Page 19 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

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In October 1843, because of the obvious urgency of the problem, Lord Stanley received

instructions from the Lord’s Commissioners of the Admiralty that, although they agreed

that Roman Rock was the best site, because of financial constraints and the relatively low
number of vessels using Simon’s Bay a light “should be forthwith commenced on Miller’s

Point.” In turn Stanley instructed the Governor to obtain plans and estimates for the
lighthouse, which Michell once again did. (Fig. 1.4). In May 1844 these were submitted to

the Secretary of State with an accompanying note stating that, not only did the Colonial
Government not have funds for the project, it was also the opinion of the naval officers of

Simon’s Town that the lighthouse would be of little use.

Previously, in September 1843 Captain J. Brown of HMS Winchester had recommended a

lightship be used near Roman Rock. Because of the difficulty in finalising a land-based

lighthouse it was decided to resurrect this proposal and in August 1844 Lord Stanley
advised the Governor, Lieutenant-General Sir Peregrine Maitland, that the Lord’s

Commissioners of the Admiralty had ordered “an apparatus for a floating light” to be
anchored near Roman Rock. Rear Admiral Percy was instructed to supply a suitable vessel

and maintain it in its position near Roman Rock

The light was supplied under the supervision of Trinity House in England and was put into

commission on 10 January 1845 as South Africa’s first and only lightship. Its light was 36
ft. above sea level and could be seen, on a clear night, from a distance of ten miles. The

structure was painted red to stand out during daylight hours, and a red flag was raised
whenever an incoming ship was sighted.

The lightship was not a great success due to the severe weather conditions that prevailed so

often in the bay. In heavy weather the weight of the light made the ship unstable and the

light had to be lowered, which reduced the distance from which it was visible making it
ineffective in the situation when it was most required. The big seas around the rock also

frequently broke the ship's moorings which left the rock unlit. This was an untenable

situation as the incoming ships expected to use the light or the red tower for navigation
purposes.

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