Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Making light work of a real passion
Peter’s lighthouse pictures going on display
A Coatbridge man is launching a series of exhibitions of his lighthouse photography and artefacts, one year on since the publication of his book on the subject.
Peter Gellatly will display canvases of his work plus items ranging from uniforms to links with Robert Louis Stevenson at New Lanark next month, and then at Summerlee in September and October as part of a display on both World Wars.
His photographs from his various trips around the coastline will also be on show in August at Ocean Terminal in Edinburgh – the gateway to major tourist attraction, the Royal Yacht Britannia.
The Advertiser told last year how Peter, an accounting and administration lecturer at New College Lanarkshire’s campus in his home town, had turned his decades- long fascination with lighthouses into a fundraising book of photographs.
Following The Lights, a visitor guidebook to the lighthouses of Scotland and the Isle of Man, has sold more than 800 copies to date, and is also available to readers at Coatbridge and Airdrie libraries.
Peter said this week: “The reception over the past year has been very positive – the local libraries got in touch to get copies after it had been featured, and I’ve donated copies to the St Abb’s Head, the Mull of Galloway Trust and the Museum of Scottish lighthouses for them to raise funds.
“Now I’m taking the show on the road, as I have a substantial amount of memorabilia and it’s nice to be able to share the stories of the artefacts and to give communities a flavour of what life was like in that industry.
“It’s all about highlighting how it’s changed so much over the years; now it’s all automated with no keepers or families.
“There are interesting stories from the artefacts I’ve acquired, like a postcard from 1911 which I unearthed and found about the fascinating life stories of the sailor who wrote it and who it was sent to.
“I also have uniforms from Scotland, England and Ireland and things like a 1908 ‘notice to mariners’, bits of lenses and concrete from lighthouses which are no longer in existence, a Bible from the 1800s and a crystal decanter from a tender vessel.
“The collection also includes signed photographs of Robert Louis Stevenson’s parents [from the renowned family of lighthouse engineers], which I bought separately from the US to bring together for the first time, and some autographed books.”
Peter’s exhibitions take place at New Lanark’s Falls of Clyde room from July 12- 14, including music from visiting artist Farrowhawk; at Ocean Terminal from August 10- 31, with “occasional visits” during the period by the artefact exhibits, including for international lighthouse weekend on August 18-19; and at Summerlee’s community case from September 14 to October 24.
The latter was arranged after he led a group of students on a visit to the Coatbridge museum; and many of his lighthouse artefacts fit with the theme of the World Wars display which will be taking place there.
He added: “I’m interested to look into local links, like any local brickworks being involved in producing the materials for these fantastic structures.”
“I keep mostly around the Stevenson lighthouses and the Northern Lighthouse Board, but various items have that crossover with some dating back to World War I.
“There are antique maps from World War II, created to identify lighthouses up and down the UK and the continent which were disguised during the war; and door plates from Lightship LV72 Trinity House, commonly known as Juno, which was part of clearing a safe path across to Dunkirk.
“There’s so much heritage there which shouldn’t be forgotten.”
Peter added: “I’m definitely excited and very surprised to be exhibiting at a place like Ocean Terminal – last year it was the busiest tourist attraction in the UK so to be promoting lighthouses at such a prominent location is fantastic.
“The reason I’m doing it is to keep the knowledge alive and to raise the profile; the hope is that people will see some of these lighthouses and will want to go to visit.
“My book has done well in raising funds – I was able to give £250 from sales at the AGM of the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses which will be put towards reinstating the lens for the Monarch lighthouse and other projects like paint or restoration.
“It’s a way of putting back into the community; and I’m hoping there could even be a semi-permanent exhibition at St Abb’s.”
Peter’s limited edition photos will be available to buy and more details on his exhibitions are at www. followingthelights.com