The Joys of Lighthouse Keeping, an Interview with Gerry Butler

Recently, I had the pleasure of talking to Gerry about his years as a lighthouse keeper. He started with the Commissioners of Irish Lights in 1969, formally retiring in 1990.

He had an incredible career, even serving at Fastnet Lighthouse in 1979, during the infamous yacht race disaster. For the full interview, you can listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Or you can click below and listen to it here!

Ed Peppitt & his 3,500 Mile Lighthouse Adventure – Lighthouse Explorers

Welcome back to another episode of the Lighthouse Explorers podcast! This week, I had the great fortune to talk to Ed Peppitt to ask him about his travels around England and Wales. These included cycling 3,500 miles, spotting over 300 lighthouses, and raising over £15,000 for Shift MS.Ed's book, 'The Beacon Bike', is absolutely brilliant. In it, he shares the highs and lows of this huge undertaking. His love and appreciation for the lighthouses jumps off of the page, and he doesn't shy away from the emotional hardships which come with such a challenge. (Ed hadn't ridden a bike in twenty years before completing this endeavour!)I've been keen to get Ed on the podcast for a while, and I am so pleased with how this episode turned out.Enjoy!

1. Ed Peppitt & his 3,500 Mile Lighthouse Adventure 31:24
2. Cycling 1000km Just to See Lighthouses & Dodging Storms | Our Summer Updates 10:26
3. Tynemouth’s Lighthouses, Dickens, & Storms | 5 Minute Light(house) Bites 04:14
4. Pocket-sized men at Southwold Lighthouse | 5 Minute Light(house) Bites 03:28
5. Haunting of the Point of Ayr Lighthouse | 5 Minute Light(house) bites 03:23

Thank you so much to Gerry for agreeing to take part in this interview. His experience is unique, in a world where lighthouse keepers are becoming increasingly rare. Since the introduction of automation, there are few lighthouses which still need lighthouse keepers. For the most part, lighthouses are monitored remotely.

In England and Wales, lighthouses are operated from Trinity House’s base in Essex. They keep an eye on the day-to-day operation of the towers, and are responsible for maintaining the lighthouses with their team of engineers. Coincidentally, Galley Head Lighthouse is also operated from their base in Essex. This is the same lighthouse which Gerry looks after! If you’re interested in his role at the lighthouse, feel free to listen to the podcast episode linked above.

There are a few ‘retained lighthouse keeper’ currently available with the Northern Lighthouse Board, looking after towers up in Scotland. These are part-time roles, mainly aimed at local lighthouse enthusiasts. However, it’s always worth a try!

If you like the interview, you may be interested in Gerry’s memoir: The Lightkeeper.

Also, if you want to listen to a different podcast episode featuring an ex-lighthouse keeper, check out my interview with Julian.