After many months of planning, research, and ethical review, I am delighted to announce that contributions are now open for the Travelling Pharology Archive!
The Archive forms part of my research in Cultural Heritage Studies at University College London (UCL), where I am exploring the question:
How can a community-generated travelling lighthouse archive contribute to the presentation of maritime heritage within museums?
Behind every lighthouse are the people who live(d) and work(ed) to protect mariners: the keepers and their families who maintained the lights, and engineers who continue to keep the lights shining.
Many of these experiences survive through memories, photographs, documents, and personal collections. As lighthouse services continue to change and time passes by, there is a real risk that these stories may be lost.
The Travelling Pharology Archive aims to help preserve and share this social history by bringing together community-generated stories, photographs, and objects connected to lighthouse life.
Rather than creating a traditional archive hidden away on a shelf, the project will develop a travelling archive that can be displayed within museums and heritage venues. The intention is to explore how personal experiences and community knowledge can contribute to the way maritime heritage is interpreted and presented to the public.
Whilst this Archive’s pilot project forms part of my Master’s dissertation, the Archive will be running beyond my academic research. My aim is that it will continue to develop and grow over the years.
What am I looking for?
I am currently seeking contributors from across the United Kingdom who have a direct connection to lighthouse life.
This may include:
- Former lighthouse keepers
- Lighthouse engineers
- Family members of lighthouse keepers or engineers
- Individuals with significant personal connections to lighthouse communities
Contributors may wish to share:
- Written memories or stories
- Photographs
- Letters, diaries, logbooks, or documents
- Personal memorabilia
- Objects connected to lighthouse life
I am interested in everything and anything which reflects your personal connection to lighthouses. Sometimes the most ordinary objects tell the most powerful stories about how people lived, worked, and experienced the world around them.
For those who feel comfortable doing so, there are opportunities to temporarily loan objects for exhibition as part of the travelling archive. Any loans would be arranged carefully and returned to their owners following display.
Participation and Attribution
Contributors will be able to decide how they would like to be represented within the project. Participants may choose to be identified by name, use a pseudonym, or remain anonymous.
Participation is entirely voluntary, and all contributors will receive full information about the project before deciding whether to take part.
If you’re interested in taking part, please email me at annie@lighthouseexplorers.com.
Are you interested in hosting the Archive?
While the first pilot installation of the Travelling Pharology Archive will take place at Harwich Low Lighthouse and Maritime Museum, I am keen to hear from other museums, heritage organisations, and community venues that may be interested in hosting the Archive in the future.
The Archive has been designed as a portable pop-up exhibition centred around a curated display cabinet containing community-contributed stories, photographs, documents, and objects connected to lighthouse life. Alongside the display, I offer costumed interpretation as the lighthouse engineer and entrepreneur Henry Winstanley, bringing the collection to life through storytelling, conversation, and audience engagement. The aim is to create an accessible and interactive way for visitors to explore the social history of lighthouse communities and consider how personal narratives can contribute to the interpretation of maritime heritage.
Annie as Henry Winstanley, builder of the first Eddystone Lighthouse and 17th century eccentric.
If you think the Travelling Pharology Archive could complement your museum, exhibition programme, or heritage event, I would be delighted to discuss potential opportunities for collaboration.
Why This Matters
The stories of lighthouse communities are a vital part of Britain’s maritime heritage.
The Travelling Pharology Archive seeks to ensure that these experiences are not forgotten and that the people behind lighthouse history become part of the way that heritage is presented in museums.
If you think you may have a story, photograph, document, or object that could contribute to the Archive, I would love to hear from you! Please send me an email at annie@lighthouseexplorers.com.
Together, we can help preserve and share the human side of lighthouse heritage.
Lighthouse Explorers 