Mumbles Lighthouse

August 03, 2020

Mumbles Lighthouse

Mumbles Lighthouse, 2020
Kind permission Mr. G. Williams

Mumbles Lighthouse. Is clearly one of the jewels of Mumbles. Along with the with nearby lightboat station, they are the most photographed. The lighthouse is situated on the outer island. It is these two islands that supposedly gave Mumbles its name from French sailors, thinking that the two islands looked like les mamelles “the breasts”

Swansea Harbour Trust were empowered by The Harbour Act, 1791, that a lighthouse should be constructed on the outer island of Mumbles, with its purpose provided a warning for passing ships of the dangers that lay nearby with the Mixon Sands sandbank and the Cherrystone Reef, an underwater reef.

July 1792 constructed commenced. October the poor structure that had been built collapsed. The following year, Swansea architect, William Jernegan, drew up new plans for a new building, they were accepted by the Swansea Harbour Trust. Building work was completed in 1794.

First Lighthouse coal burning, 1794

The lighthouse is 56 feet stone tower, it housed two open-fire braziers. One located at the top of the tower and the other 20 feet below.

One of the first topographical prints made, were made by George Grand Francis.

Early print of Mumbles Lighthouse

Lighthouse 1798

Two coal braziers were superseded in 1798, by a lantern located at the top of the tower. This revolving light was powered by a 12-oil powered Argand lamps, fitted with reflectors. They were replaced in 1860, to dioptric lens, which greatly magnified the light. Making it visible up to 15 miles away. The 12-oil powered Argand lamps were replaced in 1880, to a system of 3 Argand lamps.

1905 the flash was introduced to the light. 1935, electricity replaced the paraffin, along with a new automatic control system. From this date, there was no need for a keeper to be present at the lighthouse.

Standard navigation light replaced the dioptric lens during 1969.

The lighthouse was owned from 1794 to 1923, then transferring to the Great Western Railway, as part of the company’s take over of Swansea Docks. The lighthouse was taken over in 1976 by Corporation of Trinity House.

The first lighthouse keeper, in 1794, was Mr John Walker. His duties were to keep the coal braziers burning. October 1794, he was dismissed for serious neglect of his duties – a report to the Swansea Harbour Trust claimed that Williams, did not provide light during the Strom on the Sunday night. Williams was replaced by Benjamin Llewellyn on 21^st October 1794. He was paid 18 shillings a week. Replacing his was the first of Abraham Ace. The Ace family were to look after the light for the following three-quarter of a century.

When the last Abraham Ace retired in 1902, he was replaced by Jasper Williams. He died in 1914 and he replaced by the last lighthouse keeper, John Thomas.

Jasper Williams

John Thomas

Jessie Ace and Martha Wright (nee. Ace)

Martha Wright (nee. Ace) grave
Tycoch, Swansea

Notable, Jessie Ace and her sister Martha Wright, are best remembered for their rescue of crewmen from the Mumbles lightboat. The lightboat had gone off to assist the wrecked German barque, Admiral Prinz Danzig, January 1883. Jessie emigrated to Australia and her sister Martha’s remained in Swansea. Dying 1933, she is buried in an unmarked grave, Tycoch, Swansea

Searchlight emplacement
Mumbles Lighthouse
kind permission Mr. G. Williams

Alongside the lighthouse a gun battery built. It was built by the War Department during 1861, in order to guard the Port of Swansea, against the possible of a French invasion. The battery housed 5x80 pounder guns. Also, there was accommodation for Staff Sergeant and 21 men.

View from with in Searchlight emplacement
Mumbles Lighthouse
kind permission Mr. G. Williams

The 80 pounder guns were replaced at the end of the nineteenth century by 2x.303 Maxim machine guns and 2xQF Mk III (4.7") naval guns. These were replaced in 1942, 4”BL Mk VII French naval guns. The battery was decommissioned in 1957.

Edgar H. Smith
seaman
from Newfoundland

The First World War had not ended on the 11^th, the H.M.S. Trebiskir was entering the Mumbles she was caught on the Mixon Sands. The H.M.S. Trebiskir sank. On the morning of 12^th, the badly decomposed body had been washed up on the Swansea sands.