Then & Now
1892-2018. New Brighton lighthouse in Cheshire sits on the bank of the river at Perch Rock on the Wirral. In 1827 it replaced the original lantern beacon first erected in the 17th century, and is said to be modelled on the trunk of an oak tree. With fog being common on the shipping route where the Mersey opens to the Irish sea, it was installed with three bells under the gallery to act as a signal in both high and low visibility. It was decommissioned in 1973, but restoration work took place in 2001 when an LED lightsource was installed which flashes the names of those lost at sea during its history; including all the 1,517 victims of the sinking of the titanic.