Old footage of Hanois Lighthouse attracts online attention

Wednesday 01 May 2019

A film from 1994, featuring Guernsey's Hanois Lighthouse and its former keeper Robbie Goldsmith, has been released online.

The video has received attention from nearly 350,000 viewers since it was posted on YouTube in March.

The footage has been posted by Peter Halil, who spent a month at the island's lighthouse recording day-to-day life as part of the crew.

"The object was to try and record for posterity the passing way of life of us lighthouse keepers," said Mr Halil. "No scripts, we aren't actors and there are three keepers doing 28 days on board followed by 28 days at home, with two crews so the place was manned 24/7, 365 days of the year."

Mr Halil was a lighthouse keeper for 23 years and, as lighthouses started to become automatic, he travelled to different areas working in lighthouses and creating a series of videos.  

Previously, he had spent some time working at the Dungeness Lighthouse where he met Mr Goldsmith.

"I moved to Guernsey in 1979 and I didn't see [Mr Halil] again until 1994," said Mr Goldsmith, who served as lighthouse keeper at the Hanois Lighthouse for 14 years.

Mr Goldsmith came across the film online about a week ago and said: "It is strange to see myself all those years ago. My black hair and beard are both white now."

His career as a lighthouse keeper lasted for 27 years overall and he is now enjoying his retirement.

"I have got a wonderful job," Mr Goldsmith added. "I have five bank holidays a week and take the weekends off!"

Pictured top: Les Hanois Lighthouse (image from 'Life inside a wave washed lighthouse' video).