# Identity of a double port side navigation light



## woodend (Nov 23, 2009)

Good day to all 'the wise ones' :

My daughter and son in law farm fruit and proteas on the top of Piketberg Mountain here in sunny S.A. When they bought the farm about 15 years ago, in the 'guest cottage' where my wife and I stay when visiting, there is a double port side ship's navigation light. It stands 60 cms. high with identical one lens above the other in two completely separate compartments. Between the two lenses is a plate on which is : METEORITE P124730. This I assume is the model and light number. It is of brass / copper appearance though now tarnished. I would guess from appearance 50 - 60 years old. Can anyone remember which company manufactured METEORITE model navigation lights? I would then have somewhere to start the hunt as I would like to try to find out what ship it came off.


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## kwg (Mar 11, 2007)

There is another SN thread on this under 'Navigation Lights'....
Ship Research > Navigation light? 30th Apr 2007


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## woodend (Nov 23, 2009)

Thanks for that 'kwg'. I found that thread and hope I may be getting somewhere. There was a reply at that from GATRA who may be able to help me further. I tried to send a private e-mail to him through SN but it came up 'to contact the Administrators'.


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## John Cassels (Sep 29, 2005)

Looks like a pretty standard navigation lamp. Got a couple of them round our
house myself.


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## TOM ALEXANDER (Dec 24, 2008)

After a quick "Google" I came up with the following site: http://andysmilitarysurplus.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2134 where there are single Port & Stbd Meteorite lights for sale. Info on the site says:
Port Meteorite Lamp P91294,Patent No. 546575 and others Pending, Starboard Meteorite Lamp 47982,Patent NO. 546575 and other Pending 
The most important info. is: 
These are Genuine Harvie and Co Ltd Port and Starboard Ships Lamps.
A further search reveals that these were porbably manufactured by William Harvie & Co. Ltd., Birmingham. Address? 
William Harvie & Co LTD
Late of Glascow
Ships Lantern & Lighting Eng NS
Bishop Street, Birmingham 5

Another site of interest might be:
http://www.lampguild.org/QandApage/archives/Q0003370.htm

From past experience in researching the provenance of a binnacle, Glasgow University may have an archive of the company records of Wm. Harvie should you not come up with anything in Birmingham. 
Aw! Come on - you can do some work on this now.


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## woodend (Nov 23, 2009)

Thanks 'TOM ALEXANDER' I had got as far as the name and address for Harvie and Co. but there, so far, my trail had ended. I was hoping this chap GATRA had come up as he obviously followed the same trail a few years ago for a similar reason. Maybe the Administrators are still in contact?


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## Rafal Zahorski (Jan 29, 2009)

*You wish, you have*

Hello Woodend,

You can find many catalogues of navigational lamps and stuff on our www.

Here you can find many British producers and brands

http://www.bembridge.pl/cms.php?lid=pl&gid=45107

On the bottom you have your demanded METEORITE. You will not find your double lamp but please look at other catalogues - I saw somewhere your lamp. Anyway I will not destroy your hunting sense so please have a fun. As far as I know it was sometimes a case that producer were subcontracting non typical lamps with others and later on they were placing only own labels. So when any company was receiving a special order for non typical vessel than not always they were doing all. It was in case of our Bembridge where we have a full set of lamps.

If anybody will have any catalogues of any marine equipment till 1970 than we will scan it and publish with pleasure.

Best greeting Rafal


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