Open Space: The Lighthouse Keepers (BBC Two documentary, 1992)

Tony Elvers is one of the keepers of the Needles Lighthouse off the Isle of Wight which is soon to be automated. The Elder Brethren of Trinity House, responsible for all the lighthouses around the British coast, are nearing the end of a ten-year automation programme, and there are now only three tower rock lights out at sea with keepers living and working on them.
In his film, Tony Elvers laments the passing of a way of life that keeps a human presence in some of our most dangerous waters.
Producer: Paul Pierrot
Series producer: Giles Oakley

[@lunainezdelamancha3368]

I love lighthouses. They are so nostalgic and mysteriously charming. When I was a child I had a whole collection of them...I lost it when I moved...I couldn't take with me! 😢

[@DeadlyKiss000]

1992 was a good year for me. I fell madly in love and won a lot of money gambling. I won a Beauty Competition too and broke the course record at my local golf course. I also made a 147 at snooker and wrote a hit song that stayed at No 1 for weeks. I also wrote a book that topped the best sellers list for months. I was also awarded the Freedom of the city of Blackpool. I ran the London marathon too and was the first woman to break 2 hours! What a year! I like this lighthouse documentary. Not sure what it's about but, oh I forgot, I also won The Citizen of the Year award for Brilliant People. Just thought I'd mention it.

[@mintysgt]

Great to see peters name in the credits. His channel is a credit to trinity house history

[@adimeter]

Love the music.

[@user-pv9kg9ou1l]

We went on honeymoon to Isle of Wight and went for a walk around st Catherine’s lighthouse. A lovely place. I wouldn’t mind being holed up there for a 1 month stretch away from the wife!

[@mattreid859]

Very interesting film. It must have been hard.knowing that your career and your livelihood was going to be wiped out after putting in all that hard work for many years. I thought they were all impressively dignified about it.

[@humphrey4976]

Blokes suck in a cramped, damp and dangerous lighthouse. Woman’s like “it’s much harder for me being at home”

[@Sheriff_GrimLaw]

Imagine the misery of knowing you've got to go back and spend another long 28 days with her! 😂

[@Sheriff_GrimLaw]

If my wife looked like that I'd be pulling double shifts at the lighthouse all year long.

[@svenevans4983]

Cracked me up watching this. I'd have made a brilliant lighthouse keeper... I'd be fishing 24/7😊

[@DeadlyKiss000]

Why are you so sure? You might have forgotten to put the light on every night and had hundreds of boats sink around you. You might then have tried to hide the evidence and get yourself into even more trouble! You might have been really good too though. Just saying

[@michelleduplooymalherbe2837]

being from South Africa I could not believe when they were watching TV and it was about the political situation here, I was stunned......

[@NashTenn]

I want the first song played at my funeral.

[@kateharvey5842]

Yes!!! My fringe and ears are famous!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@richardwilkinson4419]

So you lot must have been the other crew from Peter halil

[@operatorjeffdeathstar7759]

TIME AFTER TIME...lol...

[@Mich3]

if you're lost and you look and you will find me

[@DeadlyKiss000]

Why didn't she phone him?

[@garyreeve9280]

What is in the white jug the keeper hands over to the boatman?

[@Mich3]

a jar of seaman

[@Vortigan07]

@@Mich3 😂😂😂😂

[@tsbrownie]

The reports they typed daily?

[@DeadlyKiss000]

​@@Mich3A bit rude Mich!

[@Mich3]

@@DeadlyKiss000 i bet you'd love a cup!

[@Chewligan1]

Why do we need manned lighthouses? Just stick a lamp up the top of a tower with a ladder and change the bulb every 6 months. Only one person needed for one trip every 6 months, job done FFS !!!

[@martyncook4528]

Terrible choice of incidental music

[@DeezNuts-vj4ws]

ur buggin my guy miles davis is gas

[@johnryan2193]

Tongue in cheek ! Why no women on the lighthouse ?

[@moonlightttt156]

Because it one of the only place men can be without being moaned at

[@PillSharks]

The vast majority wouldn’t stand the working conditions! I’ve started to see them creep into the marine sector over the last few years now things have become easier! I was only talking with a lad from a dredger the other day which has had a couple of women on board at different times.. refusing to come on duty because of women troubles, ropes too heavy and “that’s not in my job description”. Don’t worry, the ship still operates as the rest of the crew (men) step up and do the work!

[@earlwright9715]

This is exactly the job i was born for, only born to late. Instead i was a master electrician and had to deal with numbskulls and knuckleheads