The Red and Green Lighthouse
London's five hundred year old Trinity House maintains our lighthouses, provides pilotage and seafarers' charities. I am proud to be a 'Younger Brother'.
I take great pride and pleasure in being a ‘Younger Brother’ of Trinity House. In the unlikely event that they asked me to become an ’Elder Brother’ I would be reluctant- it’s good to stay ’younger.’ Trinity House is the guardian of our lighthouses, but also the epicentre of so much of Britain’s maritime life- pilotage, cadet training, seafarer welfare and pensioners and so much more. It was founded by Henry VIII in 1514 and occupies magnificent buildings directly across from the Tower of London. I went to their great Festival this week- which happens, appropriately enough, at Trinity Tide, and includes a lovely church service in Samuel Pepys’s church, St Olave’s. The Bishop of London preached about the importance of lighthouses- to mariners and in our everyday lives.
We said Sir Francis Drake’s Prayer “O Lord, when thou givest to thy servants to endeavour in any great matter, grant us also to know that it is not the beginning but the continuing of the same until it be thoroughly finished that yieldeth true glory”, and then processed through the streets of the City behind the Master, HRH The Princess Royal back to Trinity House for a thoroughly jolly lunch.
There we heard of the Watchet Lighthouse in Somerset, which has been painted red for the 165 years of its lifetime, - quite incorrectly since it is on the starboard side of the harbour entrance. When Trinity House tried to have it repainted, there was a tremendous fuss from locals, who loved the traditions and heritage of their incorrectly coloured lighthouse. In a true British spirit of compromise, the matter has now been settled. The seaward side will be painted green for seafarers, but the landward side will remain red to preserve the heritage and traditions. Splendid.
No-one quite knows why everything in the House of Lords is red (benches, writing paper, carpet), everything at the Commons end is green. Could it be to do with port and starboard? I guess that depends on which way you are facing! A little known fact is that Lambeth Bridge at the Lords end of the Palace is painted red; Westminster Bridge at the Commons end is green.
As the Bishop reminded us, lighthouses don’t quell the waves nor stop the winds; but they do give us a mark by which to find our way through the rough patches, a light to warn us off the rocks and a general comfort as we make our way through life.