SiteRecordings

The first lighthouse in the area (that continues to be used today) was constructed at Green Point in 1824. Despite the erection of that facility, ships continued to be wrecked at the entrance to Table Bay. The Port Captain, Mr Bance recommended that an additional light be placed at Mouille Point to provide additional guidance to ships. The lighthouse was completed on the 1st July 1842. According to Burman, "the new structure consisted of a single white light on a pyramidal structure, as against the twin lights of the Green Point lighthouse."  It was built at 33 meters (feet?) above (the high water mark?). Two plans of the lighthouse are attached to a letter from Maclear to the Colonial secretary in 1859 . One of the plans, shows the lighthouse as it was at that point, while another shows "proposed alterations and temporary arrangement" to the lighthouse. This is an indication that the light was still not adequate. Correspondence from 1862, includes a recommendation that the light be made a red one for navigation purposes10. It would appear that the modifications that were planned never took place because we know that a new lighthouse (round) was built close by in 1865, that was indeed a red. It would appear therefore, that instead of modifying the existing structure, that a completely new structure was erected. The "New" Lighthouse 1865 - 1909 This light is situated in lat. 33º53'56"S long. 18º24'46"E. The present structure is a round shaft 30 feet high, painted in alternate white and red bands. The light was first exhibited in January 1865. It is 44 feet above high water, and visible (from) about 10 miles. It is a red dioptric fixed light of the fourth order. This lighthouse was constructed at a cost of £800. W. Wright, Keeper." It apparently required 730 gallons of sheep tail oil per annum to keep the light burning. A new site was selected for the erection of the new light. The new site was close to the location of the older light and it is possible that some of the stone from the demolished structure, may have been used in the construction of the new. The new position is shown on excerpts from the Wilson (1878) and the Thom (1900) surveys of the city. In the 1878 plan, the remains of the Mouille Battery can still clearly be seen, and it would appear that the new light has in fact been placed over one side of the fort. Despite the erection of this new light, ships continued to be wrecked. The Athens and the Piscataqua were wrecked within months of each other in 1865. In a report by the Lighthouse Commission of 1890, it was recommended that the lighthouse should be demolished as soon as the new breakwater was completed. The breakwater with its own navigational light was completed in April of 1906, and the Mouille light duly lost its operational status, but was only officially extinguished in 1908. The light unit was probably removed at that time, but the base and part of the tower survived demolition and can still be seen on the site today