# Needles Lighthouse. IOW



## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Trying to help with a painting showing Needles Lt. Ho.

From information from Trinity House...

Needles Lighthouse built 1851. The stone was plain without any colour stripes. Easy one.

Trinity House know that the band and the top was painted black prior to 1888.

In 1940 the lighthouse was still black right through to that period.

By 1961 all lighthouses that any kind of banding were used red.

The changes were done after the war when lighthouses were overhauled.

Problem... anyone remember when Needles Lighthouse changed from to black to red.... in that period 1945 - 1961?

Thanks,

Stephen


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

"By 1961 all lighthouses that any kind of banding were used red."

Spurn Head Lt Ho still has a black band as far as I know.

John T


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## Split (Jun 25, 2006)

Stephen J. Card said:


> Trying to help with a painting showing Needles Lt. Ho.
> 
> From information from Trinity House...
> 
> ...


I was evacuated to Milford-on-Sea, on the mainland, until April 1942 and there was never a day when Needles was not seen by me.

Strangely, I don't think that I ever saw it from sea, though.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

trotterdotpom said:


> "By 1961 all lighthouses that any kind of banding were used red."
> 
> Spurn Head Lt Ho still has a black band as far as I know.
> 
> John T




Thanks John,

Right! Hmmmm... Trinity House told me that it changed by 1961.

I think the only way to check for Needles is to go back through Admiralty List of Lights from 1945.....

Stephen


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Split said:


> I was evacuated to Milford-on-Sea, on the mainland, until April 1942 and there was never a day when Needles was not seen by me.
> 
> Strangely, I don't think that I ever saw it from sea, though.





You don't remember the staging and the red paint? ;-)


History says there were four needels. Now there are three! 

Stephen


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## Dickyboy (May 18, 2009)

I can only remember it being red & white. Red & white in my youth as I recall. Say in the 50s.


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## scorcher (Jul 2, 2007)

Stephen In my copy of "Ships and the Sea" (1937) edition it is described as 
" black and white " . Amazingly in Simplon's cards there is no image of The Needles.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Always good book but not always the right information!

I have one good book....

LIGHTHOUSES of England and Wales - Derrick Jackson 1974.

All B&W pen and in drawings.... good stuff. A history of each lighthouse, dates, hights, lights, ranges, power, fog horns and even if any access for public or not. No information on the colours of the lighthouses!

First time even knew Needles colour was from a fine E. Hamilton Royal Mail Line poster with AVON. Beautiful colour and showd the lighthouse with black band and top. I thought it was off that someone would paint such a landmark like Needles and colour it correctly. Now I know better but have never been the correct dates. I know some fine marine artists have shown of yachts with the red tower in the early 1900s. 

Plenty of photos of ships passing the light, but with B&W.... can never rely on the assumption of 'colours' in B&W photos. If the incorrect filter is used on the film sometimes red will look darker than black!

Stephen


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## Split (Jun 25, 2006)

Stephen J. Card said:


> You don't remember the staging and the red paint? ;-)
> 
> 
> History says there were four needels. Now there are three!
> ...


Sorry, too long ago and, probably, a bit too far. The only colour that I remember about Milford was that our garden gate was green!


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

The name 'Needles' is believed to have been derived from a slender tapering rock pinnacle which was formerly situated a little to the north (i.e. on the Alum Bay side) of the present central rock. This needle-shaped rock, about 120ft high and known as 'Lot's Wife' collapsed into the sea in 1764 with a crash which was said to have been heard many miles away! The stump of this pinnacle can still be seen at low water where it forms a dangerous reef. 



When was the last time you went to see that green gate?!


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Confirmation at last!

Sent a request to UKHO in Taunton.... here is the answer:



"Many thanks for your enquiry to the UKHO Archive Research section which was passed to us via Customer Services.
I have researched your enquiry using the record copies of Admiralty Lights Lists that we hold here and can confirm that the Needles Lighthouse changed from a Black to a Red band in 1952."


No need to know the exact date. Must have been in middle of the summer!


Stephen


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