The Corporation of Trinity House is the General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. It is not responsible (and never has been) for Scottish or Irish lights though it does advise the separate lighthouse authorities for Scotland and Ireland (Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland).
Records of Scottish lighthouses are held by the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses, 84 George Street, Edinburgh EH2.
Records of Irish lighthouses are held by the Commissioners of Irish Lights, 16 Lower Pembroke Street, Dublin 2, Ireland.
TRINITY HOUSE ARCHIVES DEPOSITED AT GUILDHALL LIBRARY:
GENERAL SOURCES
Light committee minutes, 1941-77. This series begins in 1941 as earlier volumes of minutes were destroyed by the bomb which landed on Trinity House, Tower Hill, in 1940.
The light committee inspects lighthouses, lightvessels, buoys and beacons and is in charge of the operation of the lighthouse and lightvessel service. (Ms 30076)
Before 1941 other records have to be used. There is much lighthouse material in the archive, some of which can be found relatively easily. Lengthy searches may sometimes be necessary, particularly if the volumes are unindexed.
Court minutes, 1661-2000. There are many lighthouse entries (except for 1665-76) and all volumes are indexed. Search under “lights” and individual lighthouse names. References are to both Corporation of Trinity House and private lighthouses (Ms 30004)
Board minutes, 1685-2000. There are many lighthouse entries, some short but others are very detailed. From 1746, all volumes are indexed - look under “lights” and individual lighthouse names (Ms 30010)
Letter books, 1685-1747. These volumes contain much about lighthouses. The letters can be quite detailed and informative (Ms 30048)
Letters patent granting right to erect lighthouses, 1616-1839 (Ms 30071-2)
Wardens’ committee minutes, 1822-1994. These minutes are very useful for lighthouses and are all indexed. They include joint meetings of the Wardens and Light Committee so they do help to make up for the missing Light Committee minutes (Ms 30025)
Examining committee minutes, 1864-1975. Very brief entries dealing with proposed lights as well as those already erected. The examining committee recommends the establishment of new lighthouses, buoys and beacons and alterations to existing lighthouses, buoys and beacons (Ms 30073)
Visiting committees’ inspection reports, 1900-36. Detailed reports of visits to individual lighthouses (Ms 30094)
Engineer’s weekly reports on lighthouses being built, 1838-9. Very useful – for the two years for which they survive, they make up for the missing light committee minutes (Ms 30095)
Reports of the Corporation’s scientific advisor (Michael Faraday 1836-65), 1836-71. Papers on the illumination of lighthouses (Mss 30108-9)
Some of the Faraday papers require proof of identity and address, such as a passport and driving licence.
Registers of title deeds of sites of lighthouses, 1820s-65. The registers include transcriptions of deeds from 1637-1835. (Ms 30123)
COPY CATALOGUES OF PLANS AND DRAWINGS OF LIGHTHOUSES (including those sold or demolished), 18th century onwards (Ms 30131A)
N.B. Guildhall Library is pleased to supply details of plans listed in Ms 30131A, but does not hold the originals. These are held by Trinity House and digital copies can be made available. Please write to Neil Jones, Archivist, Trinity House, The Quay, Harwich C012 3JW or telephone on 01255 245155.
RECORDS OF INDIVIDUAL LIGHTHOUSES
Miscellaneous papers of individual lighthouses (Mss 30124-50)
There are no series of records about individual lighthouses. Most records of the lighthouse and light vessel service appear to have been destroyed in the 1940 bombing of Trinity House. The archive includes some miscellaneous papers of individual lighthouses, mainly predating Trinity House’s acquisition of the light. These were probably bought or given to Trinity House during the twentieth century.
These papers are only substantial for the following lighthouses:
Eddystone, 1708-1824 (and a little later material) (Mss 30127-31)
Spurn, 1765-77 (Ms 30143)
Winterton and Orfordness, 1692-1720 (Mss 30146-8)
There are hardly any lighthouse log books in the archive (they are held for North Foreland and St. Mary’s Island, Whitley Bay only). They are believed to remain (inaccessible) in each lighthouse.
PHOTOGRAPHS, PAMPHLETS AND RESEARCH NOTES
Pamphlets and research notes on the lighthouse service and on individual lighthouses, 1940s-70s. (Mss 30116-7; Ms 30368; Ms 30377)
Glass lantern slides. Probably made in the 1930s but contain some 19th century images of lighthouses. (Ms 30362A)
Photographs and postcards of English and Welsh lighthouses, 1900-71 (Mss 30363-5)
Because of shortage of staff time, Guildhall Library is unable to carry out detailed searches of the Corporation of Trinity House archive. Enquirers are welcome to visit the Manuscripts Section in person or to hire a record agent (details are given in the access leaflet). A full catalogue of the archive is available in the Section.
The Printed Books Section of Guildhall Library holds many books about British lighthouses which are stored at 623.8942. There is a general history of Trinity House lighthouses, The Lighthouses of Trinity House by Richard Woodman and Jane Wilson (2002) as well as a series of pamphlets about individual lighthouses by Martin Boyle called the Lighthouses of England and Wales. Much of the detail in the history and the pamphlets is derived from the lighthouse plans retained by Trinity House. The pamphlets are held by the Printed Books Section individually in their stores - please ask at the enquiry desk for further details.
Last updated December 2008