Imperial Lighthouse Service

{{Short description|Lighthouse authority for the British Empire}}

The Imperial Lighthouse Service (ILS) was the official general lighthouse authority for the British Empire outside the British Isles.

The Imperial Lighthouse Service operated out of Trinity House{{Cite web |title=Bahama and Bahamian lighthouses and Abaco lighthouses in history - their history and future - News of The Abacos - What's On - The Abaco Islands Entertainment and Recreation Newspaper |url=http://go-abacos.com/news/whatson/whatson_lighth.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100202180622/http://go-abacos.com/news/whatson/whatson_lighth.html |archive-date=2010-02-02 |access-date=2025-06-27 |website=go-abacos.com |quote=}} and came under the control of the Board of Trade and was responsible for the provision and maintenance of navigational aids such as lighthouses, lightvessels, and buoys in all colonies of the British Empire.

With the end of the British Empire, most of these lighthouses were taken over by the newly-independent countries and the Imperial Lighthouse Service stopped its operations by the late 1970s.

Anguilla

Anguilla had the distinction of hosting the last ILS lighthouse in the West Atlantic Ocean at Sombrero, Anguilla. The inspector, however, was based in St. Kitts.

Australia

The Board of Trade was responsible for navigation aids in Australia until the passing of the Commonwealth Navigation Act 1912,{{Cite book |last=Ibbotson |first=John |title=Lighthouses of Australia: Images from the End of an Era |publisher=Australian Lighthouse Traders |year=2001 |isbn=0-646-41674-X |location=Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia |pages=9 |language=en}} some 12 years after federation.

Bahamas

File:GORDON(1863) Lighthouses - BAHAMAS, LOBOS CAY.jpg

The Bahamas was the headquarters of the Imperial Lighthouse Service in the West Indies.{{Cite book |last1=Chance |first1=Toby |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yKA_EQAAQBAJ&dq=%22Imperial+Lighthouse+Service%22&pg=PT271 |title=Lighthouses: The Race to Illuminate the World |last2=Williams |first2=Peter |date=2008-09-26 |publisher=IMM Lifestyle Books |isbn=978-1-78009-104-4 |language=en}}

One of the oldest lighthouses in the Bahamas is the Hole-in-the-Wall lighthouse at the southernmost tip of the Abaco Islands.{{Cite web |title=Hole In The Wall Lighthouse - Explore The Bahamas - The Official Website of The Bahamas |url=https://www.bahamas.com/plan-your-trip/things-to-do/hole-in-the-wall-lighthouse |access-date=2025-06-12 |website=The Islands of The Bahamas |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Allen |first=Jean |date=27 Dec 1998 |title=Travel Q&A (Relatives of ours have a vacation house on the island of Abaco) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1186420721/?match=1&terms=%22Imperial%20Lighthouse%20Service%22 |url-access=subscription |access-date=12 June 2025 |work=The Huntsville Times |location=Huntsville, Alabama |pages=H2}} It was built in 1836 and thought to be the first lighthouse built in the Bahamas by the Imperial Lighthouse Service. Similarly, the iconic Elbow Reef Lighthouse at Hope Town was built by the service in 1863{{Cite news |date=14 June 2008 |title=Barefoot Luxury |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1170538350 |url-access=subscription |access-date=12 June 2025 |work=Daily Echo |location=Bournemouth, England |pages=61}}{{Cite journal |last=Coyle |first=Jay |date=November 2006 |title=Island Hopping |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZG2py9OX_8YC&dq=%22Imperial+Lighthouse+Service%22&pg=RA15-PA10 |journal=Motorboating |pages=60}} to direct ships away from Hope Town and the dangerous Elbow Reef.

Other lighthouses maintained by the service included those at Dixon Hill lighthouse (Exuma) built in 1886,{{Cite book |last=Moyle |first=Mariah Laine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KChkDwAAQBAJ&dq=%22Imperial+Lighthouse+Service%22&pg=PT486 |title=Moon Bahamas |date=2019-03-12 |publisher=Avalon Publishing |isbn=978-1-64049-324-7 |language=en}} Great Isaac Cay (Bimini), North Rock (Bimini), Gun Cay (Bimini), and Riding Rock (Bimini).{{Cite book |last=Adamson |first=Hans Christian |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015010634924&seq=435&q1=Imperial+Lighthouse+Service |title=Keepers of the lights |date=1955 |publisher=Greenberg |location=New York |pages=393–394}}

In 1929, the pay for an inspector was £800/year.{{Cite news |date=28 June 1929 |title=Public Offices, Unions &c. (Notices) |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/986972608 |url-access=subscription |access-date=12 June 2025 |work=Liverpool Post & Mercury |pages=1}}

Each lighthouse was issued with signal flags to warn residents and ships of impending hurricanes.{{Cite book |last=Neely |first=Wayne |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qd2RsShH8SsC&dq=%22Imperial+Lighthouse+Service%22&pg=PA94 |title=The Great Bahamas Hurricane of 1866: The Story of One of the Greatest and Deadliest Hurricanes to Ever Impact the Bahamas |date=2011-04-28 |publisher=iUniverse |isbn=978-1-4620-1104-9 |pages=94 |language=en}} In 1932, the lighthouses operated solar sensors that were used to automatically turn lights on and off.{{Cite news |date=1932-06-30 |title=Unique control of lighthouse signals |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-transcript-unique-control-of-l/174357763/ |access-date=2025-06-12 |work=The Times-Transcript |pages=9}} In 1936, the lighthouse at Gun Cay was decommissioned.

When the Bahamas gained independence in 1973, the colony's ILS was turned over to the new Ministry of Transport,{{Cite news |date=7 July 1973 |title=A Discreet Tear from the Raj |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/259825678 |url-access=subscription |access-date=12 June 2025 |work=The Guardian}} and the employment of its 90-odd staff terminated.{{Cite news |date=February 20, 1973 |title=Lighthouse Men to Get Gratuity |url=https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00084249/03277/zoom/0 |access-date=12 June 2025 |work=The Tribune |location=Nassau, Bahamas |pages=11}} The last inspector was Commander John Coaker who was to stay on in the Bahamas following independence for a transitional period of up to a year.

Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

The ILS operated lights in Ceylon. The head office for the service was located at Lightservice House, Horton Place, Colombo.

In 1916, Commander G. Stapleton was serving as the inspector for Ceylon and Minicoy.{{Cite news |date=9 Feb 1916 |title=Beaching of Boats |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1135408613 |url-access=subscription |access-date=12 June 2025 |work=The Winner |location=Melbourne, Australia |pages=7}} In 1921, Commander J. C. Kerkham was superintendent.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E7gvAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22Imperial+Lighthouse+Service%22&pg=PA123 |title=The Times of Ceylon Green Book |date=1921 |publisher=Times of Ceylon Company |pages=123 |language=en}}

Other

The ILS operated lights in the Falkland Islands.

While the Imperial Lighthouse Service was the responsible authority for the colonies,

Trinity House was the responsible authority for England and Wales, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands;
Scotland and the Isle of Man fell under the auspices of the Northern Lighthouse Board; and
Ireland was under the control the Commissioners of Irish Lights.