06,790
Remember, you can find out more
about the ALK at our website.
892
00:46:06,960 --> 00:46:07,840
That's at ALK.
893
00:46:09,350 --> 00:46:09,760
org.
894
00:46:10,370 --> 00:46:11,090
uk.
895
00:46:12,050 --> 00:46:13,320
Thanks so much for listening.
896
00:46:13,740 --> 00:46:15,790
And we look forward to welcoming you back.
897
00:46:16,265 --> 00:46:18,695
To the next episode of keeping watch.
898
00:46:19,645 --> 00:46:20,265
Bye for now.